Marin Weekend Family Fun for December 13–15
Experience the spectacle of San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker, Friday–Sunday, 2 & 7 pm.
Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our Family Events Calendar.
All Weekend
- Cut down the perfect Christmas tree at a local tree farm.
- Go skating at Union Square's holiday ice rink in San Francisco, Friday–Sunday, 10 am–11 pm.
- Experience the magic of the holiday season at Fairy Winterland at Children's Fairyland in Oakland, Saturday & Sunday, 10 am–4 pm.
- Skate on the Bay Area Discovery Museum's iceless skating rink, Friday–Sunday, 10 am–3:30 pm.
- Enjoy outdoor skating, music, shopping, and holiday magic at Marin Art and Garden Center's Winter Wonderland, Friday–Sunday, 10 am–4 pm.
- Skate at LUMA Ice, Petaluma's first outdoor holiday skating rink, Friday, 4–10 pm, Saturday & Sunday, 10 am–10 pm.
- Glowfari lights up the Oakland Zoo with more incredible animal lanterns, Friday–Sunday, 4:30–9 pm.
- Celebrate the season with Transcendence's Broadway Holiday at Marin Theatre in Mill Valley, Friday–Sunday, various times.
- Circus Bella's holiday spectacular "Kaleidoscope" takes place in the big top tent in San Francisco, Friday, 7:30 pm, Saturday & Sunday, 1 & 4 pm.
- Experience the spectacle of San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker, Friday–Sunday, 2 & 7 pm.
- Take a ride on the Tilden Park Steam Train and see holiday decorations and Father Solstice during extended evening hours for Winter Fest, Saturday & Sunday, 11 am–7 pm
- See Pixar's Cars on the big screen at the Lark Theater in Larkspur, Saturday, 9 am & Sunday, 3 pm.
- Visit Victorian London at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair at the Cow Palace, Saturday & Sunday, 10 am–6 pm.
- Markj Foehringer's Nutcracker Sweets at Fort Mason is a shorter version of the classic holiday ballet for all ages, Saturday & Sunday, 11 am, 1:30 pm & 4 pm.
Take a ride on the Tilden Park Steam Train and see holiday decorations and Father Solstice during extended evening hours for Winter Fest, Saturday & Sunday, 11 am–7 pm
Friday, December 13
- Enjoy songs, movement and dancing at Sing and Stomp at the San Anselmo Library, Friday, 10:30–11 am.
- Celebrate the holidays and 100 years of the San Francisco Marina with family fun and a lighted boat parade, Friday, 4–8 pm.
- Montessori de Terra Linda presents Alice in Wonderland at the San Anselmo Playhouse, Friday, 6–7 pm.
Saturday, December 14
- Go on a birding hike on Turtle Back Nature Trail at China Camp State Park, Saturday, 8–10 am.
- Find unique holiday gifts from Marin artisans and makers at the Sausalito Winter Market, Saturday, 10 am–5 pm.
- Have breakfast with Santa at the Tamalpais Valley Community Center in Mill Valley, Saturday, 10:30 am.
- Sing along to your favorite holiday carols at Grace Cathedral's Sing You a Merry Christmas, Saturday, 11 am.
- Take a juice break with a Marin Parks ranger at Roy's Redwoods preserve in San Geronimo, Saturday ,11:30 am–1 pm.
- Shop for locally produced gifts and make a holiday wreath at the annual Fairfax Craft Faire, Saturday, 11 am–5 pm.
- Experience a 19th-century Christmas at Holiday on the Northern Frontier at Sonoma State Historic Park, Saturday, 5–8 pm.
- View a holiday parade of lighted boats and a fireworks show on the Sausalito waterfront, Saturday, 6 pm.
Sunday, December 15
- Take a winter family walk with Marin Parks naturalists at Indian Tree Preserve in Novato, Sunday, 10 am–1 pm.
- Craft a gingerbread version of Snoopy's doghouse at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa (for grades 1–6), Sunday, 1 pm.
- Marin Conservatory of Dance presents its abbreviated version of Nutcracker at Marin School of the Arts in Novato, Sunday, 1 & 5 pm.
- Create holiday crafts from nature at the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley, Sunday, 1:30 pm.
- Join Marin Country Mart for a Menorah lighting, latkes from Loveski, sufganiyot from Johnny Doughnuts, and themed crafts for the kids, Sunday 2–5 pm.
Enjoy outdoor skating, music, shopping, and holiday magic at Marin Art and Garden Center's Winter Wonderland, Friday–Sunday, 10 am–4 pm.
