#community-events

#community-events

Lighting it up since 1975, San Francisco celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first giant public menorah outside Israel, a landmark Bill Graham project that went on to inspire thousands of menorahs around the world. This year's eight-night festival brings music, community gatherings, and nightly ceremonies honoring leaders and traditions across the Jewish community. Union Square Menorah Lighting Schedule 2025 December 14-22, 2025 Sunday, December 14

The next time you host for the holidays, imagine more than a thousand people streaming through the front door. But it's OK - a professional designer has decked your halls; and never mind the small talk because trained volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and highlight your home's finer points. You might not even need to attend at all.

"In cinema, three elements can move: objects, the camera itself and the audience's point of attention," Drew McClellan says to the crowd before showing an example on the projector screen. The clip is a memorable scene from Jordan's Peele's 2017 film, "Get Out," when the protagonist (Daniel Kaluuya) goes out for a late-night smoke and sees the groundskeeper sprinting toward him - in the direction of the camera and the viewer - before abruptly changing direction at the last second.

an evening dedicated to arts and culture in the SoFA district and surrounding areas. This free, all-ages event invites everyone to explore galleries, museums, and creative spaces from 5 to 9 PM, fostering connections among artists, locals, and visitors. With its roots in the vibrant SoFA neighborhood, the gathering extends to spots like the Historic District and Martha Gardens, offering a chance to wander through diverse venues and discover the city's artistic pulse.

With her whimsical illustrations of beloved Berkeley landmarks, artist Cara Goldstein seeks to honor the significance of the city's architecture and remind Berkeleyans that each building has a story and a historical relevance. Berkeley house by Cara Goldstein. Courtesy of C. Goldstein If you've recently passed through Pegasus Books Downtown, Payn's Stationery on Solano Avenue, or Mrs. Dalloway's, ImaginKnit, or Berkeley Organic Market, all in the Elmwood, you'll probably recognize Goldstein's art through the prominently displayed postcards, greeting cards and stickers illustrating these storefronts,

About 800,000 people every year make a visit to Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown San Jose part of their holiday tradition. Of course, it's not to visit the Plumed Serpent statue or relax on a bench overlooking the Tech Interactive. No, for five weeks spanning Thanksgiving weekend to New Year's Day, the two-acre park's biggest draw for nearly 50 years has been Christmas in the Park a kitschy and whimsical collection of animatronic displays, hundreds of decorated trees and a chance to visit with Santa himself.

Here in the Bay Area, the growth is particularly notable, with mahjong gatherings happening nearly every day of the weeknot to mention frequent pop-ups and community events throughout the region. One of those leading the surge is San Francisco's The Mahjong Movement, an organization born with the hope of promoting empathy and compassion for Asian culture and community and bringing together people from different communities and age groups.

With the opening of the new Campbell Library pushed out until next winter, the Friends of the Campbell Library have more time to fundraise. While the major funding from Measure O and several grants will cover the rebuilding costs, additional funds are needed for enhancements, including items for the planned state-of-the-art community room, study spaces and children's and teens' areas. To achieve this, the Friends of the Campbell Library has an ongoing Love Our Library campaign, with a goal of raising $250,000.

The success of the past year and a half of Downtown First Thursdays events has encouraged the event's backers to go full-throttle into next year, guaranteeing that the monthly street party will go on. Downtown First Thursdays had been funded through the end of 2025, last we heard. But now billionaire Chris Larsen has confirmed that DFT will go on past New Year's Day and New Year's Day falls on a Thursday this year, so that will be the year's first event.

"The Spirit of Holidays Around the World" will feature he traditions around several different holidays, like Diwali, Chinese New Year and Three Kings Day. It aims to have visitors reflect on the customs and holidays they observe and what traditions they would like to pass on. Watercolor paintings by Saratoga artist Kay Duffy will also be displayed. The Saratoga History Museum is open from 1-4 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays.

A change to how Berkeley enforces the state fire code will force two popular street events, the city's Juneteenth Festival and a holiday gift market on Telegraph Avenue, out of the locations where they've been held for decades. Meanwhile, city officials are also moving to increase the fees they charge organizers for those and other events an effort to better reflect the staff work that goes into planning for street festivals that is expected to add thousands of dollars to the cost of permits.

