San Diego Weekend Guide: Dec. 13-15 – Good Tidings

What counts more, the holiday spirit or the specter of Friday the 13th? We say opt for the holiday spirit, and goodness, but do we have a lot of opportunities to get you in the mood this San Diego weekend – by land and by sea.

First, we offer a holiday respite (sort of):

• Is Almost Nakey Santacon really so festive? Regardless, it returns to Belmont Park at 1 p.m. Saturday and the long bill includes Franc Moody, Whethan, Yung Joc, Devault, Ardalan and Cut Snake. Tickets start at $85 for four pack.
• San Diego FC, the MLS team that makes its debut next year, added some major puzzle pieces this week. Celebrate at the final stop of the club’s Chrome Ball Tour, a meet-and-greet in communities throughout the region, at 10 a.m. Sunday at Snapdragon Stadium. See a 5v5 tournament and a DJ and shop at the merch trailer and food trucks.

From here on in, it’s all holidays folks. How about a show? From Charles Dickens to Langston Hughes some literary greats penned Christmas plays – and there’s carols too:

• The Old Globe‘s A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story Told by Jefferson Mays enters its first weekend with the Tony winner taking on all the parts in the holiday classic. Tickets start at $59 and are exceedingly limited for the run, through Dec. 22. And don’t forget the Globe’s perennial hit, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, continuing through Dec. 31.
• The San Diego Symphony presents “Noel Noel” at the downtown Jacobs Music Center, with guest conductor Christopher Dragon, the San Diego Master Chorale and San Diego Children’s Choir. Tickets start at $39 for evening shows and matinees through Sunday.
• Common Ground Theatre‘s Black Nativity, a gospel musical originally written by Langston Hughes, continues with four shows through Sunday at the Educational Cultural Complex, 4343 Ocean View Blvd. General admission is $35.

But if a parade, sleighs and Christmas lights are more your speed, whew, there are so many presents under your proverbial tree:

Friday

• Solana Beach, 2:30 p.m., Santa’s Sleigh Ride begins and ends at the community fire station, 500 Lomas Santa Fe Drive.
• Poway, 3:30 p.m. – Christmas in the Park, at Old Poway Park, includes caroling, live music, Santa, children’s crafts, model train displays and more. The Poway Midland Railroad will offer a night-time ride around the park. Continues Saturday.
• Del Mar, 4 p.m., Coastal Christmas Holiday Light Spectacular begins a run at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, on select dates through Dec. 26. Features ice skating, Santa, fun zone and the Tipsy Elf cocktail bar. Admission starts at $24, with BOGO nights available.
• Valley Center, 4 p.m, Christmas in Valley Center over two days at Bates Nut Farm, 15954 Woods Valley Road. Santa will appear and the Grinch too.

Saturday

• Pacific Beach – Don a Santa suit for the 12th annual San Diego Santa Run at 8 a.m. then get a bite and head to the the Holiday Parade on Garnet Avenue between Haines and Bayard streets at 1 p.m.
• Escondido, 10 a.m. – The 73rd annual Jaycees Christmas Parade starts southbound at Escondido Boulevard and Woodward Avenue.
• La Mesa, noon – Holiday in the Village features ice skating, mini golf, a Mrs. Claus reading nook, gingerbread house photo op and elf adventure trail. On La Mesa Boulevard between Spring and 4th streets.
• Gaslamp Quarter, 1 p.m. – The Gaslamp Pet Parade & Pups in the Pub Party begins with costume voting and festive pet accessories, plus photos with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. At Hilton San Diego Gaslamp.
• Chula Vista – the Starlight Parade and Festival starts at 3 p.m. with the fest and Santa, followed by the 5:45 p.m tree lighting and 6 p.m. parade. Along Third Avenue between E and I streets with more at the midpoint, Memorial Park.
• Along Mission Bay, 5:30 p.m. – Mission Bay Yacht Club hosts the Parade of Lights. The event begins with SeaWorld fireworks followed by decorated boats on the bay. Pick a hotel to watch from, including the Catamaran Resort, San Diego Mission Bay Resort, the Bahia and Paradise Point.
• Oceanside, 7 p.m. – The Harbor Parade of Lights welcomes fishing boats, sailboats, yachts, kayaks and dinghies to Oceanside Harbor.

Sunday

Along San Diego Bay, 5:30 p.m. – The second weekend for the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, with up to 80 vessels. Best spots to watch – the launch from Shelter Island, proceeding to Harbor Island, North and South Embarcadero, Cesar Chavez Park Pier and the Ferry Landing in Coronado.