Lighted Boat Parades; Glowfari; 'The Nutcracker': NorCal Weekend

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — Patch has rounded up fun, interesting and entertaining events throughout Northern California — from the beaches of Santa Cruz, through the South Bay, East Bay and the Peninsula, to the uppermost points of North Bay and Wine Country.

Some are free. Some have a fee.

Whether you opt for an activity close to home, a mini day trip or a virtual event, see what's slated this weekend from Saturday, Dec. 11 to Sunday, Dec. 12.

Double-check with event organizers to confirm dates, times and locations in case activities were updated since posted on Patch.

EAST BAY:

Breakfast with Santa: Piedmont Community Hall, Piedmont

Canadian Brass: "Making Spirits Bright for 50 Years and Counting!": Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Berkeley

Cantabella Children's Chorus Presents "Silent Night, Jubilant Night": Valley Community Church, Pleasanton

Carquinez Model Railroad Open House: Carquinez Model Railroad Society, Crockett

Crippsmas Place: Wellington Place, Fremont

Danville Community Band: Del Valle Theater, Walnut Creek

Double Shot: Rosa Fierro Cellars, Livermore

Ghirardelli Chocolate Warehouse Sale: Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, San Leandro

Gingerbread Adobe: Alviso Adobe Community Park, Pleasanton

Glowfari: A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival: Oakland Zoo, Oakland

Ho Ho Holiday Carnival: Sycamore Grove Park, Livermore

Holidays with the Fratello Marionettes: Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church, Walnut Creek

"Impressions of the Nutcracker Sweet": Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center, San Ramon

"Into the Woods": Berkeley Playhouse, Berkeley

KITKA Women's Vocal Ensemble: Wintersongs: Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Live Music: Elevation LVK, Livermore

Newark Symphonic Winds Free Holiday Concert and Singalong: Newark Memorial High School, Newark

Nutcracker Tea Party: Livermore School of Dance, Livermore

Nuthouse: The Golden Squirrel, Oakland

Solano Avenue Association's Winter Stroll: Solano Avenue from The Alameda to San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley and Albany

Spirit and Sweater Stroll: Multiple locations. Start at The Museum On Main, Pleasanton

The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Show: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Berkeley Marina, Berkeley

Tree Lighting and Laser Light Show: Jack London Square, Oakland

Valley Dance Theatre's "The Nutcracker": Bankhead Theater, Livermore

NORTH BAY/WINE COUNTRY:

Azari Christmas Celebration: Azari Vineyards, Petaluma

Emerald Cup Harvest Ball: Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa

"Formalism: The Show": IceHouse Gallery, Petaluma

Grand Victorian Homes Tour: Participating homes, Vallejo

Holiday Art Sale: Sunset Parkway, Novato

Holiday Lighted Boat Parade: Petaluma Marina, Petaluma

Holiday Wreath Making: Bricoleur Vineyards, Windsor

Jingle Bell Run and 5K and Children's Run: Adjacent to Gabrielson Park, Sausalito

Morning with Santa: Margaret Todd Senior Center, Novato

Rotary Crab Feast and Auctions: Virtual via Rotary Club of Healdsburg, Healdsburg

Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" and Dylan Thomas' "A Child's Christmas in Wales": Petaluma Readers Theatre, Petaluma

Winter Piano Concert: Jack London State Historic Park, Glen Ellen

Winter Wine Festival: Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery, Sonoma

Winterfest: Lighted Boat Parade and Fireworks: Gabrielson Park, Humboldt Avenue and Anchor Street, Sausalito

THE PENINSULA:

Andre Thierry: Port of Redwood City, Redwood City

"Festive Wreaths" Workshop: Gamble Garden, Palo Alto

Marketplace: A Pop-Up Boutique: Town & Country Village, Palo Alto

Palo Alto Flea Market: Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto

Santa Day: Rent-A-Space, Foster City

Saturday Storytime: Florey's Book Co., Pacifica

Sharp Park Beach Cleanup: Beach Boulevard and Clarendon Road, Pacifica

The Holiday Special Workshop: Midpen Media Center, Palo Alto

SAN FRANCISCO:

A Very Merry Misfit Cabaret: Alcazar Theater, San Francisco

"Angelic Voices": Young Women’s Choral Projects Holiday Showcase: Calvary Presbyterian Church, San Francisco

"Datum": Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco

Diamond Heights Median Project Cleanup: St. Aidan's Episcopal Church, San Francisco

Dogpatch Cleanup: Woods Yard Park, San Francisco

Holiday Art Show: Hayes Valley Art Works Gallery, San Francisco

Keep Ocean Beach Clean: Ocean Beach Cafe, San Francisco

Lantern Walk: Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco

Mark Foehringer's "Nutcracker Sweets": Cowell Theater,

Nob Hill Monthly Street Sweeps: Le Beau Market, San Francisco

"Oh, What Fun!": Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, San Francisco

Patchwork Show Makers Market: Westfield San Francisco Centre, San Francisco

Saturday Cinema: Luminous Stories: Pier 15, The Embarcadero, San Francisco

SF Performances Presents: Jonathan Biss: Herbst Theatre, San Francisco

The Dinner Detective Interactive Mystery Show: Le Méridien San Francisco, San Francisco

Winter Holiday Showcase: ODC Theater, San Francisco

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY/BEACHES:

Birding for Beginners: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Felton

Castro Adobe Open House: Castro Adobe State Historic Park, Watsonville

Festivus: Staff of Life Natural Food Market, Santa Cruz

Guided Coastal Walk: Wilder Ranch State Park, Santa Cruz

Historic Ranch Ground Tour: Wilder Ranch State Park, Santa Cruz

Holiday Living History Event: Wilder Ranch State Park, Santa Cruz

Old-Growth Redwood Tours: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Felton

West Cliff Holiday Outdoor Market: Lighthouse Point, Santa Cruz

SOUTH BAY:

"Festive Wreaths" Workshop: Gamble Garden, Palo Alto

Friends of the Gilroy Library Book Sale: Gilroy Library, Gilroy

German Holiday Market: Weihnachtsmarkt: Mountain View Caltrain Station parking lot, Mountain View

Holiday Artisan Pop-Up: Amherst Court, Mountain View

Open Poetry Readings with the Garlicky Group of Poets: Gilroy Library, Gilroy

San Jose Wind Symphony Presents "A Holiday Gift for You!": McAfee Performing Arts and Lecture Center, Saratoga

Santa is Coming to the Barn: LJB Farms, San Martin

Sensory Santa: Westfield Valley Fair, Santa Clara

Symphony San Jose Chorale's "Carols in the California": The California Theatre, San Jose

"The MeshugaNutcracker": 3Below Theaters, San Jose

Heading to Southern California? Then See:

• Parade Of Lights; LEGO Truck Tour; Santa's Village: SoCal Weekend

Want to post your next neighborhood event on the Patch? We do too! No matter how big or small it may be, if it's local, it has a place on the Patch calendar.

Posting an event is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Here's how to do it:

1. Create a Patch account and sign up to post your own local content on Patch, totally free. It's probably the easiest thing you'll do all day.
2. Make a Calendar Event and fill it with all the awesome info that people need to add it to their list of things to do in their neighborhood. Choose a fun image to upload and most importantly - have fun with it! It's your event, and the possibilities are endless.
3. Post it on Patch! That's it. Get ready for RSVPs.

You can post your event for free to a single Patch, or if you really want to get the community's attention, you can feature your event for $1 per Patch per day. When an event is featured, it receives priority placement on the local calendar as well as on the homepage, article pages, our daily newsletter, and our weekly calendar events newsletter.