FRIDAY, DEC. 4
S.F. Zoo Lights: About 1 million holiday lights illuminate the park and animals on weekend evenings for the Christmas season. [5 to 8 p.m., Sloat Boulevard and Great Highway, S.F.]
La Posarela: Community Music Center’s Mexican Christmas musical — a Mission district take on the nativity story — stages the first of three performances of its popular and fun bilingual production, a blend of Mexican folk traditions, music, commentary and laughs. [7 p.m., Brava Theater, 2781 24th St., S.F.]
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale: “Hail, Bright Cecilia! A Celebration Perfect for the Season” includes works by Handel and Purcell that praise St. Cecilia. [8 p.m., Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F.]
San Francisco Bach Choir: “Christmas by Candlelight” includes music from the 15th through 21st centuries. [7:30 p.m., Calvary Presbyterian Church, 2515 Fillmore St., S.F.]
Ferry Building Lights Out: The illuminated “1915” lights on the Ferry Building Tower will be extinguished at 5 p.m. to mark the date of the closing of the 1915 World’s Fair in an event also featuring speakers and entertainment. [4:15 p.m., Ferry Building Plaza, S.F.]
Half Moon Bay Night of Lights: Festivities include caroling, a tree-lighting ceremony in Mac Dutra Park followed by a parade. [6 to 9 p.m., Main and Kelly streets, Half Moon Bay]
San Leandro Holiday Tree Lighting: The city’s improvement association hosts the inaugural event. [5:30 to 9 p.m., Joaquin Plaza, Juana Street, San Leandro]
A Christmas Carol: American Conservatory Theater opens its 39th run of the holiday classic, featuring James Carpenter as Ebenezer Scrooge and Ken Ruta as the Ghost of Jacob Marley. [7 p.m., 415 Geary St., S.F.]
Selwyn Birchwood: Florida’s rising guitar and lap-steel-playing blues star opens a two-night gig in The City. [7:30 and 10 p.m., Biscuits & Blues, 401 Mason St., S.F.]
SATURDAY, DEC. 5
Holiday Piñata Making Workshop: Alfonso Ochoa, who has been making paper mache piñatas for over 25 years, teaches the two-session class, which continues on Dec. 12. [11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Studio D, Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, 2868 Mission St., S.F.]
Cinderella: The African-American Shakespeare Company opens its popular production, an enchanting take on the fairy tale that has become a holiday tradition. [3 and 8 p.m., Buriel Clay Theater, African-American Art & Culture Complex, 762 Fulton St., S.F.]
Christian Pepin: The Grammy-winning percussionist appears in a free concert. [7:30 p.m., Tateuchi Hall. Community School of Music and Arts, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View]
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir: The 30th holiday concert features host Danny Glover. [7 p.m., Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland]
Lemony Snicket’s The Lump of Coal: The Bay Area Children’s Theatre opens the original production, described as “the hilarious and heartburning, uh, heartwarming holiday adventure of a lump of coal who wants to be an artist.” [11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m., Children’s Creativity Museum, 221 Fourth St., S.F.]
Mission Peak Chamber Singers: “Auld Lang Syne,” the Christmas at the Mission concert, features classic music performed by the group over three decades. [8 p.m., Old Mission San Jose, 43300 Mission Blvd., Fremont]
Mark Tuschman: The photographer talks about the people in developing worlds pictured in “Faces of Courage: Intimate Portraits of Women on the Edge.” [7 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
East Bay Anarchist Conversation and Book Event: The theme of the fourth annual gathering is “the inhuman.” [10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland]
