California Tower.
Photo by Richard Benton.
Balboa Park December Nights, San Diego’s favorite kick-off to the holiday season, will celebrate 35 years of bringing friends, families and the community together on Friday, December 7, from 5-10 p.m. and Saturday, December 8, Noon-10 p.m. In the spirit of the holidays, participating Balboa Park museums open their doors free of charge from 5 to 9 p.m. both evenings.
The largest free community festival in San Diego, December Nights will bring more than 300,000 visitors to the park to revel and enjoy the season over two days.
Entertainment for the whole family, delicious cuisine and holiday cheer are all part of this classic and elaborate long-standing San Diego celebration. Time-carved traditions—including food from around the globe at the International Christmas Festival at the House of Pacific Relations Cottages; unique gift shopping at the museum stores and with the artisans of Spanish Village; and musical and dance presentations from the San Diego Junior Theatre, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, Del Cerro Baptist’s Christmas Story Tree and more—fill the heart of Balboa Park.
Lily Pond and Botanical Building.
Photo by Manny Cencieros.
In addition, museums will feature a wide variety of exhibitions and entertainment, including the Timken Museum’s annual Christmas Tree displaying the exquisite Schlappi Collection of Hord and Schlappi Christmas ornaments; the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s kid-friendly and interactive Grossology: The Impolite Science of the Human Body and the San Diego Natural History Museum’s Fossil Mysteries set to holiday music in the atrium.
For more information, visit www.balboapark.org.
Preview photo of Santa by Richard Benton.
