A selective sampling of upcoming Winter Arts events. Listings are compiled by Guardian staff. Submit items for the listings at listings@sfbg.com. For further information on how to submit items for the listings, see Selector.
NOV 21
City College of San Francisco’s Festival of the Moving Image Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St, SF; facebook.com/festivalofthemovingimage. 7 and 8:45pm, $6.50-10. Students in CCSF’s Cinema Department and Broadcast Electronic Media Arts Department showcase their cutting-edge short films.
NOV 22
Cinema by the Bay Festival Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St, SF; www.sffs.org. Through Nov 24. $10-25. The San Francisco Film Society wraps up its fall season with this showcase of Bay Area filmmaking. Opening night features Mitchell Altieri’s cult thriller Holy Ghost People, screening at both 7 and 9:30pm.
NOV 23
“Art and Ideas Day Festival” Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission, SF; www.ybca.org. Noon-9pm, free. In conjunction with its current “Dissident Futures” exhibit, YBCA hosts a festival aiming to inspire explorations of “possible futures,” with workshops, lectures, performances, interactive media and more presented by robotics experts, food activitst, designers, environmentalists, and other experts.
“Great Dickens Christmas Fair” Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva, SF; www.dickensfair.com. Opens today. Runs Sat-Sun, 10am-7pm, through Dec 22. $12-30. Party like a Victorian at this Bay Area tradition, back for its 35th year of London-circa-1865 delights: food, booze (including multiple English-style pubs and an absinthe bar), live performances, kid-friendly activities, shops showcasing handmade crafts and artwork, and more.
NOV 27
Hanukkah at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco 3200 California, SF; www.jccsf.org. Candle lightings tonight through Dec 4 (no lightings Nov 28 or Nov 30), 4:30pm. Family Hanukkah Celebration Dec 1, 4pm, $5-20. Celebrate the Jewish holiday (which coincides with Thanksgiving this year; the JCCSF is calling it “Thanksgivukkah”) with menorah lightings and a family celebration that includes food and live music.
NOV 29
Another Hole in the Head Horror Film Festival Balboa Theater, 3630 Balboa, SF; and New People Cinema, 1746 Post, SF; www.sfindie.com. Through Dec 19. $10-12. SF IndieFest presents its 10th annual offshoot fest highlighting indie horror, sci-fi, and fantasy films. Opening night is intriguingly-titled 1980s-inspired slasher All Cheerleaders Die.
“Black Friday Roller Disco Party” Women’s Building Auditorium, 3543 18th St, SF; www.brownpapertickets.com. 8pm-midnight, $10. Disco costumes are encouraged at this skating party that benefits SF IndieFest. BYO skates or rent them when you arrive.
NOV 30
“Guardianas de la Vida” Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St, SF; www.dancemission.com. Healing session 6pm; performance, 7pm. $15. Music, flamenco dance, and poetry performances in honor of San Francisco’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls.
DEC 5
“The Golden Girls: The XMAS Episodes” Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th, SF; www.trannyshack.com. Through Dec 22. $30. In this latest incarnation of the performance series inspired by the classic sitcom, Miami’s fiesty seniors (portrayed by Heklina, Cookie Dough, Matthew Martin, and Pollo Del Mar) return to spread holiday cheer and (of course!) eat plenty of cheesecake.
DEC 6
“A Christmas Carol” Geary Theater, 415 Geary, SF; www.act-sf.org. Through Dec 28. $20-95. American Conservatory Theater mounts its annual production of the Dickens classic, with James Carpenter as Scrooge and Ken Ruta as Jacob Marley’s ghost.
DEC 13
“Too Many Tamales: A Holiday Story for the Whole Family” Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia, SF; www.themarsh.org. Through Jan 4. $15-35. Marsh Youth Theater and author Gary Soto collaborate on this high-energy holiday show — complete with puppets and Mexican music — based on Soto’s picture book.
DEC 14
“Dance-Along Nutcracker: Nutcrackers of the Caribbean!” Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission, SF; www.dancealongnutcracker.org. Through Dec 15. $10-50. The beloved Bay Area tradition, with music performed by the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, returns, with shows aimed at both kids and grown-ups (this year: the nautical theme includes a piratical “Captain’s Ball Gala”).
DEC 24
“Kung Pao Kosher Comedy” New Asia Restaurant, 772 Pacific, SF; www.koshercomedy.com. Through Dec 26. $44-65. Back for its 21st year, Lisa Geduldig’s genius pairing of “Jewish comedy on Christmas in a Chinese restaurant” features performers Gary Gulman, Adrianne Tolsch, and Samson Koletkar. Ticket prices include either dinner or cocktails with dim sum. *