This weekend is bursting with holiday cheer
Happy December, Alameda! If the season seems to be flying by, take a moment to soak up some local holiday festivities this week. From Friday, December 6, to Sunday, December 8, Island Cat Resources and Adoption’s annual Pawliday Boutique is set to offer a wide variety of holiday gifts for a great cause. The Foodbank Players are coming to a stage near you with their annual production of A Christmas Carol on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, December 6-8. If you need to stretch your legs after some holiday rest and relaxation, grab your shoes for the Midway Shelter Winter Run / Walk on Saturday, December 7. After the race, join Alameda Sings! for their Winter Concert “The Light of the Season,” and get ready for singalong carols. If you’d rather get your holiday cheer outdoors, bundle up and grab a spot to watch the Lighted Yacht Parade after sunset on Saturday, December 7.
ICRA Pawliday Boutique
Friday through Sunday, December 6-8
Get ready to shop for a cause—and sweet little paws—at Island Cat Resources and Adoption’s (ICRA) annual Pawliday Boutique at the Alameda Elks Lodge, 2255 Santa Clara Avenue. There are so many goodies to choose from, ICRA had to stretch the event from Friday, December 6, to Sunday, December 8.
The weekend kicks off with a special Champagne Preview Shopping Event and 30th Anniversary celebration on Friday, December 6, from 4 to 8 p.m. Your $10 ticket includes champagne, cake, and one raffle ticket for a prize. The boutique will be open for regular shopping on Saturday, December 7, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, December 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free on Saturday and Sunday.
The Pawliday Boutique promises to include all of your holiday shopping in one place. “Shop for hostess gifts, stocking stuffers, specialty gifts, handcrafted goods, plants and planters, holiday décor, self-care treats, cat-themed items, textiles, and more,” promises the ICRA website. Your holiday shopping will support ICRA’s lifesaving work with free-roaming and unowned cats in Alameda and Oakland.
The Foodbank Players Present A Christmas Carol
Friday through Sunday, December 6-8
Get into the holiday spirit with The Foodbank Players’ annual production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, at First Congregational Church, 1912 Central Avenue. On Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, the play starts at 7 p.m. A matinee performance will take place on Sunday, December 8, at 2 p.m.
This holiday classic is open to all ages, and admission is free. Donations to the Alameda Food Bank are gratefully accepted. Please note that seating is first come, first served.
If you can’t make it this weekend, you’ll have six more chances. A Christmas Carol takes the stage again on December 13, 14, 20, and 21 at 7 p.m., as well as on December 15 at 2 p.m. See more information on The Foodbank Players’ website.
Midway Shelter Winter Run / Walk
Saturday, December 7
Lace up your shoes and get ready for the Midway Shelter Winter Run / Walk on Saturday, December 7, starting at 7:30 a.m. This flat, out-and-back course will take participants along the scenic shoreline of Bay Farm Island, with beautiful views of San Francisco and our Island City.
The race begins at Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal, 215 Adelphian Way, and there’s plenty of free parking for all. The schedule is as follows:
- 7:30 a.m.: Race day registration opens.
- 8:30 a.m.: 10K race begins.
- 8:45 a.m.: 5K race begins.
- 9:45 a.m.: Kids’ half-mile fun run begins, and 5K/10K awards are available.
Outfront Endurance—organizer of popular Alameda races—is excited to present this beautiful race for a great cause. Proceeds will benefit the Midway Shelter of Alameda. Register online in advance for the lowest fees.
Alameda Sings! Light of the Season Winter Concert
Saturday, December 7
Alameda Sings! will lift holiday spirits with their Winter Concert, The Light of the Season, on Saturday, December 7, 7:30 p.m., at the Alameda Veterans Memorial Building, 2203 Central Avenue. This year, Alameda Sings! will be joined by the young voices of the Bay Area Music Project Youth Chorus, part of the after-school music program at Maya Lin Elementary School.
This year’s concert will feature both musical performances and an audience sing-along to favorite holiday carols. The family-friendly concert is free. A suggested door donation of $10 or more is greatly appreciated.
Alameda Sings! is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization that “engages the community in advancing the love of choral music through education, performance, and collaboration.” Alameda Sings! welcomes enrollment through the Alameda Recreation and Parks Department with class sessions held at Mastick Senior Center. Auditions are not required, and spring enrollment is starting soon.
48th Annual Lighted Yacht Parade
Saturday, December 7
It’s time for the East Bay’s magical maritime holiday celebration, the beloved Lighted Yacht Parade! This year’s theme is “Merry Estuary.” Head down to the water just before sunset on Saturday, December 7, to see the festive vessels, including a lighted SF Bay Ferry.
The parade will begin at around 5:30 p.m., passing the judges at the Encinal and Oakland yacht clubs on the Alameda side of the estuary and continuing past Pasta Pelican before crossing to the Oakland side of the estuary at Jack London Square. The parade will continue the large loop and conclude near the staging area by Fortman Marina.
Judges will award one grand prize for Best Overall Decorated Boat. In addition, prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for Best Decorated in three categories: power boats, sailboats, and other vessels (such as kayaks).
The SF Bay Ferry will be participating in the parade, and passengers get a free future ferry ride with the donation of a new, unwrapped toy for the Oakland firefighters’ holiday toy drive. Tickets for the ferry ride, which starts at Seaplane Terminal, are sold out, but you can get a good view of the lit-up ferry from behind the Wind River building, 500 Wind River Way, at Jack London Square, and at waterfronts along the estuary.
What else is going on in Alameda?
All these events and more, in Alameda and beyond, are always posted on our online Events Calendar. Post yours, too, for free!
Amanda Laird is the Content Manager and Events Editor of the Alameda Post. Reach her at [email protected].
