101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in San Jose - 2023
KidsOutAndAbout is America's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
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If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
Below are upcoming holiday events (virtual and in-person) that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting an event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
Santa Sightings
| November 11 & 12, 2023 | Jingle & Mingle - St. Francis Church |
| November 11 & 12, 2023 | Santa Paws: Pet Photo Event - Alamadea South Shore Center |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Selfies with Santa - City Center Bishop Ranch |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Winter Wonderland - Tilden Park Merry Go Round |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Santa's Landing - Enchant: San Jose |
| December 1, 2023 | Holiday Night with Santa - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden |
| December 2, 2023 | Santa Arrives by Helicopter - Hiller Avaiation Museum |
| December 2, 2023 | Breakfast with Santa - Colma Town Hall |
| December 2, 2023 | Hometown Holidays 17th Annual Celebration - City of Redwood City, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 2, 2023 | Santa Days - Filoli Historic House & Garden |
| December 7, 2023 | Making Spirits Bright - Campbell Chamber of Commerce |
Old-Time Christmas
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 18, 2023 | The Great Dickens Christmas Fair - Daly City, CA |
Light Displays
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 1, 2023 | Sonic Runway - Downtown San Jose |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 10, 2023 | IlluminOdyssey - CuriOdyssey |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 11, 2023 | Glowfari: A Wildly illuminating Adventure - Oakland Zoo |
| November 11, 2023 | Dazzling Holiday Light Celebration - Fourth Street Shops |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 22, 2023 | Guilded Guide Tour: Tour with the Curator - Filoli Historic House & Garden |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 23, 2023 | Winter Wonderland - Sana Cruz Beach Boardwalk |
| November 24, 2023 | Tree Lighting Ceremony - Downtown Santa Rosa |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Holiday Lights Train - Roaring Camp |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Days of Christmas - Temple Hill, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Holiday Tree Walk - Roaring Camp |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Holiday Magic - Gilroy Gardens |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Holidays in the Park - Six Flags Discovery Kingdom |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | California Christmas Lights - Various Locations, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Light Maze - Enchant: San Jose |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Drive Thru Light Show - Christmas in that Park |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Garden d'Lights - Ruth Bancroft Garden & Nursery |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Holiday Lights - Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds & Event Center |
| November 25, 2023 | Holiday Tree Lighting - Downtown Martinez & Co. |
| November 25, 2023 | Parade of Lights & Winter Wonderland - Downtown San Rafael Business Improvement District |
| November 30, 2023 | Annual Holiday Tree Lighting - Colma Town Hall |
| December 1, 2023 | Tree Lighting - City of Cupertino, CA |
| December 1, 2023 | Christmas Tree Lighting - City Center Bishop Ranch |
| December 2, 2023 | 67th Annual Children's Christmas and Holiday Parade. -Los Gatos, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 2, 2023 | Capistrano Lights - Hiller Avaiation Museum |
| December 3, 2023 | Holiday Lights Spectacular - Westlake Shopping Center |
| December 4, 2023 | Community Tree Lighting - City of Mountain View, CA |
| December 9, 2023 | 36th Annual Lighted Boat Parade - Winterfest Sausalito |
Living Nativities
Holiday Theatre
| November 3 - 4, 2023 | Diablo Ballet's: The Nutcracker - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| November 3 - 4, 2023 | The Elves and the Shoemaker - Peninsula Youth Theatre |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 11, 2023 | Elf the Musical - Peninsula Youth Theatre |
| November 18 & 19, 2023 | Smunin's: The Christmas Ballet - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| November 24 - 26, 2023 | Contra Costa Ballet's: The Nutcracker - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| November 25, 2023 | Nutcracker Sweet starring The Puppet Company - San Francisco Chamber Orchestra |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 28, 2023 | How The Grinch Stole Christmas! - Broadway San Jose |
