GETTING OUT INTO THE CHILLY NIGHT AIR UNDER A CANOPY OF TWINKLING LIGHTS SURROUNDED BY MUSIC, LAUGHTER AND SMILING FACES. THAT IS SAN DIEGO ANNUAL DECEMBER NIGHT CELEBRATION AND NO WONDER IT HAS LASTED YEARS. JOINING ME TO TALK ABOUT ALL THERE IS TO DO AND SEE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW AND BALBOA PARK IS MY GUEST, KPBS ARTS CALENDAR EDITOR, NINA GARON.CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF DECEMBER 9? SATA CELEBRATING ITS 40th ANNIVERSARY BUT IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN AS DECEMBER NIGHTS; HAS IT?FOR 20 YEARS IT WAS CALLED CHRISTMAS ON THE PRADO. IT WAS BASICALLY THE SAME THING. IN ABOUT 2001 IT WAS CHANGED TO DECEMBER NIGHT. IT WAS JUST MORE INCLUSIVE AND THEN IT GOT CRAZY AND EVERYONE IN SAN DIEGO GOES TO IT.WHY IS IT SUCH A POPULAR EVENT?I THINK IT IS AS MUCH CHRISTMAS AS SAN DIEGO GETS. WE GET THE CHILLY AIR, THE LIGHTS. WE DON'T GET SNOW BUT IT LOOKS MAGICAL. YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF USE FOR FREE. YOU CAN GET INTO MUSEUMS FOR FREE, SEE PERFORMANCES, TRY TO HAVE SOME WARM CIDER. IT IS VERY FESTIVE AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON.IT SEEMS SOMETIMES LIKE ALL OF SAN DIEGO CLOSE TO THIS. HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES IT USUALLY ATTRACT?LAST YEAR IT BROUGHT ABOUT 360,000 PEOPLE OVER THE 2 DAYS. THEY ARE EXPECTING THE SAME FOR THIS YEAR.THAT MANY PEOPLE MEANS IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO GET ANYWHERE NEAR THE PARK. YOU HAVE TIPS FOR GETTING THERE?SHOW UP EARLY, PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. IT IS A LITTLE HARDER AND BALBOA PARK BUT THERE IS A TRAILING STOP -- TROLLEY STOP BY CITY COLLEGE AND THERE ARE SHUTTLES THAT LEAVE FROM THE COLLEGE. YOU CAN GET A DISCOUNT IF YOU LOSE -- USE LYFT ANY GO TO DECEMBER 9.WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIVING TO ANY TIPS?I HAVE SPECIFIC TIPS. ORGANIZERS WANT TO MAKE IT VERY EASY. THEY HAVE FREE LOTS AT CITY COLLEGE THAT YOU CAN PARK AT. THERE IS A SHUTTLE. THERE'S ALSO $5 A LOT AT 4th AND ASHWORTH FREE SHUTTLES. YOU CAN ALSO PAID 20-$25 IF YOU WANT TO PARK CLOSER. JUST SHOW UP EARLY.WHAT DOES EARLY ME?IT REALLY MEANS BEFORE DARK ON FRIDAY AND THEN MAYBE ON SATURDAY AROUND 4-5.YOU MENTIONED A BIG DRAW TO DECEMBER NIGHTS IS FREE ADMISSION TO MANY OF THE BALBOA PARK EXAMS. HOW DOES THAT WORK?THEY OPEN UP FROM 5-9. YOU CAN GET IN FOR FREE AND SEE THE EXHIBITS. THERE ARE LONG LINES FOR THIS SO YOU DO NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE AND GET IN THE LINE.WILL THERE BE ANY SPECIAL MUSEUM DISPLAYS FOR DECEMBER NIGHTS?EVERY EXAM DOES SOMETHING SPECIAL WHETHER THEY SELL TREES OR HAVE CHRISTMAS OR HOLIDAY THINGS. THE FAVORITE IS OVER AT THE TIMKEN. THEY ARE DOING JEWELS OF THE SEASON. IT IS A COLLECTION OF HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS. THESE ORNAMENTS ARE REALLY ELABORATE AND COLORFUL. IT WAS VERY POPULAR LAST YEAR THEY ARE DOING IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.WHAT ABOUT OTHER BALBOA PARK LANDMARKS LIKE THE CAROUSEL IN THE OLD GLOW.YOU CAN RIDE THE CAROUSEL DURING DECEMBER NIGHTS. THE OLD GLOBE WILL HAVE THE GRINCH, NOT FOR FREE BUT YOU CAN STILL GO BY THE TREE AND TAKE PHOTOS AND MAYBE THE GRINCH WILL BE AROUND. THE SAN DIEGO ZOO HAS PERCENT EXPRESS. TAKE THE RIGHT THROUGHOUT THE PARK IN THE NIGHTTIME. IT IS VERY SWEET.ANOTHER DECEMBER NIGHTS FAVORITE IS THE FOOD -- NIGHTS FAVORITE IS THE FOOD AT THE DECEMBER NIGHTS COLLEGES.THAT IS THE ONE OF THE FAVORITES ALSO. ALL OF THE HOUSE IS SO THOSE OF THEIR COUNTRY. A VERY POPULAR ONE IS THE HOUSE OF SWEDEN. THEY HAVE THE SWEDISH MEATBALLS IN FRANCE HAS CRAMPS. I REALLY LIKE THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. YOU CAN JUST TRY FOODS, LEBANON, ANY HOUSE THAT IS THERE. YOU CAN HAVE SAVORY, SUITE, THOSE ALSO GET VERY LONG LINES SO I WOULD PROBABLY GO THERE FIRST.I WOULD IMAGINE SO. