Travel is more fun with kids

Puccini's Girl of the Golden West - the movie - Free. Register now!

2012-01-25T09:28:33-08:00

A FREE one-hour movie for families with a live introduction.
Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26, 2012
1:30pm and 3:30pm at the Herbst Theatre
Recommended for ages 8 and up

Puccini's Girl of the Golden West is the opera version of a classic Western—we meet a crafty criminal, a suspicious sheriff and a frontier woman with a tender heart who knows how to shoot a gun. The dramatic love triangle is set in California during the Gold Rush.
Created from San Francisco Opera's Girl of the Golden West in 2010, this one-hour movie is a perfect way for families to learn about the magic of opera. The Company's Education Department produced the movie version for Bay Area school and community programs.

The movie is in Italian, with English subtitles.

Click here to see a 3-minute video.

ADVANCED REGISTRATION is required for this free event. Doors open 30 minutes before each show time. General Admission seating with confirmation page print out. Please click below to register now.

REGISTER NOW

Herbst Theatre
Veterans Building
401 Van Ness Avenue at McAllister
San Francisco

Family resource materials, including story synopsis, biographies, slideshows of production photos, and audio and video examples are located at sfopera.com/girlresources.

Chinese New Year Celebrations in San Francisco - 2012 Year of the Dragon

2012-01-17T08:35:00-08:00

This year, Chinese New Year falls on January 23rd and we will celebrate the Year of the Dragon. We will also enter the lunar year 4710.

Chinese families celebrate the new year by being together, giving each other gifts, eating symbolic foods and display decorations, all that in an effort for bringing good luck for the year to come.
San Francisco will have a lot going on before and after the New Year.

Check out these kid-friendly events.

Mark your calendar. The Chinese New Year Parade will be on Saturday February 11th from 5:15 pm to 8 pm.

Call 415 986-1370 or 415 982-3071 if you want to sit in the bleachers. ($30)

Monday January 23rd - Chinese New Year Day

Saturday February 4 - 10 am-4 pm
Chinese New Year Basketball Jamboree
Francisco Middle School/Gym in Annex Building
2190 Powell Street, San Francisco
Contact: Kenny Lee 415 291-7900

Check out six exciting basketball games. The kids on the teams are from the San Francisco Middle Schools and the greater San Francisco Chinese-American communities. This popular basketball jamboree is celebrating its 18th year! Bring your family and friends and enjoy a great day of fun and slam dunk moments!

Saturday February 11 - 5:15pm-8:00pm
Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade
Market and Second Street to Kearny and Jackson
Location of bleachers: Kearny Street (between Sacramento & California and between Pine & Bush)
415 986-1370 or 415 982-3071
Free but $30 for bleacher tickets
Named one of the top ten Parades in the world by the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA), the Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco is one of the grandest night illuminated Parades in the country. The Parade and Festival have grown to be the largest celebration of Asian culture outside of Asia. Parade highlights include elaborate floats, lion dancers, folk dancers, costumed elementary school groups, marching bands, stilt walkers, Chinese acrobats, and a 250 foot long Golden Dragon ("Gum Lung.")

February 11-12
Saturday 10:00am-4:30pm
Sunday 9:00am-5:00pm

Chinese New Year Community Street Fair
Grant Avenue from California to Broadway St.
Pacific Avenue from Kearny to Stockton
Washington and Jackson Streets from Kearny to Stockton

Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of San Francisco's exhilarating Chinatown during one of the community's most exciting times of the year. Enjoy dance and music from throughout Asia and experience ancient and modern Chinese arts such as calligraphy, kite making and acrobatics.

Free day at the San Francisco MOAD on January 16th in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2012-01-04T08:30:00-08:00

MoAD will celebrate the national observance of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a Day of Service, by providing FREE admission to the museum and programs throughout Monday January 16, 2012 from 11 am to 5 pm.

11-5pm Films about Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement will show continuously in the Wells Fargo Heritage Center.

12-1pm in the MoAD Salon, HBCU Campus Tours will present The 411 on HBCUs, information about the HBCUs and how to tour the various campuses.

12-4pm MoAD will host a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Fair with representatives from various HBCUs (Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Howard University, Florida A&M University, Alabama A&M University, Lemoyne Owens College & others).

12-4pm Vision Board Drop-in Art Activity

1-3pm Sidewalk Chalk art with Jamie Treacy

1-3pm Film Screening | More Than a Month, Filmmaker Shukree Hassan Tilghman sets off on a cross-country campaign to end Black History Month. His tongue-in-cheek journey explores the complexity and contradictions of relegating an entire group’s history to one month in a so-called “post-racial” America. Film screening followed by a panel discussion with the filmmaker. Co-presented by MoAD, ITVS and KQED.

