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Best Holiday Events And Celebrations In East Bay

December 3, 2012 5:00 AM

http://www.ncry.org

As the holiday season gets into full swing, you may be looking for ways to celebrate the season in your area. Here are some great activities, concerts, fairs and Christmas events suitable for the whole family occurring in the East Bay this December.

A Christmas Carol
Stage One Theatre
39375 Cedar Blvd.
Newark, CA 94560
(510) 791-0287
www.stage1theatre.org

Price: $10-$22
Dates: Select days now through December 9

Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” has been a holiday classic since it was published in 1843. The story of Scrooge and his visions of Christmas Past, Present and Future have captured the imaginations of generations of children. The versions performed as plays have been popular for nearly as long. This December, the actors at Stage One Theatre in Newark will be performing “A Christmas Carol” the first two weekends of the month.

http://www.dunsmuir-hellman.org

A Holiday Tradition 2012
Dunsmuir-Hellman Historic Estate
2960 Peralta Oaks Court
Oakland, CA 94605
(510) 238-3052
www.dunsmuir-hellman.orgTickets: $7-$12
Dates: Select days now through December 16

For three weekends, the historic Dunsmuir-Hellman Estate in Oakland will host its annual holiday open house and fair. The mansion, built in 1899, sits on 50 beautiful acres. Visitors can take a tour of the mansion, stroll the grounds, ride on a horse-drawn carriage and shop at the gift shop or for crafts at the Carriage House. Activities for kids include a pony ride, face painting and a breakfast with Santa.

http://www.valleyconcertchorale.org/messiah/

Sing-It-Yourself Messiah with Valley Concert Chorale

Trinity Lutheran Church

1225 Hopyard Road

Pleasanton, CA 94566
(925) 866-4003

www.valleyconcertchorale.org

Tickets: $10 plus service fee
Date: December 14

Love to sing? Why not join in on a sing-along performance of Handel’s “Messiah?” This holiday favorite is often performed for the Christmas season. The Tri-Valley’s Valley Concert Choral will be hosting a Sing-it-yourself “Messiah” on December 14, including the classic Hallelujah Chorus from the “Messiah.” If you’re not a do-it-yourself singer and would rather leave it to the experts, Valley Concert Chorale is also performing a “Holiday Songs of Joy” concert on Saturday, December 15 at 7:30 pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Livermore.

http://www.telegraphfair.com

Telegraph Ave Holiday Street Fair

Telegraph Ave. between Dwight Way and Bancroft Way

Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 234-1013

www.telegraphfair.com

Dates: Select days now through December 24

Christmas means shopping for gifts for many people, but what if your gifts were a little more personal and a little more creative this year? One option is buying your holiday gifts from craftspeople at a holiday fair. As a bonus, you can enjoy your shopping trip and the holiday spirit. The Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair features not only artists and craftspeople with their wares, but live music performances, food vendors, street performers and holiday lights and decorations.

http://www.ncry.org

Niles Canyon Railway Train of Lights

Niles Canyon Railway
37001 Mission Blvd.

Fremont, CA 94536

Sunol Depot
6 Kilkare Road

Sunol, CA 94586

(925) 862-9063

www.ncry.org

Tickets: $25-$40
Dates: Select days now through December 30

The Niles Canyon Railway is an historic reminder of the trains that opened the west and connected California and the Bay Area to the rest of America in the 19th century. Now a special-events train only, the railway, run by volunteer enthusiasts, has its biggest event during the holiday season. The Train of Lights serves as a fundraiser for the organization and runs from the Niles region of Fremont to Sunol and back with two daily departures, one in the late afternoon and one in the evening. The length of the journey is approximately one hour for the 13-mile roundtrip.

Laura Tarwater-Scharp is a freelance writer, editor and historian. Originally from the Midwest, she has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over a decade. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.