12/03/10 – 12/04/10

San Diego’s favorite kick-off to the holiday season, will take place for the 33rd consecutive year on Friday, December 3, 5:00-10:00pm and Saturday, December 4, noon-10:00 p.m. In the spirit of the holidays, participating Balboa Park museums open their doors free of charge from 5:00 to 9:00pm both evenings. The largest free community festival in San Diego, December Nights is expected to attract more than 300,000 visitors over two days.

Entertainment, wonderful food and holiday cheer are all part of this classic and elaborate San Diego celebration. Long-standing traditions—including food from around the globe at the International Christmas Festival at the House of Pacific Relations Cottages; the charming Santa Lucia Procession at the San Diego Museum of Man; unique gift shopping at the museum stores and with the artisans of Spanish Village; and musical and dance presentations from the San Diego Junior Theatre, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, Del Cerro Baptist’s Christmas Story Tree and more—fill the heart of Balboa Park.

In addition, the varied museums open for free from 5:00-9:00pm both nights feature a wide variety of exhibitions and entertainment–from the Timken Museum’s annual Christmas Tree displaying the exquisite Schlappi Collection of Hord and Schlappi Christmas ornaments–to the Reuben H. Fleet’s kid-friendly and interactive Kid City-to the San Diego Natural History Museum’s Fossil Mysteries set to holiday music in the atrium