6AM City In-house

Winter fun for everyone ❄️

75+ festive, seasonal events happening in San Diego County in 2023
Jungle Bells SD Zoo
Jungle Bells returns this season to the San Diego Zoo. | Photo via San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance + Ken Bohn
Get your fuzzy socks and hot cocoa ready, San Diego. From light displays to holiday performances and festive events, winter in America’s Finest City is truly magical.

Gather the family and friends and celebrate what makes the holiday season special with this guide featuring 60 winter events.

🎉 Festivals

Holiday Market at Petco Park | Thursday, Dec. 1-Friday, Dec. 23 (select nights) | 4-10 p.m. | Gallagher Square at Petco Park | $16+ | Browse goodies made by local artisans while enjoying magical light displays, seasonal food vendors + visits with Santa.

December Nights | Friday, Dec. 2 + Saturday, Dec. 3 | 3-11 p.m. + 11 a.m.-11 p.m. | Balboa Park | Free | The city’s largest holiday festival returns to its original form — in-person, taking over the landmark for two days with lights, sounds, food, and seasonal activities.

SD Surfin' Santa

Surfin’ Santa is coming to town.

Photo via 3PIXstudios

🎄Holiday events

Surfin’ Santa | Saturday, Nov. 26 | 1-5 p.m. | Seaport Village | Free | Decked out in boardshorts + a Hawaiian shirt, this SoCal-style Santa will arrive by watercraft — no less — to kick off the holiday season at the landmark. Don’t miss the Santa Parade down the boardwalk at 1 p.m.

San Diego Bay Parade of Lights | Sunday, Dec. 11 + Sunday, Dec. 18 | 5:30 p.m. | San Diego Bay | Free | This local holiday tradition — sailing along for the past 52 years — features a procession of lavishly decorated boats lighting up San Diego Bay.

Ebenezer's Big SD Christmas Show

The Sons of Pitches: Cathryn Wake, George Abud, Bill Buell, Orville Mendoza, and Jacque Wilke in “Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show,” 2021.

Photo by Jim Cox

🎻 Holiday performances

Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show | Through Saturday, Dec. 24 | Times vary | The Old Globe | $45+ | A reimagining of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” with a comic local twist set in “wintery” San Diego.

Mariachi Sol De Mexico: A Merry-achi Christmas | Friday, Dec. 2 | 8 p.m. | Balboa Theatre | $37+ | The 13-piece ensemble performs its festive celebration of both Mexican + American Christmas carols.
PRESENTING: 54 MORE WINTER EVENTS

The most wonderful time of year to get out and explore the city is…
A. Spring
B. Summer
C. Fall
D. Winter
E. All of them
GIFT US YOUR THOUGHTS
6AM City In-house

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Friday, Nov. 18
Saturday, Nov. 19
  • Doggie Street Festival | Saturday, Nov. 19 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | NTC Park at Liberty Station, 2455 Cushing Rd., San Diego | Free | The largest adopt-a-thon in the west features pet products, vets, entertainment + pets looking for their new homes.
  • Shake & Shine Fest 2022 | Saturday, Nov. 19 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | San Diego Mission Bay Boat & Ski Club, 2606 N Mission Bay Dr., San Diego | $11-$111 | Reveal your inner divine at this wellness festival — bring your own yoga mat.
  • Lucy Dacus | Saturday, Nov. 19 | 7 p.m. | The Observatory North Park, 2891 University Ave., San Diego | $51 | The folk singer is joined by rock act Haley Heynderickx.
Sunday, Nov. 20
  • Gabby’s Dollhouse Bakey with Cakey Tour | Sunday, Nov. 20 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Walmart Supercenter, 1360 Eastlake Pkwy, Chula Vista | Free | The hit Netflix series, “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” brings its “Bakey With Cakey” tour to this Chula Vista Walmart.
  • “Friends"-Giving Brunch | Sunday, Nov. 20 | 1 p.m. | Mic Drop Comedy, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego | $10 | Could this “Friends"-inspired comedy show be any funnier?
  • Fused Glass Holiday Decor: Ornaments & Night Lights Workshop | Sunday, Nov. 20 | 1-3 p.m. | San Diego Craft Collective, 2590 Truxtun Rd Studio 106, San Diego | $85-$90 | Get crafty at this instructor-led workshop by making festive glass nightlights or tree ornaments.
  • Banda MS | Sunday, Nov. 20 | 7:30 p.m. | San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego | $59-$249 | The Mexican banda from Mazatlán takes the stage.
  • La India Yuridia: Alv Rigoberto Us Tour | Sunday, Nov. 20 | 8 p.m. | Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., San Diego | $75-$145 | No te pierdas esta noche de comedia.
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
MORE MERRYMAKING

