San Diego listeners, if you’re wondering what to do this week, you’ve picked a fantastic time to explore the city.

Let’s start in Pacific Beach, where the San Diego Santa Run turns Garnet Avenue into a sea of red and white. According to San Diego Running Co, the 13th annual Santa Run happens today with 5K waves at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., plus a kids 1-mile at 11:30 and a dog mile at noon, all kicking off near 912 Garnet Avenue. Every runner gets a sunny Santa suit and festive sunglasses, and the day rolls right into the PB Holiday Parade at 1 p.m., so listeners can make a whole day of it along the coast.

If downtown is more your vibe, the Makers Arcade Holiday Fair at Broadway Pier is a perfect stop. San Diego Made reports that this Saturday and Sunday the pier transforms into a two-day holiday market with more than 140 local makers, live music from San Diego artists, gourmet food trucks, craft cocktail and mocktail bars, photo booths, and hands-on craft stations. On Sunday evening, it even overlaps with the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, so you can shop local while watching decorated boats glide across the bay. Pets are welcome, so bring the whole crew.

For families looking for something creative, The New Children’s Museum is hosting Holiday Art Making in Artopia on Saturdays and Sundays through early January. The museum’s event listing explains that these drop-in sessions let kids and adults design winter-themed art projects together, all included with admission. It’s a great midday option before heading out for evening lights or dinners.

Balboa Park listeners should check out Holidays at the Museum at The San Diego Museum of Art and MOPA@SDMA. The museum notes that the rotunda and atrium are decked out with festive décor all month, with art, dining at Panama 66, and special programming. Today there’s a Courtly Noyse holiday concert from 2 to 3 p.m. in the MOPA@SDMA atrium, featuring lively Renaissance and medieval music, free with museum admission.

Looking ahead to the evenings this week and into the weekend, the USS Midway Museum’s Jingle Jets Holiday Lighting Celebration is a must-see. The Midway reports that on select nights through December 30, from 5:30 to 9 p.m., the aircraft carrier is wrapped in over a million lights with a synchronized dancing light show on the flight deck, expanded “Reindeer Games” for kids, carolers, holiday eats and treats, model trains, crafts, and even a Santa-themed virtual reality ride. It’s one of the most uniquely San Diego ways to experience holiday lights—on an actual aircraft carrier in the harbor.

Just east of the city, the 10th annual Holiday in the Village in La Mesa brings small-town charm to your week. According to the La Mesa Village Association’s listing on SanDiego.org, today from noon to 9 p.m. La Mesa Boulevard fills with live music, shopping, food, and family-friendly holiday activities set against the historic downtown streets.

And if you’re wandering the Gaslamp Quarter, the Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House is hosting an Open House with free admission, complimentary refreshments, and prime viewing of the Gaslamp Quarter Pet Parade from the courtyard, as noted on SanDiego.org. It’s a low-key but classic way to enjoy the historic heart of downtown with a very San Diego twist: pets in full holiday costume.

Whether you’re running in a Santa suit, strolling artisan markets by the bay, crafting with the kids, or soaking in lights from the deck of the Midway, San Diego has your week and weekend covered.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI