THURSDAY, DEC. 5
Alice in Winterland: Kesha, Avril Lavigne and Flora Cash play radio station Alice 97.3’s holiday concert. [7:30 p.m., Masonic, 1111 California St., S.F.]
A Noh Christmas Carol: Opening a holiday run with a preview performance, Theatre of Yugen’s 1993 adaptation (by founder Yuriko Doi) of Dickens’ classic story is told using traditional Japanese theater forms. [8 p.m., 2840 Mariposa St., S.F.]
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders: The Grammy-Award-winning filmmaker who made the documentary “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am,” discusses the life and impact of one of America’s most celebrated writers. [Noon, Commonwealth Club, 110 The Embarcadero, S.F.]
Sir Woman: The catchy R&B act is the solo project of Kelsey Wilson, the Austin, Texas musician who co-founded Wild Child. [9 p.m., Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F.]
Cuddle Experience at Macy’s Holiday Lane: San Francisco animal loving organizations invite guests to hang with sweet adoptable animals; the cost is $10 for 10 minutes. [Noon to 2 p.m., Macy’s, seventh floor, Stockton and O’Farrell streets, S.F.]
Flash Point: The exhibition of Jefferson Pinder’s new video works in response to the 100th anniversary of the Red Summer, a period of white supremacist terrorist attacks in several dozen cities, opens with a reception. [5 to 8 p.m., San Francisco Art Institute, 800 Chestnut St., S.F]
FRIDAY, DEC. 6
Head Over Heels: New Conservatory Theatre Center begins preview performances of the fun Go-Go’s jukebox musical following the adventures of a 16th century royal family. [8 p.m., 25 Van Ness Ave., S.F.]
The Rainbow Flag: A Children’s History: In the story time session introducing youngsters to the celebrated symbol of the LGBTQ movement, author Michelle Millar Fisher and illustrator Kat Kuang read from their book “The Rainbow Flag: Bright, Bold and Beautiful.” [7 p.m., GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., S.F.]
SoundBox: Beginning its sixth season, San Francisco Symphony’s experimental series with violinist David Chernyavsky, violist Katie Kadarauch, bassist Scott Pingel and conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser is a program exploring improvisation and the connections between jazz, klezmer, folk and chance music. [9 p.m., 300 Franklin St., S.F]
High on Fire: The Grammy Award-winning Oakland heavy metal trio (for the song “Electric Messiah”) headlines a concert with Power Trip, a thrash metal band from Dallas. [8 p.m., UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave., Berkeley]
Presidio Christmas Tree Lighting: A singalong with the Golden Gate Carolers accompanies the holiday lights. [5 p.m., Main Post Lawn, 103 Montgomery St., Presidio, S.F.]
She Turns the Tide-Musical Theatre About Women, By Women: Michael Mohammed and Lauren Mayer direct the revue presented by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. [8 p.m., 50 Oak St., S.F.]
Support of the Kurdish People: Mercury Cafe’s Community Night, a benefit for Kurdish Red Crescent, which assists refugees who have fled from attacks in Syria, includes comments from activists and scholars Andrej Grubacic, Deellan Kashani and Brace Belden. [6:30 to 10 p.m., 201 Octavia St., S.F.]
Christmas in the Mission/Navidad en la Misión: The Community Music Center concert, sung in Spanish, covers 400 years, with contemporary holiday songs and rarely heard holiday music from the 17th and 18th centuries. [7 p.m., Mission Dolores Basilica, 3321 16th St., S.F.]
San Francisco Choral Society: Under director Robert Geary, the 30-year-old group performs Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio,Cantatas 4-6” and “Magnificat in D.” [8 p.m., St. Ignatius Church, 650 Parker St., S.F.]
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus: Velocity Handbell Ensemble joins the singers in the concert, titled “Holigays are Here: Ring Them Bells.” [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theatre, 275 Hayes St., S.F.]
Who’s Holiday: The raunchy holiday show starring Shannon Guggenheim as a grown-up Cindy Lou Who (and strictly for adults) is inspired by “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” [7:30 p.m., 3Below Theater, 288 S. Second St., San Jose]
Goon: The Los Angeles indie rock outfit appears on a bill with Bear Call and Casa de Flores. [9 p.m., Knockout, 3223 Mission St., S.F.]
Valley Concert Chorale: The Tri-Valley’s longtime chorus hosts its annual Sing-It-Yourself Messiah. [7:30 p.m., Asbury United Methodist Church 4743 East Ave., Livermore]
SATURDAY, DEC. 7
Xuefei Yang: Omni Guitars presents the classical musician, who, following the China’s Cultural Revolution, became the first internationally recognized Chinese guitarist on the world stage. [7:30 p.m., St. Mark’s Church, 1111 O’Farrell St., S.F]
Trevor Noah: “The Daily Show” star appears in his standup comedy arena tour, Loud & Clear. [7:30 p.m., Chase Center, 1 Warriors Way]
San Francisco Youth Chorus: Sunset Music and Arts presents advanced ensembles of the choral group in an intimate performance of holiday music from throughout the ages and across the globe. [4 p.m., Church of the Incarnation 1750 29th Ave., S.F.]
San Francisco Bach Choir: “Journeys by Candlelight: Christmas Near and Far” includes “sacred and festive, peaceful and noisy, and intimate and celebratory” music from around the world and throughout centuries. [7:30 p.m., Calvary Presbyterian Church, 2515 Fillmore St., S.F.]
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir: Fantastic Negrito hosts the 34th annual holiday concert, “Open Your Mouth, Say Somethin’!” with guests JaCoree and Ms. Jackie Tolbert. [7 p.m., Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland]
Holiday Crafts Day: Activities for the family, especially little ones 12 and under, include making beeswax candles, lip balm, gift soaps, toy trains and candy houses. [10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, S.F.]
Redwood City Hometown Holidays: Family-friendly activities include a parade, live entertainment, carnival rides, snow, Santa Claus photos, arts and crafts and a 5:45 p.m. tree lighting at City Hall. [10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Courthouse Square and surroundings, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City]
Brave The Bay: The fundraiser benefiting a Make-A-Wish, which helps critically ill children’s dreams come true, includes the 5K Walk for Wishes, the San Francisco Bay Plunge for Wishes and cable car Pull for Wishes. [8 a.m. registration, Aquatic Park, 900 Jefferson St., S.F.]
Day of Silents: San Francisco Silent Film Festival offers five separately ticketed programs beginning with shorts featuring “Fatty” Arbuckle and Buster Keaton and concluding at 8 p.m. with “The Phantom of the Opera” starring Lon Chaney accompanied by live music by Berklee Silent Film Orchestra. [11 a.m., Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., S.F.]
Marco Benevento: “Let It Slide” is the newest recording by the experimental pianist and songwriter. [9 p.m., Independent, 628 Divisadero St., S.F.]
Urban Composting: The free workshop sponsored by the Department of the Environment shows how to create a backyard compost using worms that make fertilizer. [10 a.m., Garden for the Environment, 1590 Seventh Ave., S.F.]
San Francisco International Arts Festival Holiday Year Party: Local artists appearing in 2020 programs offer preview performances at the benefit event, which includes drinks, dinner, a silent auction and marketplace. [7 p.m., Fort Mason Center Chapel, 1100 Bay St., S.F.]
Holiday Uke Jam: Cynthia Lin, Ukulenny and the SF Uke Jam All Star Band invite ukulele players to sing and strum along to holiday and Hawaiian songs at the seventh annual gathering. [8 p.m., Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley]
ODC Pilot 72: The arts organization’s pilot project hosts “Hatched,” a showcase of premieres by choreographers Hayley Bowman, Alex Law, Hannah MacKenzie-Margulies, Jocelyn Reyes and Blue Plate Dance’s Melanie Harvengt and Tayler Kinner. [8 p.m., ODC Dance Commons, Studio B, 351 Shotwell St., S.F.]
John Daversa: The musician and educator plays music and shares stories in a free program about his album “American Dreamers: Voice of Hope, Music of Freedom,” which features young immigrants in the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, or “Dreamers.” [7:30 p.m., Community School of Music and Arts, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View]
DIY Cookie Decorating with Batter Bakery: Jen Musty teaches decorating tricks and tips at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. [9 a.m to 1 p.m., Ferry Building, Market Street and The Embarcadero, S.F.]
Welcome Home: Filipino-American performing arts group Bindlestiff Studio celebrates 30 years with a gala fundraiser. [6 to 9:30 p.m. SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St., S.F.]
The Big Take-Away: At the closing event of “If All of This Were Silence,” artist Kate Haug’s exhibition on feminism, visitors will dismantle the installation by taking away books. [1 to 5 p.m., Irving Street Projects, 4331 Irving St., S.F.[
Blue Jean Ball: The gala benefit is presented conjunction with the Contemporary Jewish Museum’s upcoming exhibition “Levi Strauss: A History of American Style.” [5:30 to 8:30 p.m., CJM, 736 Mission St., S.F.]
Symphony Silicon Valley: Pietro Rizzo conducts the concert featuring soloist Nareh Arghamanyan playing Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto as well as Brahms’ Symphony No. 2. [8 p.m., California Theatre, 345 S. First St., San Jose]
San José Dance Theatre: Accompanied by the 52-piece Cambrian Symphony, the South Bay’s oldest “Nutcracker” features guest artists Sasha De Sola and Tiit Helimets of San Francisco Ballet on its opening weekend. [2 and 7:30 p.m., Center for Performing Arts, 255 S. Almaden Blvd., San Jose]
Western Ballet: The Mountain View-based school’s two-hour “Nutcracker” is a tradition for families. [1 and 7 p.m., Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View]
City Ballet School: The “Nutcracker” production features students performing choreography by Galina Alexandrova, formerly of the Bolshoi Ballet. [1 and 7 p.m., Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon St., S.F.]
Dance-Along Nutcracker: This year, the festive participatory event presented by the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band has the theme “Nutcrackers in Space.” [3 and 7 p.m., Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., S.F.]
