Tips on enjoy tradition at Balboa Park. 12:49 you're listening to KPBS Midday Edition. This is KPBS Midday Edition on Maureen Cavanaugh. Chilly weather arriving in time for the celebration of Balboa Park starting at 3 PM Friday at the park will welcome an estimated 350,000 people over the two date testable for the largest committee Festival talking about this December nights is arts calendar editor Nina Garin. Welcome to the program. Thank You. This is really a holiday television for everyone isn't itwhat makes it welcoming for everybody? It celebrates the holiday season in so many ways. You can celebrate through music, dance, food it's choose what you want and here it is in Balboa Park. And how does the park get decked out? Is beautiful. Filled with lights and colorful lights a giant Christmas tree at the Pavilion and there is poinsettia display. Is gorgeous and better if you go at night but still pretty during the day. Are their annual highlights that are traditions at the December nights event? Yes. People love food because the international cottagers put out food from their cultures, countries and there are other things that people use this time of year as a time to go shopping for gifts because you can get stuff from local artists. And this performances like free excerpts of the Nutcracker and also a very popular thing is the Baptist Church doing something called the Christmas Tree story which is a living nativity and choir and we have a clip of it. [MUSIC] [ MUSIC ] so that is the bell several Baptist Church performing at December nights one tradition at this long-running event in San Diego. This is the largest free community event as I said in San Diego but how free is it? What is free in what you have to pay for? What is for ER the admission, of course and the museums are free from 5:00-9:00 each night you have to wait in line and what is not free is the food as we mentioned. A lot of activities have an extra price. It's best to bring cash. It is five dollars here, five dollars there. It's important to have cash but you can wander for free and watch the singing and dancing and easily get away with doing back. Exactly but usually you have to put down some money. Yes. You talk about the other foods from other cultures that people are going to be able to experience December nights. How are other cultures also celebrated at the event Lexmark highlight I did not mention --? Highlight I didn't mention is the Santa Lussier position a Swedish celebration of Christmas and they do this candlelight procession and sing folk songs and they have this area where they do their food, Swedish meatballs, sweetbread, spiced wine. And along with the food at the cottages you will see dance performances and traditional costumes from many, many countries. Nina, what tips can you give people about enjoying December nights? You have to plan. This is not a spur of the moment activity. Everyone says to take public transportation which you can do, but I know a lot of people bring families and public transportation is hard when you have strollers, kids get so if you're going to drive, get there early. There are some lots that you can park for free, the zoo is somewhere you can park for free but it fills up so you need to get there early in their city College you can park for free and take a free shuttle. There are a few other pay lots downtown may have lower prices Lincoln Park though -- and take the shuttle. If you don't have a big family, stroller and you want to take an alternative form to get down to December nights what are your options? Those options are to ride the trolley Tuba City College Station and transfer to be seven bus you can bike there will be bike corrals so if you want to bike over there. But the good option. And the lift is partnering with Balboa Park 20% off the ride so you can rideshare and it is for two rides there and back so some park in surrounding neighborhoods and they do a 20, 30 minute walk which is part of the experience. That's a good option. Balboa Park December nights being held Friday, this Friday from 3:00-11 PM and Saturday from noon-11 PM. I've been speaking with arts calendar editor Nina Garin. Thank You.
For many San Diegans, the holiday season doesn't officially begin until they've gone to December Nights.
The two-day Christmas-themed festival in Balboa Park is famous for its international foods, music and dance performances, holiday shopping and free admission to the museums.
It's also notorious for heavy traffic. The event brings about 350,000 people to the park over two days, filling the freeways and streets with cars and pedestrians.
Tuesday on KPBS Midday Edition, KPBS/Arts Calendar Editor Nina Garin will share highlights and tips for getting to the event.
Highlights
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, a holiday photo booth at the Museum of Photographic Arts and roasted chestnuts at the San Diego Art Institute.
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.
Del Cerro Baptist Church performs its annual Christmas Story Tree, a living nativity featuring a full choir, at 8:30 p.m. each night.
Many of the international cottages will serve traditional foods including Austrian meatloaf, French quiche and crepes, Irish stew and soda bread, Mexican tamales, Spanish paella, Norwegian waffles, Korean bulgogi, Iranian kabobs and more.
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," JT On Tour, the Junior Theatre choir, San Diego Civic Dance Arts showcase among many others.
Getting 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. 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 16th between B and C 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 the San Diego Trolley should exit at the City College Station and transfer to the Route 7 bus to Park Boulevard. Or plan your trip via the MTS site.
