San Francisco Symphony's "Charlie Brown Christmas" Is a Holiday Treat!

The San Francisco Symphony always presents wonderful family concerts for holidays. We've always really enjoyed their offerings, and this year was no exception! This season's family holiday program is A Charlie Brown Christmas—Live! and we were lucky enough to attend a performance this Saturday. The classic Christmas special A Charlie Brown Christmas is one of our family favorites, too, so we were really excited to experience this concert.

Concerts begin with a family friendly reception in the lobbies of Davies Symphony Hall. If you go, make sure you get there early to meet Peanuts characters, pose for pictures in Lucy's psychiatry booth and Snoopy's dog house, take in the amazing decorations, and listen to some holiday music. Drinks, including hot chocolate and Shirley Temples, and snacks are available for purchase, too. Our kids loved "Candyland", where you could buy a box and stuff it with as much holiday candy as you could for $5. (No, they didn't eat it all in one sitting.)

The concert starts with holiday classics performed by the San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Randall Craig Fleischer, who kept up a witty and welcoming commentary throughout. Soprano Lisa Vroman sang some dazzling numbers, including a jazzy "Santa Claus is Coming to Town".

After intermission came the main event—a musical re-creation of A Charlie Brown Christmas. The Symphony performed Vince Guaraldi's iconic jazz soundtrack, while a cast of narrators and amazingly talented dancers brought the story to life. Above it all were scenes from the original TV special projected on a giant screen.

There were kids of all ages in attendance, and everyone seemed enthralled by the music and performances. It was truly the highlight of our holiday season, and we can't wait to see what's in store next year!

For more information and tickets, visit www.sfsymphony.org.

If You Go

Performances of the San Francisco Symphony's A Charlie Brown Christmas—Live! take place Sunday, December 21; Monday December 22; and Tuesday, December 23 at 2 and 7 pm, and Wednesday, December 24 at 2 pm. Tickets prices range from $25 to $75; children under 17 are half price. Order tickets online or by calling the box office at (415) 864-6000.

Performances take place at Davies Symphony Hall, which is located on Grove Street between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street. Make sure you get there early to enjoy the reception and fun before the concert. We recommend getting there at least 45 minutes pior to the concert start time.

We usually park the car at the Performing Arts Garage, just up the street on Grove between Gough and Franklin Streets. The garage charges a $20 flat rate during performances, and it's clean, well-lit, safe, and close to Davies Symphony Hall.

To get there from Marin, take Highway 101 across the Golden Gate Bridge and follow Doyle Drive onto Lombard Street. Take Lombard to Gough Street, where you'll turn left. Follow Gough until you get to the Performing Arts Garage; you'll find the entrance off Gough just after Fulton Street.

Thanks to the San Francisco Symphony for providing us with tickets to this performance for review purposes.