Alameda
Holiday Fest: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 8, Temple Israel, 3183 Mecartney Road. Dozens of booths, gift cards, bake sale and on-site cafe. http://bit.ly/2NqO7lr
Benicia
Holiday Open House and Tree Lighting: 6-9 p.m. Dec. 6, at the foot of First Street. Holiday carolers, live entertainment, wagon rides; stores will be open until 9 p.m. www.beniciamainstreet.org/
Christmas Parade and Holiday Market: 10 a.m. Dec. 14. Parade starts at First and D streets and continues up First Street, ending at H Street. Features local marching bands, dancers and Santa Claus. Holiday Market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., on First Street. The Holiday Market features handcrafted arts and crafts, gourmet items and delicious foods. www.beniciamainstreet.org/
Berkeley
Snow? In Berkeley?: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 8, Gourmet Ghetto, 1451-1495 Shattuck Ave. Bring your boots and mittens to play in the snow, visit with the Snow Queen, take pony rides, make holiday crafts and enjoy hot cider and ginger snaps. Free. http://bit.ly/2CeINMR
A Christmas Story: Nov. 9-Dec. 22, Berkeley Playhouse, 2640 College Ave. The musical chronicles young Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way toward the holiday gift of his dreams, an official Red Ryder BB gun. $25-$44. berkeleyplayhouse.org
Concord
Ice at the Veranda: Nov. 8-Feb. 17, 2001-2003 Diamond Blvd. All dates and times are weather dependent. $15. http://bit.ly/2MZeQq6
Daly City
Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. weekends Nov. 23-Dec. 22, Cow Palace Exhibition Halls, 2600 Geneva Ave. Explore twilight-lit streets with shops, pubs, stages and dance halls filled with more than 800 Victorian characters. $14-$32. www.dickensfair.com
El Cerrito
It’s a Wonderful Life — A Live Radio Play: Nov. 29-Dec. 15, Contra Costa Civic Theatre, 951 Pomona Ave. Become the live studio audience for a radio broadcast of this American holiday favorite. George Bailey’s Christmas Eve crisis of faith brings about the intervention of his guardian angel Clarence, who shows George all the lives he has touched, and how different life in his community of Bedford Falls would be if he had never been born. $11-$32. www.ccct.org
Kensington
Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley Holiday Events — Sing for Peace: 1 p.m. Dec. 8. Enjoy a holiday concert and cookie buffet, with joyful secular songs and music of peace. Featuring Katie Lipka and the Youth and Children’s Choir, Luminescence choir and guest musicians. $15-$30. Messiah Sing-along, 6 p.m. Dec. 22. The oldest Messiah sing-along in the Bay Area will include food and a surprise or two this year. $15-$20. 1 Lawson Road. https://uucb.org/
Lafayette
Cinderella — A Fairytale: Dec. 5-21, Town Hall Theatre Company, 3535 School St. Featuring original music, humor, dance and a genuine love story. $18-$30. www.townhalltheatre.com
Diablo Women’s Chorale Fall Concert — Winter’s Light: 4-5:30 p.m. Dec. 8, Temple Isaiah, 945 Risa Road. Jazzy, uplifting songs from Lisa Loeby, George Michael, Irving Berlin and more. $15-$25. Special wine and cheese tasting after the concert. $10 donation requested. http://bit.ly/2CeKHNp
Livermore
Holidays in the Vineyards: Dec. 7-8, Livermore Valley wineries. More than two dozen Livermore Valley wineries will be decked out for the holidays during this special tasting event. Free admission; tasting fees may apply. www.lvwine.org
The Nutcracker: Dec. 14-22, Bankhead Theater, 2400 First St. Presented by Valley Dance Theatre, accompanied by the Valley Dance Theatre Pit Orchestra. $21-$42. https://lvpac.org
Menlo Park
Taste of the Mountains Holiday Wine Wander: 1-4:30 p.m. Dec. 7, Santa Cruz Avenue. Enjoy wines from small, local boutique wineries in various tasting locations up and down Santa Cruz Avenue. $49. http://bit.ly/2K52WK2
Monterey
Christmas on the Wharf: Dec. 6-22, Fisherman’s Wharf. Includes free weekend live entertainment, Santa visits, free refreshments at specific hours, holiday princesses, meet-and-greets with local authors and more. www.montereywharf.com
Mountain View
A Celtic Christmas: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St. A re-creation of a night before Christmas in a small farm house in western Ireland, in the days before the motor car, TV or telephone when neighbors gathered for a night of traditional Irish music, dance, song and storytelling. $47-$62. http://bit.ly/2N2uvFj