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE ALSO STAGES ALL OVER BALBOA PARK. WHAT KIND OF ENTERTAINMENT WILL PEOPLE FIND?YOU JUST WALK AROUND THERE YOU HEAR MUSIC ALL THE TIME. IT IS CHRISTMAS CAROLS MORE MUSICAL THEATER. THERE IS DANCING EVERYWHERE ON ALL THE STAGES. NEW THIS YEAR IS CYT, THE YOUTH THEATER GROUP. THEY WILL DRESS UP IN VICTORIAN CLOSE AND SING CAROLS AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE COOKIES IS THAT HAPPENS. THAT IS HAPPENING NEXT TO THE PRADA RESTAURANT. OF COURSE, THERE ARE FREE EXCERPTS OF THE NOT TRACKER FROM SAN DIEGO CIVIC USE BALLET HAPPENING AT 6, 7, AND 8:00 EVERY NIGHT.THERE'S A LOT GOING ON. DECEMBER NIGHTS IS FREE TO ATTEND -- I NEED TO GET IN BUT SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT TO SPEND MONEY ON THE FOOD AND OTHER THINGS?I SPENT SO MUCH MONEY. THAT IS A SURPRISE. I WOULD DEFINITELY BRING SOME CASH BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE TO PAY FOR THE FOOD. IT GETS COLD AND YOU WANT SOME HOT TALK. YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT. YES, IT IS FREE AND THE ENTERTAINMENT MOST OF ALL IS FREE BUT DEFINITELY HAVE SOME CASH.HIT THE ATM BEFORE YOU GO. DECEMBER NIGHTS HAPPENS 3-11 TONIGHT AND NOON-11 SATURDAY THROUGH BALBOA PARK. I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH KPBS ARTS CALENDAR EDITOR, NINA GARY. NOT THE LAST TIME I'LL SAY THIS TO YOU BUT THE FIRST, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
You can say that in San Diego, the holidays don't officially begin until December Nights weekend.
The free holiday festival in Balboa Park is famous for its twinkling lights, international foods, music and dance performances, shopping and free admission to the museums. This year, the event celebrates its 40th anniversary, and more than 350,000 people are expected to fill the park on Friday and Saturday.
Here's a guide to navigating your way through December Nights.
How do I get there?
With so many people trying to get to Balboa Park, driving there won't be easy. Finding parking, even less so.
If you want to park near the event, get there early. The only free parking on site is at the San Diego Zoo and it fills up very quickly. You can find free disabled spots at the Fleet Science Center lot and the Federal lot. For $20 to $25, you can park near the Natural History Museum and Inspiration Point.
There are also free shuttles running from City College on C and 16th Streets, and on Ash Street between 5th and 6th, where you can find some free and low-cost lots. There will be bicycle corrals for those who want to ride into the park, and Lyft has December Nights ride-sharing discounts.
Those taking public transportation can plan the trip via the MTS site.
What is there to eat?
A big draw to December Nights is the International Cottage Christmas Festival where people can sample traditional foods from around the world.
Favorites include meatballs from Sweden, Austrian meatloaf, French quiche and crepes, Irish stew and soda bread, Mexican tamales, Spanish paella, Norwegian waffles, Korean bulgogi, latkes from Israel, Iranian kabobs and more.
There are also hundreds of food vendors offering everything from sausages and burgers to hot chocolate and cider.
What's happening at the museums?
The Balboa Park museums are free from 5 to 9 p.m. both nights.
Some museums will offer holiday crafts and events, including the popular Poinsettia display at the Botanical Building, concerts at the San Diego Museum of Art and a Holiday Bazaar at the San Diego Art Institute.
Another favorite is Jewels of the Season at the Timken Museum of Art, a display of more than 1,400 Hord and Schlappi holiday ornaments.
What are some December Nights favorites?
Del Cerro Baptist Church performs its annual Christmas Story Tree, a living nativity featuring a full choir, at 8:30 p.m. each night.
The Santa Lucia Procession is a Swedish Christmas celebration that features a candlelight procession and folk songs at 6 and 8 p.m. each night. There is also traditional food for sale, including meatballs, breads and spiced wine.
There will be free performances from many local dance and music schools. Make sure to catch excerpts of San Diego Civic Youth Ballet's "The Nutcracker" and San Diego Civic Dance Arts showcase among many others.
What's new this year?
An expanded area off Park Boulevard will spotlight fitness and action sports. Expect healthy food trucks, obstacle courses, zip lines and fitness challenges.
The new Starlight Winter Marketplace on the Federal Lawn will offer shopping and food vendors.
And the Christian Youth Theater Caroling Ensemble will feature young singers dressed in Victorian outfits, performing classic Christmas carols. This happens at El Prado, where there will also be cookie decorating activities.