3:30-5pm Film Screening | The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement, a documentary that chronicles the stories of a barber-turned-civil rights leader during the 2008 presidential campaign. Film screening followed by a panel discussion with the filmmaker.

MOAD
www.moadsf.org
685 Mission Street (at Third)
San Francisco
Tel: 415.358.7252

Things To Do
San Francisco

Free Entrance Days in the US National Park in 2012

2012-01-03T09:10:00-08:00

Make plans now to visit the national parks on these 2012 fee-free dates:

January 14-16
Martin Luther King Jr. weekend
April 21-29
National Park Week
June 9
Get Outdoors Day
September 29
National Public Lands Day
November 10-12
Veterans Day weekend

Here is the list of the California Parks:

Cabrillo National Monument
Death Valley National Park
John Muir National Historic Site
Joshua Tree National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lava Beds National Monument
Muir Woods National Monument
Pinnacles National Monument
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Sequoia National Park
Whiskeytown Unit National Recreation Area
Yosemite National Park

Two silly girls enjoying Death Valley

Things To Do

Free entrance at the Jewish Contemporary Museum on December 25th

2011-12-19T13:12:58-08:00

Sponsored by Target, the Contemporary Jewish Museum's Community Free Day on Christmas is a day of admission-free fun for all.

In celebration of the exhibition Houdini: Art and Magic, families can make their own optical illusion spinning tops to take home and enjoy the magic of Jade with three free performances throughout the day at 11:30 am, 1 pm and 2:30 pm (space available on a first-come-first-served basis).

The allure of Jade's magic stems from her Chinese heritage and her childhood on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Jade took the male-dominated world of magic by storm in 1990, when she won first place in the International Brotherhood of Magicians' World Magic Competition. A panel of celebrity judges honored her with the organization's coveted Gold Medal of Magic, a prize awarded only a handful of times in the competition's 20-year history. To date, she remains the sole woman to receive this honor.

Photo Courtesy of Jade

Sunday, December 25, 2011
11 AM – 4 PM

Contemporary Jewish Museum
736 Mission Street (between Third and Fourth streets), San Francisco
www.thecjm.org or 415.655.7800.

Free days at the San Francisco Museums in December

2011-11-30T21:42:16-08:00

The following museums are free one day a month.

Museum of Modern Art
www.sfmoma.org
Facebook: SFMOMA
Twitter: @SFMOMA
151 Third Street (between Mission and Howard)- SOMA
Free on Tuesday December 6th

Contemporary Jewish Museum
www.thecjm.org
Facebook: Contemporary Jewish Museum
Twitter: @Jewseum
736 Mission Street - SOMA
Free on Tuesday December 6th and on Christmas Day

De Young Museum
www.deyoung.famsf.org
Facebook: de Young Museum
Twitter: @deyoungmuseum
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, Golden Gate Park
Phone: (415) 750 3600
Free on Tuesday December 6th

Museum of Legion of Honor
www.legionofhonor.famsf.org
Facebook: Legion of Honor Museum
Twitter: @deyoungmuseum
Lincoln Park, 100 34th avenue
Phone: (415) 750 3600
Free on Tuesday December 6th

Conservatory of Flowers
www.conservatoryofflowers.org
Facebook: San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers
Twitter: @SFConservatory
100 John F. Kennedy Drive – Golden Gate Park
Phone: (415) 831-2090
Free on Tuesday December 6th

Cartoon Art Museum
www.cartoonart.org
Facebook: Cartoon Art Museum
Twitter: @cartoonart
655 Mission Street - SOMA
Phone: (415) 227-8666
Tuesday December 6th is ‘pay what you wish day’

Asian Art Museum
www.asianart.org
Facebook: Asian Art Museum
Twitter: @asianartmuseum
200 Larkin Street – Civic Center
Phone: (415) 581-3500
Free on Sunday December 4th

Academy of Sciences
www.calacademy.org
Facebook: California Academy of Sciences
Twitter: @calacademy
Iphone App:
55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park
Phone: (415) 379-8000
Free on Wednesday December 21st

San Francisco Botanical Gardens
www.sfbotanicalgarden.org
Facebook: San Francisco Botanical Garden
9^th Avenue and Lincoln Way – Golden Gate Park
Free on the December 13th, Christmas, and New Years’ Day
Free for San Francisco City and County residents with proof of residency

Exploratorium
www.exploratorium.edu
Facebook: The Exploratorium
Twitter: @exploratorium
3601 Lyon Street (@ Jefferson) – Marina – Will move to Pier 15 on the Waterfront in 2013
Phone: (415) 561-0360
Free on Wednesday December 21st

Chinese Historical Society of America
www.chsa.org
Facebook: Chinese Historical Society of America
Twitter: @CHSAmuseum
965 Clay Street - Chinatown
Phone: (415) 391-1188
Free on Thursday December 1st

SF Camerawork
www.sfcamerawork.org
657 Mission Street, 2nd Floor
Phone: (415) 512-2020
Free on Tuesday December 6th

Yerba Buena Gardens
www.ybca.org Double check
Free gallery admission on Tuesday December 6th

Japanese Tea Garden
www.japaneseteagardensf.com
7 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive – Golden Gate Park
Admission is free on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays if you enter by 10 am.