Smuin’s Christmas Ballet: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29-Dec. 1, Mountain View Center for the Arts, 500 Castro St. Featuring classical ballet and festive contemporary numbers. $59-$93. www.smuinballet.org/
Oakville
Robert Mondavi Winery Tree Lighting and Celebration: 3-5 p.m. Dec. 7, 7801 St. Helena Highway. Enjoy horse and buggy rides, holiday caroling, wine tasting, hot apple cider, Italian cookies and cheese and charcuterie appetizers. $25. www.robertmondaviwinery.com/events-calendar
Palo Alto
A Christmas Story: Nov. 8-24, Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road. The musical chronicles young Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way toward the holiday gift of his dreams, an official Red Ryder BB gun. $34-$49. http://bit.ly/2JDEDCj
Pleasant Hill
Breakfast with Santa: 8:30 or 10 a.m. Dec. 7, Senior Center, 233 Gregory Lane. A morning of holiday cheer, a breakfast of pancakes and sausage, and live entertainment. $9.50-$10.50. http://bit.ly/2pNTrrl
Redwood City
Hometown Holidays: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 7, Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway. Enjoy a parade, live entertainment, carnival rides, snow, Santa Claus photos and more. www.hometownholidays.org
St. Helena
Jingle All the Way — Winter Wonderland Roller Rink and Holiday Lights: Nov. 29-Dec. 29, 1498 Main St. Featuring a light show, icy disco, and live music, food trucks, wine booth, hot toddy stand, and special themed days. $8-$12. http://bit.ly/2qsCV00
San Francisco
GLIDE’s annual Holiday Jam: 5:30 p.m. doors open, 7 p.m. program Nov. 14, The Masonic, 1111 California. Featuring an evening of music, celebration and community, with performances by Ledisi, Lisa Fischer, GLIDE Ensemble and the Change Band, Alphabet Rockets and more. Pre-concert and intermission receptions with hors d’oeuvres, GLIDE’s Famous Fried Chicken and no-host bar. $50-$100. www.glide.org/daretolove
T-Mobile Winter Park: Noon-10 p.m. Nov. 22-Dec. 1, Dec. 7-8, 14-15 and Dec. 21-Jan. 5, Civic Center, 355 McAllister St. This year, in addition to the 60- by 100-foot rink, a skating track that weaves through the lighted tree forest will be extended. Special events include curling lessons, giveaway days and more. $13-$18. https://winterparkicerinksf.com/
Scrooge in Love: Dec. 4-22, Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson St. Set a year after the events of the Dickens tale, a reformed Scrooge looks for his lost love Belle, and revisits past, present and future ghostly friends. $30-$72. http://bit.ly/2qTgNfe
The Jewelry Box: Dec. 5-14, The Marsh, 1062 Valencia St. A funny heartwarming story follows young Brian as he heads to the “mean streets” of Oakland to buy his mom a Christmas present. When he finds the perfect gift – a jewelry box in the White Front Department store – six-year-old Brian sets out to earn the required $11.97 by Christmas. $20-$100. www.themarsh.org
The Mistle Tones: Dec. 8-17, Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson St., San Francisco. A Christmas show that’s part a capella, comedy, rock and roll, and handbells. $20-$25. http://bit.ly/2WtgEe4
San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker: Dec. 11-29, War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave. The 75th anniversary of this country’s first production of the famous ballet features snow falling outside the Opera House (weather permitting), festive decor and holiday lights, ballet shop, 150 costumed characters, and Tchaikovsky’s classic score performed live by the SF Ballet Orchestra. $25-$449. www.sfballet.org/
Smuin’s Christmas Ballet: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12-23, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard St. Featuring classical ballet and festive contemporary numbers. $36-$97. www.smuinballet.org
San Jose
Kristi Yamaguchi Downtown Ice: Nov. 15-Jan. 12, 120 S. Market St. The only ice rink in the world that offers skating in and around a circle of 32 palm trees. $15-$18. For times and specials visit: www.downtownicesj.com
Santana Row Holiday Entertainment: Through Dec. 22, 377 Santana Row. Amid a setting of life-size reindeer, camels, giraffes and twinkle lights, enjoy the annual tree lighting ceremony and confetti snow shower, a Santa Paws event benefitting Humane Society Silicon Valley and more. Check out their calendar of events. www.santanarow.com/events
