Visual art
San Diego City College Photo Exhibition
Fifteen local photographers will show their work in a gallery exhibition and portfolio walk at Luxe Gallery, the San Diego City College photography department's gallery space. For the opening reception, visitors will have a chance to meet the emerging artists. Parking is also free that night at the nearby Lot 100.
6-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 | Luxe Gallery, V Building 5th floor, 1081 16th St., downtown | Free | MORE INFO
'Prophecy: Joy Futurism in a World Renewing'
Viet Voices' second annual weeklong Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Emerging Artist Fellowship Exhibition wraps on Friday, spotlighting new works by four artists: Sebastian Loo, Rino Kodama, Jon Chen and Jenn Ban, who worked as a cohort with mentors Seb Choe, Lena Chen and Jas Lin. Pieces include sculpture, installation, social practice and more, exploring a world on the cusp, ancestral practices and an imagined futures. The temporary, one-week-only exhibit is presented in conversation PANCA's "Me Voy Pa'l Pueblo."
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 18-19 | The Front Arte y Cultura, 147 W. San Ysidro Blvd., San Ysidro | Free | MORE INFO
Find details on more visual art exhibitions in recent arts roundups here.
Dance
Golden State Ballet: 'The Nutcracker' and … Tony Hawk?
Local professional ballet company Golden State Ballet pairs with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra to perform the beloved Christmastime ballet set to Tchaikovsky's score. Featuring choreography by artistic director Raul Salamanca. If you're looking for a quintessential, traditional and world-class Nutcracker, this is one of your best bets in town. A uniquely San Diego twist: Tony Hawk, skateboarding legend, will make his debut in Golden State Ballet's Nutcracker in one performance, 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 20.
7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Dec. 19-21 | San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown | $38-$140+ | MORE INFO
City Ballet: 'The Nutcracker'
Another Nutcracker best bet: City Ballet of San Diego's exquisite production of "The Nutcracker" features the City Ballet Orchestra performing Tchaikovsky's score live, conducted by John Nettles, and a company of some of the most talented ballet dancers in the region.
Saturday, Dec. 20 through Tuesday, Dec. 23 | CCAE Concert Hall, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido | $39-$119 | MORE INFO
Music
Camarada: 'Charlie Brown Jingles & Jazz'
Guitarist Peter Sprague joins the local chamber group Camarada to perform a spin on Vine Guaraldi's music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Musicians will perform "Linus and Lucy," "Christmas Time is Here" and more, with narration.
7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 and Saturday, Dec. 20 | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla | $25-$95 | MORE INFO
'Noel Noel'
Guest conductor Christopher Dragon returns to The Rady Shell to conduct the San Diego Symphony's theatrical holiday production, "Noel Noel." The San Diego Master Chorale and the San Diego Children's Chorus join the symphony in a program with festive projections, storytelling and music.
7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19; 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21 | The Rady Shell, 222 Marina Park Way, downtown | $37-$125 | MORE INFO
Holiday Posada with San Diego Latin Jazz Collective
Featuring a blend of holiday music and Latin jazz, salsa, funk, pop and more, the San Diego Latin Jazz Collective will perform on the Lou Lou's stage — expect dancing. And don't forget to peek upstairs at the Lafayette's festively decked-out lobby.
7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20 | Lou Lou's Jungle Room, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park | $25 | MORE INFO
Band Argument, Jackie Mendoza and Auto Technik Service
Soda Bar hosts local indie act Band Argument, who released a new, full-length album, "If The Accident Will," this summer. Chula Vista's Jackie Mendoza creates hypnotic, indie synth-pop and has recently released a few singles — including a collaboration with Coastal, "La Luz." Auto Technik Service, another local act, rounds out the night.
8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20 | Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights | $12.88 | MORE INFO
Theater
'Burnout Paradise'
This production created by Australia company Pony Cam was part of this year's La Jolla Playhouse WOW Festival, and the theater has invited the performers back for a limited run, this week only. Somewhere between art, comedy and feats of strength, the group manages to cook, bathe, read Shakespeare and more — all while on a set of treadmills. Tickets are selling fast, but there are still seats available.
8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18-21 | La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr., UC San Diego | $39-$59 | MORE INFO
Mistletoe Melodies
New Village Arts presents a cabaret-style holiday musical performance, featuring singer Erica Marie singing festive jazz and classic hits.
6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18-20 | New Village Arts, 2787 State St., Carlsbad | $25-$30 | MORE INFO
Find details on more theater productions, including holiday shows, in recent arts roundups here.
Festivals, family and more
Nat at Night
The San Diego Natural History Museum is bringing back their Nat at Night program for a holiday edition. The museum stays open late, with a rooftop bar and food popup from Wolf in the Woods and other cocktails and tacos will be available throughout the entire space. After 5 p.m. admission to the museum is half price.
5-10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 | San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park | $7-$12 | MORE INFO
Winter Family Posada
The Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center will celebrate the Mexican Christmas tradition of Las Posadas with local artists and vendors, mosaic art workshops by David and Janine Coral, wrapping paper making with Por La Mano Press, live music, pozole and atole drinks and a toy drive.
12-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20 | Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center, 1960 National Ave., Barrio Logan | Free | MORE INFO
55th Annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights
The final weekend of the annual boat parade takes place at Shelter Island Sunday, with 80-something festively adorned boats sailing through the San Diego Bay. The organizers have estimated a set of times the parade will roll through various points along the route: 5:30 p.m. at Shelter Island, 6:20-6:45 p.m. at Seaport Village, and 7:20-7:30 p.m. at the Cesar Chavez Park pier to name a few. The parade ends at The Coronado Ferry Landing at approximately 7:40 p.m.
5:30-7:40 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21 | San Diego Bay | Free | MORE INFO
Looking ahead
Kwanzaa Celebration
WorldBeat Cultural Center will host a four-night celebration of Kwanzaa, a wintertime festival of African culture, tradition, unity and meditation. Each installment includes a theme: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility and cooperative economics. Guest speakers, performances, drumming, poetry, candle lighting ceremonies and a traditional feast, known as karamu, round out each night.
6-9 p.m. Dec. 26-29 | WorldBeat Cultural Center, 2100 Park Blvd, Balboa Park | Free | MORE INFO
