Hey! The world doesn't seem to be imploding on itself just yet, and it's the holidays! So grab your flask, strap on one of those beer hats, and go out in search of some distracting/numbing seasonal cheer.
There are ample opportunities this year for holiday magic in the form of twinkly light displays and such. Below are a few you may want to check out in lieu of tossing yourself into the Black Friday fray this weekend.
Winter Wonderland at Thrive City (Chase Center)
They've got a 90-foot tree getting installed at Thrive City, outside the Chase Center, with a lighting ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, November 30. At the ceremony, the SF Philharmonic will be on hand, and original member and founder of Journey, Neal Schon, will be performing as well. Then on the weekend of December 16, there's a Holiday Spectacular happening over three days, with fake snow falling, Santa, and other "seasonal treats."
The Tree Lighting at the Ritz-Carlton
Head up to Nob Hill on Tuesday, November 29, for the ceremonial lighting of the Ritz-Carlton's 40-foot Xmas tree. The public is invited, there will be music, and "Santa and a Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area child are scheduled to flip the switch."
HapPIER Holidays at PIER 39
They're embracing puns over at Pier 39 this year, with the slogan "Celebrate HapPIER Holidays at the PIER." There's a 60-foot-tall tree set up, and lights all around, and plenty of touristy shopping to do if all you need to buy for loved ones are sea lions stuffies and sweatshirts and mugs that have cable cars on them. Also, nightly around 5 p.m., there are Tree Lighting Magical Moments with lights "Synchronized to Holiday music, [and] the tree transforms into a kaleidoscope of swirling colors, adorned with thousands of specialty lights and ornaments.
The 2022 Snow Village at the Hyatt Regency
A 100-foot-long Snow Village holiday display is being installed in the atrium lobby of the recently renovated Hyatt Regency at the Embarcadero (not to be confused with the other, newly rebranded Hyatt Regency "Downtown SoMa" a few blocks away), featuring thousands of hand-made miniature houses, models of San Francisco buildings, and a model train. The Snow Village is being created by contractor and collector Glenn Leveque, the hotel tells us, and it "honors his late son Christopher who passed away from myocarditis at 22 years old." The display is partly a fundraiser for the Myocarditis Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to saving lives and finding a cure, and you can see it starting Monday, November 28, through New Year's Day.
Jingle All the Way on JFK - Plus 'Entwined'
The illuminated Entwined installation by artist Charles Gadeken returns to the Peacock Meadow in Golden Gate Park on December 1. And also that evening there's a tree-lighting ceremony at the big tree outside McLaren Lodge at 501 Stanyan Street, featuring live music, a snow play area, carnival rides, food trucks, a visit from Santa, and more.
Let's Glow SF 2022
Last but not least, projection-mapping light displays will illuminate a bunch of downtown SF buildings for 10 days as part of Let's Glow SF, which kicks off the evening of December 2. More info here.
Top image via Let's Glow SF/YouTube
