Holiday Lights, Festivals And Celebrations Fill The Petaluma Calendar

PETALUMA, CA — With Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa festivities filling the December calendar, the problem may be deciding which events in Petaluma to attend.

Outside these religious and cultural celebrations, there are plenty of holiday light shows, tractor parades, fairs, bazaars, and festivals to attend in and around Healdsburg. Here are some to consider:

• Friday, Dec. 5, 6 p.m-8 p.m.: Tree Lighting With The Clauses On The Square
  Start the winter holidays in downtown Petaluma on the Theatre Square Plaza by joining Santa and Mrs. Claus while they light up the square with a sparkling Christmas tree. Bring your letter to Santa to drop off at the Wishes For Santa Mailbox. Don’t miss the tree lighting at 7 p.m. This is a great photo opportunity and a festive starting point for the holidays in Downtown Petaluma.

• Saturday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Holiday Shopping Stroll
  Celebrate the season downtown on Petaluma’s Kentucky Street while wandering through festive shops and passages, discovering one-of-a-kind gifts, and enjoying holiday treats, cheerful libations, live music, and extended store hours. All activities will take place inside participating businesses. Whether you’re shopping for loved ones, or simply soaking in the holiday spirit, there’s something fun on every corner.
• Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m-4 p.m..: Penngrove Winter Fest. Photos with Santa or with Krampus, as well as Tarot Card Readings with Kay, Create a Snow Globe with California Brick Chicks, are among the activities for children and their grown-ups. (Check the website for specific times).
• Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m.: The Klezmatics Happy Joyous Hanukkah
  As candles are lit across the country, The Klezmatics — the celebrated klezmer band — return with to the Raven Performing Arts Theater with their beloved Happy Joyous Hanukkah Tour, honoring both Jewish tradition and bold musical reinvention.

• Dec. 12, 7 p.m. and Dec. 13/14, 3 p.m.: The Petaluma Chorale Winter Concert - A Glimpse of Evergreen & Light in Cram Hall, St. John’s Episcopal Church.
• Dec. 13, 6 p.m.: Petaluma Lighted Boat Parade
  See Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on the Petaluma River. Watch the glowing boats of all sizes and types go down the Petaluma River, ushering in the holiday season! Vessels of all sizes including power, sail, and people-powered are welcome to join the Petaluma Yacht Club’s flotilla. The parade leaves the Petaluma Marina at 5:30 p.m. and arrives at the Turning Basin around 6 p.m. There is no fee to attend and no reservations necessary.
• Dec. 14, 4p.m.-6 p.m.: Chanukah Celebration & Hot Air Balloon Gelt Drop
  A "gelt drop" is a tradition of dropping chocolate coins, wrapped in gold or silver foil, from a some an altitude so that children can gather the falling coins. In Petaluma, the altitude is from a hot air balloon. To top off the celebration, there will be a fire performer, LED robot, hot latkes, a DJ spinning Chanukah music the world's biggest dreidel, Chanukah crafts, and a raffle. Donations are accepted for this free event open to the community.
• Dec. 19/20, 7 p.m. and Dec. 21, 2 p.m.: Mrs. Dickens' Christmas Dinner at the Mercury Theater Set on Dec. 24, 1841, Charles Dickens gathers inspiration for A Christmas Carol while his wife Kate grapples with an elaborate dinner menu, an ever-expanding guest list, and Charles's troublemaking father — all while secretly writing a cookbook. When Charles fails to appreciate Kate's holiday labor, she goes on strike, leaving her clueless husband to face holiday chaos on Christmas Eve without her.

Here is a list of other local events.

• Saturday, Dec. 6, 4p.m.-7 p.m.: The Graton Holiday Lights and Tractor Parade
• Dec. 6-7, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Holiday Bazaar at Bacchus Landing
  Bacchus Landing’s Holiday Bazaar brings together local artisans, gourmet food vendors, and award-winning wineries in a festive marketplace setting. Guests can shop for handcrafted gifts and holiday décor, enjoy seasonal treats, and experience wine tastings from Bacchus Landing’s collection of wineries. With live music and a welcoming atmosphere, the Bazaar offers a relaxed way to celebrate the season while finding unique holiday treasures.
• Saturday, Dec. 6, 5 p.m.-8 p.m.: Holidays are for the dogs at this evening of painting and sipping on drinks and celebrating the season with a Nutcracker Paint Night in Windsor at the Mutt Lynch winebar.
  
  
• Saturday, Dec. 6, 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m.: Cloverdale’s Claus for a Cause, an evening of photos with Santa, hot cocoa, candy canes, elves, and festive fun. A $5 suggested donation helps support Cloverdale’s Annual Christmas Gift Program and brings holiday cheer to local youth.
• Dec. 16, 5 p.m.-8 p.m.: Community Posada & Celebration of Hanukkah. Celebrate on the Healdsburg Plaza traditions from Mexican and Jewish cultures including food, music, and gifts. Follow a traditional Las Posadas procession through the downtown area. Learn about the significance of Hanukkah to the Jewish community, and enjoy traditional foods like pozole, tamales, latkes, sufganiyot, and gilt. Enjoy music performances and catch the North Bay car clubs, who will be giving presents to children.
  
  
• Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.: Holiday Lights and Parisian Nights. The Santa Rosa Junior College Bands play Le Hot Club Swing at the Holiday Lights and Parisian Nights show hosted at the Burbank Auditorium on the Santa Rosa Junior College campus.

As you plan your calendar, here are some key dates to consider:

• Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods, begins at sundown on Dec. 14 and continues until sundown on Dec. 22. The dates vary every year.

• Christmas, of course, is always Dec. 25.

• Kwanzaa, a weeklong celebration primarily held in the United States to honor African heritage and African-American culture, is observed from Dec. 26-Jan. 1, culminating with gift-giving and a lavish feast. The dates of this holiday do not change.

Read: Where to see Santa this Christmas in Healdsburg...