A Winter Gift — Celtic Music & Stories for the Season: 3 p.m. Nov. 24, First Congregational Church, 1980 Hamilton Ave. Storyteller and harpist Patrick Ball, Lisa Lynne and Aryeh Frankfurter step into a magical world of Irish and English literature with passages from Yeats, Hardy, Shakespeare and more. $10-$20. http://bit.ly/2WpHK64
A Taffeta Christmas: Dec. 6-22, Tabard Theatre, 29 N. San Pedro St. Holiday classics, pop standards and rock ‘n’ roll sung in high-energy four-part harmony by The Taffetas, a 1950s girl group. $35-$45. www.tabardtheatre.org
San Mateo
Photos with Santa and Santa Set Experience: Nov. 22-Dec. 24, Hillsdale Shopping Center, 60 31st. Ave. Take a holiday photo with Santa, then wander through the Santa Set Experience with holiday-themed interactive displays and Mrs. Field’s cookie nights. Times vary. www.hillsdale.com
San Ramon
Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Skating Rink, Nov. 15-Jan. 5, City Center Bishop Ranch, 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road. Enjoy the 4,100-square-foot ice rink, which opens daily at 11 a.m. (at 10 a.m. Thanksgiving week and Christmas week, but closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day). Admission $12, skate rental $5. Drop off gently-used coats for the One Warm Coat Donation Drive on Nov. 15 and 22; the first 100 people to donate each night will receive a free ice rink ticket. www.citycenterbishopranch.com
City Center Bishop Ranch Holiday: 5-8 p.m. Nov. 22, enjoy a 50-foot tree-lighting celebration with live music by Pride & Joy, the Monte Vista High School Marching Band and San Ramon Voices. Festivities will also include hot cocoa and cider cheer stations, face painting and crafts. Take free selfies with Santa from 1-6 p.m. weekends starting Nov. 22. www.citycenterbishopranch.com
Suisun
Christmas on the Waterfront: 2-8 p.m. Dec. 7, Suisun City Harbor plaza, 680 Main St. Browse the 30-plus vendor booths featuring unique gifts, stocking stuffers and holiday treats. Enjoy local entertainment, food, a community bonfire, lighted boat parade, fireworks show and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. http://bit.ly/34zkLbo
Sunnyvale
Holiday Auction: 5-7:30 p.m. Nov. 21, Elks Lodge, 375 Pastoria Ave. Enjoy food and beverages while bidding on dozens of unique items. Admission is free, but Sunnyvale Community Services suggests bringing a $25 gift card, which will be distributed to families in need during the annual SCS Holiday Center in early December. https://svcommunityservices.org/
Vallejo
Christmas Concert: 2-4:30 p.m. Dec. 15, Mare Island Museum, 1100 Railroad Ave. Featuring the Vallejo Choral Society and a post-concert reception with coffee, tea and cookies. $20. http://bit.ly/2rcfS9P
Walnut Creek
A Swingin’ Holiday and More: Nov. 8-10, Del Valle Theatre, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd. Featuring two family-friendly ballets, including “A Swingin’ Holiday,” set to the music of the 1930s and ’40s performed by the Diablo Ballet Swing Orchestra. Includes “The Nutcracker Suite” with Julia Adam, former principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet. $15-$50. www.diabloballet.org
Smuin’s Christmas Ballet: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 22-23, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive. Featuring classical ballet and festive contemporary numbers. $59-$89. www.smuinballet.org
The Nutcracker: Nov. 29-Dec. 1, Lesher Center for the Arts, Hofmann Theatre, 1601 Civic Drive. Contra Costa Ballet celebrates its 30th year with family-friendly, hour-long format performances. $30-$40. http://bit.ly/2CcDxJI
Contra Costa Wind Symphony — Winterfest: 2 p.m. Dec. 8, Del Valle theatre, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd. A festive collection of traditional and not-so-traditional holiday favorites. Free. Reservations suggested. http://bit.ly/2BSYUzA
Woodside
Holidays at Filoli — Garden Lights: Nov. 23-Dec. 30, 86 Cañada Road. Featuring a fresh new take on seasonal decor in every room, as well as the elegantly-lit gardens. Shop the Clock Tower Shop or the two artisan market weekends, held the weekend before and after Thanksgiving. $18-$35. https://filoli.org/events/holidays/