Things To Do
San Francisco

Frosting the Conservatory: A Holiday Gingerbread Building Event for the Whole Family

2011-11-29T11:07:00-08:00

Sink your teeth into the holidays with this fun edible architecture event
for the whole family. Drop in between 11 AM and 3 PM on December 10th and you¹ll receive delectable building supplies including Graham Crackers, frosting and candy
treats to construct the mini greenhouse of your dreams. Take it home for the
holiday table, or eat it right on the spot.

by Morgan Davis

And while you're there, get an instant, totally unique poem to share with
friends and family this holiday season. The Poetry Store will be on hand to
create free poems on demand, typed on a vintage typewriter right before your
eyes on beautifully hand-crafted paper.

All ages welcome.
Adult supervision required for children under 14 years
old.

Proceeds benefit the Conservatory of Flowers Maintenance Fund, to keep the
historic greenhouse frosty white.

Conservatory of Flowers
www.conservatoryofflowers.org
Golden Gate Park
100 John F. Kennedy Dr., San Francisco

COST: $10 material fee per building (does not include admission)
Admission is as follows:
San Francisco Residents:
$5 general;
$3 youth 12-17, seniors and students with ID;
$1.50 children 5-11;
children 4 and under FREE

Non-residents:
$7 general,
$5 youth 12-17, seniors and students with ID;
$2 children 5-11;
children 4 and under FREE

^{by Morgan Davis}

Things To Do
San Francisco

'Tis the Season for Science' at the California Academy of Sciences

2011-11-28T13:51:39-08:00

Plan a visit to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park now!

The ‘Tis the Season for Science holiday exhibit is back by popular demand through January 16, 2012. The Academy will be decking its animal-filled halls with science and snow for a truly unforgettable holiday experience!

‘Tis the Season for Science will delight guests with indoor snow flurries, get them up-close and personal with live reindeer and immerse them in a snow-themed mini-dome experience. Learn how some of our most beloved holiday symbols and traditions are connected to the natural world…see where cinnamon comes from, learn little-known facts about mistletoe and find out if partridges really live in pear trees.

Academy of Sciences
www.calacademy.org
Facebook: California Academy of Sciences
Twitter: @calacademy
55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park
Phone: (415) 379-8000

Free the third Wednesday of the month
Free days during the spring and the fall for San Francisco residents depending on their zipcode. Check out their website to see when it’s your turn.
Open from Monday through Saturday from 9:30 am to 5 pm. On Sunday, open at 11 am.
Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Adults: $29.95 Seniors, Students, Youth (13-17): $24.95 Child (4-11): $19.95

Things To Do
San Francisco

Holidays events and activities

2011-11-25T08:45:00-08:00

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair
Nov. 25 - Dec. 18, 2011 weekends only including Friday after Thanksgiving, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave.

The world renowned Great Dickens Christmas Fair is the only event of its kind – anywhere. The winding lanes of Victorian London come to life at the Cow Palace in 120,000-plus square feet of theatrically lit music halls, pubs, dance parties and charming shops overflowing with handmade holiday treasures. It's a lamp lit city brimming with lively and colorful characters from the pages of history and the imagination of Charles Dickens, Jules Verne and Lewis Carroll. For information, visitwww.dickensfair.com.

Gingerbread House Holiday Open-House
Nov. 26, 2011; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fairmont San Francisco

Fairmont’s majestic, life-sized gingerbread house is a must-see holiday event. Lovingly built with 7,500 home-baked gingerbread bricks and 1,200 pounds of royal icing, the two-story sweet dream house will be adorned with 650 pounds of colorful candies and 12 gallons of chocolate and feature a special room where children may write a letter to Santa. Also enjoy an enchanting 23-foot Christmas tree tickling the ceiling of the main lobby along with holiday refreshments and carolers from local schools.

Dance-Along Nutcracker®: Clara’s Magical Mystery Tour
Dec. 10, 2011 at 7 p.m. - Adults Only Gala featuring 60s DJ disco party, cocktails and holiday reception; Dec. 11 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m - Family shows at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St.

Sugar Plum wannabes, step on up. Everyone’s a star at the Dance-Along Nutcracker®. Here you dance to your own choreography, as the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band performs favorites from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet. This year, Clara and her Nutcracker take a trip through a psychedelic groovy Peter Maxx world punctuated by music from the 60s, and the Rat King is the Leader of the Pack. For information visit www.dancealongnutcracker.org or call 415-255-1355.

