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7 incredible Bay Area things to do Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 28-30

Visitors tour the 41st annual Deacon Dave’s Christmas display at Casa del Pomba in Livermore in 2024. The famed display will return on Nov. 29.
Got your weekend plans? We have some nifty ideas, from cool movies to holiday lights and amazing music.
Visitors tour the 41st annual Deacon Dave’s Christmas display at Casa del Pomba in Livermore in 2024. The famed display will return on Nov. 29.
Mariachi Sol de Mexico will return Nov. 28 to San Jose’s Hammer Theatre Center for a musical tribute to Mexico’s Christmas traditions. (photo courtesy of Mariachi Sol de Mexico — BANG archives)

Bay Area events calendar for Nov. 28 through Dec. 4 weekly editions

Here's a list of the region's entertaining, upcoming activities to enjoy.
Shannon Gorman and Brendan Fraser appears in a scene from the touching new film "Rental Family."

What to watch: Heartwarming ‘Rental Family’ is an endearing triumph

And San Francisco-set 'Man on the Inside,' starring Ted Danson, is just as good as...
Smuin Contemporary Ballet kicks off its annual Christmas Ballet tour with three performances at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek.

7 terrific Bay Area things to do this weekend, Nov. 21-23

Got your weekend plans? We have some nifty ideas, from great holiday shows and concerts...
Cassidy Isaacson performs in Smuin Contemporary Ballet's "Santa Baby," part of the company's annual holiday show.

Bay Area arts: 10 cool concerts and shows to catch this weekend

From a beloved holiday dance show to an acclaimed youth choir's concert, there is a...
Don't miss the port and chocolate tasting booth at the Dickens Christmas Fair, which is entering its 41st season at the Cow Palace in Daly City. (Photo by Robin Fadtke)

Dickens Christmas Fair: The best, newest and most unusual foods to try this year

The fair has been an annual tradition since 1970 and features some delicious and unusual...
Enjoy “A Nostalgic Night with Macaulay Culkin” on Nov. 23 at the San Jose Civic Center, where a special 35th anniversary screening of the classic film “Home Alone” will take place, followed by a Q&A session with none other than Macaulay Culkin, above, who was the film’s child star. (David Livingston — Getty Images archives)

Bay Area events calendar for Nov. 21-27 weekly editions

Here's a list of the region's entertaining, upcoming activities to enjoy.
Emily Michiko Jensen stars as Cio-Cio-San in Puccini’s "Madama Butterfly," presented by Opera San José through Nov. 30 at the California Theatre in downtown San Jose. Jensen, an Opera San Jose artist in residence who sang the role of Fiordiligi in Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” in September, said being cast in these two roles made her feel “like I was being cast as a complete person who is very proud of my ethnicity, heritage and my background.” (Photo by David Allen)

Opera San Jose’s ‘Butterfly’ sings her director’s praises

Two women navigate cultural appropriation issues in Puccini’s work.
Actress Christine Baranski speaks during a recent Newsmakers: Lesher Speaker Series at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts. (Ishita Khanna — Contra Costa Youth Journalism/Bay City News)

Actress Baranski wraps up speaker series at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center

The Emmy-Award winning star urged the audience to unplug from screen time and says live...
Cal Shakes 2017 production of Shakespeare's AS YOU LIKE IT (Jay Yamada)

The shows must go on: New group, new name for former Cal Shakes theater

The Siesta Valley Bowl will host expanded offerings when it reopens in spring 2026 with...
Emily Michiko Jensen stars as Cio-Cio-San in Opera San Jose's production of Puccini’s tragic masterpiece "Madama Butterfly."

‘Monkey King’ world premiere at S.F. Opera a marriage of old and new

The 21st-century opera is based on a centuries-old Chinese fable.
Emily Michiko Jensen stars as Cio-Cio-San in Opera San Jose's production of Puccini’s tragic masterpiece "Madama Butterfly."

7 awesome Bay Area things to do this weekend

From cool concerts and shows to a delightful animated and apple tart deliciousness, there is...
Emily Michiko Jensen stars as Cio-Cio-San in Opera San Jose's production of Puccini’s tragic masterpiece "Madama Butterfly."

Bay Area arts: 10 shows and concerts to catch this weekend

From Opera San Jose's new take on an old classic to a Contemporary Christian superstar...
NBC114 10/17/95 -- "HOME ALONE" - 'NBC THURSDAY NIGHT MOVIE' -- TELECAST DATE: Thurs., Nov. 23 (8- 10p.m. ET) --- PICTURED: Macaulay Culkin --- "HOME ALONE" --- Macaulay Culkin ("My Girl"), Joe Pesci ("My Cousin Vinny") star in the highest-grossing comedy feature of all time, "Home Alone." It's three days before Christmas, and young Kevin (Culkin) is accidentally left behind when his family departs for a holiday trip. He soon has to defend himself and his home singlehandedly when two men try to burglarize his house. --- NBC Photo.

Macaulay Culkin coming to Bay Area for “Home Alone” anniversary screenings

Culkin to engage in audience Q&A after screening of the film, which was released 35...
FILE – Actress Sally Kirkland appears at the 75th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles on March 23, 2003. (AP Photo/Kim D. Johnson, File)

Sally Kirkland, stage and screen star who earned an Oscar nomination in ‘Anna,’ dies at age 84

Sally Kirkland, a one-time model who became a regular on stage, film and TV, best...
From left, Lee Ann Payne, Livia Gomes Demarchi and Jon Viktor Corpuz perform in "A Driving Beat," a world premiere play by Jordan Ramirez Puckett.

Review: ‘Driving Beat’ at TheatreWorks resonates on many levels

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's moving, hip-hop fueled world premiere almost always rings true.
Bryan Adams will bring his "Roll with the Punches" tour Nov. 19 to San Jose’s SAP Center, with special guests Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo. (Mickey Bernal — Getty Images archives)

Bay Area events calendar for Nov. 14-20 weekly editions

Here's a list of the region's entertaining, upcoming activities to enjoy.
From left, Amanda Kristin Nichols, Karen Killeen and Aimee Doherty perform in Jez Butterworth’s "The Hills of California," playing at Berkeley Repertory Theatre through Dec. 7.

Powerful family dynamics fuel ‘Hills of California’ at Berkeley Rep

'Hills of California' latest work from award-winning playwright who created 'Jerusalem.'
Lee Ann Payne and Jon Viktor Corpuz star in "A Driving Beat," getting its world premiere by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley through Nov. 23.

7 amazing Bay Area things to do this weekend

Got your weekend plans? We have some nifty ideas, from some compelling new movies to...
A son, (played by Jon Viktor Corpuz) and his mother, (Lee Ann Payne) share a happy moment during a cross-country road trip in "A Driving Beat."

Bay Area arts: 12 great shows and concerts to catch in the Bay Area

From TheatreWorks' new play about a mother-son road trip to a jazz guitar icon, there...
Kristin Chenoweth and Charlie Kirk. (Getty Images)

Kristin Chenoweth says backlash to Charlie Kirk comments ‘nearly broke’ her

Chenoweth's remarks caused an uproar among her fans, who took them as a show of...
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 28: Keanu Reeves attends "Waiting For Godot" opening night at the Hudson Theatre on September 28, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)

Keanu Reeves stripped down and got bloody at end of his Broadway play

For their curtain call for 'Waiting for Godot' last Friday night, Reeves and co-star Alex...
Celebrate light and community Nov. 8-9 at the San Jose Water Lantern Festival, seen previously above, with fun, music, activities, a food truck and light-up lanterns with the message of hope, peace, love and happiness. (Karl Mondon — staff archives)

Bay Area events calendar for Nov. 7-13 weekly editions

Here's a list of the region's entertaining, upcoming activities to enjoy.
Michael B. Jordan and Miles Caton star in "Sinners," Ryan Coogler's bizarro horror film about evil forces stalking a 1930s Mississippi juke joint.

7 incredible Bay Area things to do this weekend

Got your weekend plans? We have some nifty ideas, from great shows and Halloween films...
James Stewart and Kim Novak star in Alfred Hitchcock's classic "Vertigo," which will be screened on Oct. 30 with the San Francisco Symphony performing the score live.

Bay Area arts: 11 shows and concerts to catch this weekend

From classic movies with live music to Dia de los Muertos events, there is a...
From left, Claire DeJean, Emilie Kouatchou and Denver Milord star in "Stereophonic," a play about a struggling rock band. (Julia Cervantes/BroadwaySF)

A rock band implodes under expectations in ‘Stereophonic’

Tony-winning play examines the impact of pressure on artistic creation
Ida B. Wells (played by Danyel Fulton) chastises members of the women's movement during a scene from the musical "Suffs," playing in San Francisco through Nov. 9.

Review: ‘Suffs’ serves up a tuneful tribute to fight for equality

Award-winning Broadway hit musical plays at San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre through Nov. 9.
Mateo (Jon Viktor Corpuz) and his mother, Diane (Lee Ann Payne), hit the road in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s production of “A Driving Beat,” running Oct. 29 through Nov. 23 at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. (photo courtesy of Tracy Martin)

Bay Area events calendar for Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 weekly editions

Here's a list of the region's entertaining, upcoming activities to enjoy.
Jeremy Allen White puts his all into portraying Bruce Springsteen in "Deliver Me From Nowhere."

7 terrific Bay Area things to do this weekend

Got your weekend plans? We have some nifty ideas, from amazing movies to championship chili...
Garbage -- from left, Duke Erikson, Shirley Manson, Butch Vig and Steve Marker -- will perform Oct. 23 at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga.

Bay Area arts: 15 cool shows and concerts to catch this weekend

From concerts to opera to film festivals and a costumed pet parade, there is a...
Pianist, playwright and performer Hershey Felder portrays Chopin in a previous production. His next work will make its debut at TheatreWorks in Jan. 2026. (Photo courtesy of Hershey Felder Presents)

Pianist-playwright Hershey Felder will return to the Bay Area with a world premiere

TheatreWorks announces January 2026 debut of Felder's 'The Piano and Me.'
A volunteer prepares to scare visitors inside a previous annual Bernal Scream haunted house, which has returned this year to San Jose’s Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. (Nhat Meyer — staff archives)

Bay Area events calendar for Oct. 24-30 weekly editions

Here's a list of the region's entertaining, upcoming activities to enjoy.
The photography show “Salt of the Earth” by Barbara Boissevain runs until Feb. 2026 at the David Brower Center in Berkeley, Calif. Pictured: "Alien Saltscape III" by Barbara Boissevain. (Courtesy of the artist/David Brower Center)

7 awesome Bay Area things to do this weekend

Got your weekend plans? We have some nifty ideas, from the stirring "Firebird" to super...
Oakland Symphony music director Kedrick Armstrong will lead the orchestra in a program including Stravinsky’s “Firebird” Suite on Oct. 17.

Bay Area arts: 11 shows and concerts to catch this weekend

From Oakland Symphony's new season to a salty exhibit and Vienna Teng, there is a...
Take a walking tour starting Sunday morning at the Bair Island Unit of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, where a flock of shorebirds flies previously above. (Aric Crabb — staff archives)

Bay Area events calendar for Oct. 17-24 weekly editions

Here's a list of the region's entertaining, upcoming activities to enjoy.
Mateo (Jon Viktor Corpuz) and his mother, Diane (Lee Ann Payne), hit the road in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s production of “A Driving Beat,” running Oct. 29 through Nov. 23 at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. (photo courtesy of Tracy Martin)

The playlist is the thing in TheatreWorks’ ‘A Driving Beat’

Hip-hop helps tell the story in world premiere production.
The San Jose 2026 logo is displayed on a digital billboard in front of the Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. A twin billboard is being installed on the south side of the theater venue. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)

It’s big, bright and in front of San Jose’s Center for the Performing Arts

Against the objections of a grassroots group, the city council first approved allowing the advertising...
The funny and versatile actor/entertainer John C. Reilly brings his "Mister Romantic" tour -- and his singing pipes -- to Livermore's Bankhead Theater on Oct. 13.

7 amazing Bay Area things to do this weekend

Got your weekend plans? We have some nifty ideas from great shows and movies to...
Multi-platinum rapper Playboi Carti brings his long-awaited tour to San Francisco and Sacramento this week.

Bay Area arts: 8 great shows and concerts to catch this weekend

From a multiplatinum rapper to revered stage and screen actor, there is a lot to...
Actor John C. Reilly is starring in the musical “Mister Romantic,” which on Oct. 13, 2025, is playing at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore, Calif. (Bobbi Rich/@mamahotdog)

John C. Reilly brings his musical “Mister Romantic” to the Bay Area

It's a heartfelt tribute to vaudeville and classic American songwriters, from Irving Berlin to Tom...
Eddie Zhang stars as a rather libidinous count with a taste for blood in "Dracula: Comedy of Terrors" at City Lights Theater in San Jose.

Review: City Lights in San Jose goes for laughs, not chills, in ‘Dracula’

Bram Stoker's iconic tale makes for a solid foundation of farce in 'Dracula: Comedy of...
A talented writer (played by Johnny Moreno) spars with his agent (Nicole Tung) in "McNeal" at San Jose Stage Company. (Dave Lepori/San Jose Stage Company)

Review: ‘McNeal’ centers on a brilliant man who lives in an ethical vacuum

San Jose Stage's new play deals with such timely themes as AI and theft of...
Elissa Beth Stebbins plays author Louisa May Alcott and heroine Jo March in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s world premiere of “Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women,” now showing through Oct. 12. (photo courtesy of Tracy Martin)

Bay Area events calendar for Oct. 10 weekly editions

Here's a list of the region's entertaining, upcoming activities to enjoy.
From left, Emily Ota, Sharon Shao, Cathleen Riddley, Elissa Beth Stebbins, and Lauren Hart star in "Louisa May Alcott's Little Women" at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley.

Review: TheatreWorks brings classic ‘Little Women’ to the stage

The somewhat uneven world premiere production still retains much of the magic of Louisa May...
From left, Ryan Jinn, Esther Chung, Ins Choi, Kelly Seo, and Brandon McKnight star in "Kim’s Convenience" at American Conservatory Theater

Review: ‘Kim’s Convenience’ at ACT brings hit sitcom back to its roots

ACT in San Francisco presenting the stage comedy that became a hit Netflix series.
War and Treaty (Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter) are one of the acts to see at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass this weekend.

7 incredible Bay Area things to do this weekend, Oct. 3-5

Got your weekend plans? We have some nifty ideas, from great festivals to a fun...
Joe Duplantier and Gojira are among the featured acts at this weekend's Aftershock festival in Sacramento.

Bay Area arts: 10 cool shows and concerts to catch this weekend

Highlights include one of the world's best metal festivals, a celebration of the "Blood Moon"...
Lion dancers roam through the large crowd gathered for the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival at the Children's Discovery Museum in downtown San Jose on Sept. 27, 2025. (Lauren Uppal/Mosaic)

Cultures converge at Mid-Autumn Moon Festival in San Jose

The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival held last weekend at the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose...
Attendees paint pumpkins in Santa Cruz at a previous Harvest Festival, which will return this year on Oct. 4. (contributed photo from BANG archives)

Bay Area events calendar for Oct. 3-10

Here's a list of the region's entertaining, upcoming activities to enjoy.
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