It was part of my plan to find a community,

Staunton, Virginia, used to be a railroad hub, but now, the rail station is mainly used for thrice-weekly Amtrak stops and scenic tours of the Shenandoah Mountains. But in late September, every year, the sleepy station is transformed into Platform 9 ¾, and the roaring Amtrak is replaced by a gorgeous vintage train referred to only as the Hogwarts Express. Hundreds of Harry Potter fans fill the waiting area as the train rounds the bend on a rainy Saturday afternoon, and one by one, familiar faces deboard and wave to adoring fans: Hogwarts faculty, friends and foes, and, of course, the Boy Who Lived himself.

Navigating Your Career: If you're interested in learn how to navigate your career as a clinician educator, then join this workshop designed for early-career clinician educators like yourself. Join panelists such as Dr. Alfredo Urdaneta, Clinical Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine; Dr. Meera Sankar, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics; and Dr. Robert Boutin, Clinical Professor of Radiology, to help you decide on your career path. 8 a.m., virtual event. stanford.io/4novKwq Hospice 101: Join this webinar to clear up misinformation and misconceptions about hospice and its role in providing end-of-life care for loved ones. The webinar will debunk myths about hospice and what it takes to cover the costs of hospice care. 12 p.m., virtual event. stanford.io/3L5817e

To highlight the diversity of the city's restaurants the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce is presenting Sunnyvale Restaurant Week Nov. 8-16. Participating restaurants in this "citywide dining celebration" will feature special menus and creative offers of everything from falafel to pizza and breakfast to barbecue, with multi-course meals, chef's specials and perks like a complimentary appetizer, dessert or drink. For a list of participating restaurants, visit https://www.svcoc.org/sunnyvale-restaurant-week-about.

In moments of urgency, it can be challenging to keep a grip on the rhythm of ordinary life. That's one of the many reasons we publish Fogcutter, SFGATE's weekly column of events, shoutouts and slices of life. Every Sunday, we write about hyperlocal art shows, concerts and cafes. We hope to provide an oasis of quiet when the headlines get loud - not to offer an escape, but some grounding.

The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA is giving a presentation about the Wildlife Care Center in Saratoga on Nov. 1. The care center opened in March. Staff will be presenting about the wildlife programs and facilities they use to treat sick, injured or orphaned animals before releasing them back into the wild. The presentation is scheduled from 1-2 p.m. in the Maple Room of Saratoga Library.

Over the last two years, Cursor has grown from a cult hit to one of the most popular AI code editors in software development. The tool's developer, Anysphere, has raised over $1 billion and was recently valued at $9.9 billion, per PitchBook. On Tuesday, Cursor hosted a one-day café at The Lost Draft in SoHo. It's one of several in-person events that AI companies have created to satisfy loyal customers and increase their social media hype.

Claremont Colleges Law School Fair: Thinking of a career in law? Then take this opportunity to meet with the Santa Clara Law School admissions representatives during this fair and learn more about how to apply to law school and programs suitable for you. 12 p.m., Smith Campus Center, Edmunds Ballroom, 170 E Sixth St., Claremont. bit.ly/493aPLL 2025 Stanford Food Summit: Attend this day-long conference that features researchers and experts who are passionate about food, health, and sustainability.

32nd Annual Domestic Violence Conference: Join this annual conference that brings professionals and community members to share ideas and collaborate on ways to prevent domestic violence. This year's theme, "Constellations of Community," focuses on resilience, justice, and healing. 8 a.m., Villa Ragusa, 35 S. Second St., Campbell. bit.ly/4o1rCTR "Flora and Threads" by Sylvie Levesque: View the breathtaking exhibition by French-Canadian artist Sylvie Levesque in her latest series, "Flora and Threads," that incorporates leaves, petals and threads in her artwork. 11 a.m., Viewpoints Gallery, 315 State St., Los Altos. bit.ly/4h0eg8e

This October, BART Sound Tracks returns with a one-day music festival featuring some of the Bay Area's outstanding jazz and R&B talents. Sound Tracks Jazz Festival, presented in partnership with SFJAZZ, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 3pm to 6pm, in the North Berkeley Station parking lot. In addition to three unique acts - SFJAZZ High School All-Stars, B DeVeaux, and Sun Hop Fat - there will be food trucks, mocktails, and BART merch for sale.

Yet its true legacy is education: workshops and scholarships shaping future jazz leaders. San Jose high school student June McMahon embodies this mission. After performing with the San Jose High School Jazz All-Stars at Jazz on the Plazz, she participated in LGMA Brubeck Brothers Workshop, earned a spot at the prestigious Brubeck Jazz Summit and shared the stage Sept. 20 with the Brubeck Brothers Quartet at the LGMA annual gala.