Victorian Home Walk Tour presents A Very "Victorian" Christmas
Dec. 1 - 31, 2011

For the entire month of December the walking tour will go through the yuletide-decked Queen Anne Hotel, brimming with holly, Christmas cheer and holiday decorations befitting a king or queen. For information, visit www.victorianhomewalk.com or call415-710-9336.

Holiday Lights and Chocolate Tours with Gourmet Walks
Fridays and Saturdays in December 2011 4:30 - 7:30 pm

Join Gourmet Walks for a series of evening Chocolate Tours during the holiday season. They’ll view spectacular light displays from the Ferry Building to Union Square, while learning how to taste fine chocolate and warming up with drinking chocolate. It's the perfect holiday celebration, especially for visiting friends and family. Tours depart from Justin Herman Plaza. More information is available at www.gourmetwalks.com and 415-312-1119.

Annual Kwanza Celebration
Dec. 26, 2011; 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito

Experience the rich traditions of Kwanzaa, featuring a celebration of African-American culture through hands-on art activities and performances. There will be a traditional Kwanzaa altar on display in the Museum’s Entry Pavilion. Two free performances by the African Roots of Jazz will be presented in the Discovery Theater at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Renowned jazz drummer E. W. Wainwright and his ensemble take us on a musical journey that traces African-American musical forms, such as jazz, gospel, and spirituals, from their earliest beginnings in African cultures to today. Free museum admission, activities and performances. For more information, visit www.BayKidsMuseum.org/holidays.

Things To Do
San Francisco

Holidays displays and exhibits in San Francisco

2011-11-22T08:44:00-08:00

Macy’s Holiday Windows Featuring San Francisco SPCA Adoptable Animals
Oct. 2011 – Jan. 2012
Macy’s on Union Square holiday windows on Stockton and O’Farrell streets will feature adoptable animals from the San Francisco SPCA and an adoption outpost in the store. These famous windows were voted “Ten Best Places to Press Your Nose” and are a beloved tradition in San Francisco. More information is available at www.macys.com/events or www.sfspca.org.

Playland at the Conservatory: A Garden Railway Celebrating San Francisco¹s West End
Nov. 18, 2011 – Mar. 18, 2012. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays – Sundays at the Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park.

Step right up for a ride back in time as the Conservatory of Flowers presents an all new garden railway display celebrating the legendary Playland at the Beach and a bygone era of seaside amusement that was located on San Francisco’s West End. In a dazzling display landscaped with hundreds of dwarf plants, model trains and trolleys wend their way past the famed Sutro Baths, zip around a replica of the Victorian-era Cliff House and whiz through a fantastic mini version of San Francisco’s beloved Playland at the Beach. Young and old alike will marvel at the sight of its most famous attractions including the Big Dipper, Diving Bell, Fun House, Airplane Ride and more all creatively crafted from recycled and repurposed materials while the sounds of the arcade and even Laffing Sal’s boisterous voice transport visitors right back to the midway. Closed Mondays and on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. For more information visit www.conservatoryofflowers.org or call 415-831-2090.

’Tis the Season for Science at the California Academy of Sciences
Nov. 23, 2011 – Jan. 16, 2012; Mon. – Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The California Academy of Science is getting a winter makeover for the holidays. The popular ’Tis the Season for Science exhibit returns for a second year, bringing with it the sights, sounds, and smells of the season. Experience indoor snow flurries, get up close and personal with live reindeer, and immerse yourself in a snow-themed mini-dome show. In addition, daily programs and real scientific specimens will reveal how some of our most beloved holiday symbols and traditions are connected to the natural world. The science behind the food, plants and animals we associate with the holidays may just surprise you. For more information, contact 415-379-8000, info@calacademy.org; or visit www.calacademy.org.

Things To Do
San Francisco

Travel is more fun with kids

Puccini's Girl of the Golden West - the movie - Free. Register now!

Chinese New Year Celebrations in San Francisco - 2012 Year of the Dragon

Free day at the San Francisco MOAD on January 16th in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Free Entrance Days in the US National Park in 2012

Two silly girls enjoying Death Valley

Free entrance at the Jewish Contemporary Museum on December 25th

Free days at the San Francisco Museums in December

Museum of Modern Art www.sfmoma.org Facebook: SFMOMA Twitter: @SFMOMA 151 Third Street (between Mission and Howard)- SOMA Free on Tuesday December 6th

Frosting the Conservatory: A Holiday Gingerbread Building Event for the Whole Family

'Tis the Season for Science' at the California Academy of Sciences

Holidays events and activities

Holidays displays and exhibits in San Francisco

Museum of Modern Art
www.sfmoma.org
Facebook: SFMOMA
Twitter: @SFMOMA
151 Third Street (between Mission and Howard)- SOMA
Free on Tuesday December 6th