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Weather
  • 65º | A mix of clouds + sunshine | 0% chance of rain
Sunrise + Sunset
  • Rise: 6:21 a.m.
  • Set: 4:46 p.m.
Tide
  • Low: 11:52 a.m. + 11:36 p.m.
  • High: 5:54 a.m. + 5:19 p.m.
  • Water Temperature: 64º
Civic
  • The San Diego County Registrar of Voters continues to tally results from last week’s Statewide General Election. The next round of numbers are slated to come down by 5 p.m. today — and the official results must be certified + posted by Thursday, Dec. 8. 🗳️
Open
  • “Micro Monsters” — a new film about the hidden world of super-powered bugs — hits the giant screen at the San Diego Natural History Museum today through Sunday, April 30, 2023. Also debuting today: “Caught on Camera,” the museum’s newest exhibition about SoCal wildlife. Both are included with admission. 🦗
Number
  • 19. That’s how many San Diego County restaurants are highlighted in Yelp’s list of top 100 brunch spots in California. Among the local shoutouts, we spy Cesarina in Point Loma, Sugar and Scribe in La Jolla, and downtown’s Werewolf — all of which we included in our brunch guide last month. 🥞 (Yelp)
San Diegan
  • County Medical Examiner’s Investigator Elissa Fleak was recently awarded the COVID-19 Pandemic Civilian Service Medal for her service during the pandemic as part of the National Disaster Medical System. Fleak provided temporary relief to staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities, while also helping the local Medical Examiner’s Office. 🩺
Cause
  • Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) will plant 10 new trees on Saturday, Dec. 3, creating more shady areas for future San Diegans. You can sponsor one of the trees for $250 — a donation that’ll support the park’s ongoing work. Email the MTRP Foundation for details. 🌳
Theater
  • The sun will come out — tomorrow. The Tony Award-winning musical “Annie” will play at the San Diego Civic Theatre Tuesday, Dec. 27-Sunday, Jan. 1. The show is recommended for guests ages 6+, and tickets are on sale now. 🎭
Family
  • Vroom, vroom. The San Diego Automotive Museum will host its monthly Cars & Coffee meet-up in its parking lot on Sunday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 a.m. If you have gas left in the tank, stick around for an early 8 a.m. opening at the museum — and slashed admission of just $10 before 10 a.m. 🛻
Travel
  • SoCal snowboarding and skiing season is on. Big Bear Mountain — a popular winter trek for San Diegans, ~150 miles northeast — opened earlier than expected after storms left more than a foot of snow. At least eight trails are open, and passes can be purchased online. 🏂 (Fox 5)
Award
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Merry and bright ✨

Lightscape 2022 debuts at San Diego Botanic Garden
Lightscape SD 2022
Oh, it’s lit alright. | Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday
The holiday season at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas is off to a bright start.

Lightscape — an illuminated 1-mile trail featuring 1 million lights — debuts tonight, glimmering at the garden on select nights through Sunday, Jan. 1. ✨

We took the trek to see the vibrant installations created by international artists. If you look + listen closely, many displays are perfectly synced to festive music. 🎶

Tickets are available, with entry times every 15 minutes, 5-8 p.m. It takes about an hour to finish the trail (but there’s no time limit) and it closes at 10 p.m.

💡 Pro tips:
  • Wear comfortable shoes — the terrain includes hills + dirt pathways.
  • Dress warm — it’s getting chilly at the coast.
  • Grab hot cocoa + seasonal treats at kiosks along the trail.
  • Check out the markers featuring QR codes that tell you more about the installations.
  • Take a photo inside the Winter Cathedral — absolutely frame-worthy.
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Monica.

Editor’s pick: Happy Friday, friends. Fall is my favorite season for hiking and you can usually find me at Mission Trails Regional Park on the weekends trekking with my family. 🥾

Mission Trails — especially the Fortuna Region — is one of my happy places. The paths, overlooks, plants + birds put me at ease and remind me how lucky we are to live somewhere so beautiful year-round.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Check it twice — we shared this ultimate gift guide for the holidays.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Monica Garske, Michael Beausoleil, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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