| December 1 & 2, 2023 | Once Upon a Christmas - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| December 2, 2023 | The Nutcracker - San Mateo Performing Arts Center |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 7, 2023 | A Christmas Carol - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| Decembet 15 - 17, 2023 | The Biggest Gift - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| December 19, 2023 | Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet - Golden Gate Theater |
| Decembet 15 - 17, 2023 | The Biggest Gift - Lesher Center for the Arts |
Holiday Concerts
| November 29, 2023 | Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Ghost of Christmas Eve - SAP Center |
| December 2, 2023 | Holidays in Harmony - Novato Music Association Chorus |
| December 2, 2023 | Winter Tales - Livermore-Amador Symphony |
| December 2, 2023 | Holiday Concert with Community Dance - All Saints Epsicopal Church |
| December 2, 2023 | Winter Dreams: Musical Stories for the Holidays - City of Walnut Creek, CA |
| December 2, 2023 | Family Concert - Livermore-Amador Symphony |
| December 8, 2023 | The 40th Annual Christmas Gift to San Jose Musical Production |
| December 9 & 10, 2023 | Christmas in the California - Symphony San Jose |
| Multiple dates stating on Dec. 15, 2023 | Million Dollar Quartet Christmas - The Curran Theatre |
| December 16, 2023 | Sing You a Merry Christmas - Grace Cathedral |
| Decembet 17, 2023 | A Holiday Tribute to:A Charlie Brown Christmas - Sweetwater Music Hall |
| December 20 - 23, 2023 | A Charlie Brown Christmas: LIVE! - San Franscisco Symphony |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 18, 2023 | Santa's Tree Farm & Village - Half Moon Bay, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 25, 2023 | Christmas Trees - Guardsman Tree Lot |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 25, 2023 | Wonderland Trees - Speer Family Farm |
Ice Skating
| Multiple dates starting Nov. 1, 2023 | Ice Skating Rink - Union Square |
| Multiple dates starting Nov. 10, 2023 | Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink - City Center Bishop Ranch |
| Multiple dates starting Nov. 17, 2023 | Downtown Ice - Downtown San Jose |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Ice Skating Trail - Enchant: San Jose |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 25, 2023 | Ice Skating Rink - Downtown Santa Rosa |
| Multiple dates starting Dec. 1, 2023 | Winter Wonderland - Marin Art & Garden Center |
Hanukkah
| December 7, 2023 | Chanukah Train - Roaring Camp |
| December 7 - 15, 2023 | Community Menorah Lighing - Downtown Martinez & Co. |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| November 19, 2023 | Craft Fest - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| November 24 & 25, 2023 | Holiday Fair - Santa Clara Convention Center |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | The Village - Enchant: San Jose |
| November 25, 2023 | Holiday Sparkle Sip & Shop - Downtoan Martinez & Co. |
| December 1, 2023 | Holiday Open House - City on Benicia, CA |
| December 1 & 2, 2023 | Winter Festival Marketplace - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden |
| December 9, 2023 | Christmas Parade & Holiday Market - City of Benicia, CA |
| December 2, 2023 | Petaluma Merchant Holiday Open House & Kentucky Street Marketplace - Petaluma Downtown Association |
New Year's Eve
| December 31, 2023 | Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! - Charles M. Schulz Museum |
Miscellaneous
| November 8, 2023 | Mini Masterpieces: Holiday Gifts Show - Rhythemix Cultural Works |
| November 18, 2023 | Family Friendly Diwali Celebration with Non Stop Bhangra - Rhythemix Cultural Works |
| November 19, 2023 | Nutcracker Holiday Tea - Palo Alto Auxilary |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 20, 2023 | Enchanted Elegance: Holiday Tea in the Garden House - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Winterfest - California's Great Adventure: Bay Area |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Winter Wonderland - Downtown San Jose |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 29, 2023 | Flora Party: Holiday Wreaths - Filoli Historic House & Garden |
| December 2, 2023 | Family Holiday Tea - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden |
| December 2, 2023 | 6h Annual Hometown Holiday Faire - El Sobrante Chamber of Commerce |
| December 2, 2023 | Holiday Celebration & Art Show - Schuring Center for Brain Injury Recovery |
| December 2, 2023 | Run! Grinch! Run! - City of San Ramon, CA |
| December 2, 2023 | Carol of Lights - Campbell Chamber of Commerce |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 2, 2023 | Holiday on the Farm - City of San Ramon |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 2, 2023 | Snow Showers - Santana Row |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 5, 2023 | Spirit of the Row - Santana Row |
| December 10, 2023 | Jingle Bell 5K & Brunch - Winterfest Sausalito |
| December 17, 2023 | 12th Annual Santa Run - Santa Run Silicon Valley |
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