December Calendar of Events

Chargers Home Game
12/1: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
12/8: vs. New York Giants
12/22: vs. Oakland Raiders
12/29: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

11/16-12/28: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Location: The Old Globe, Balboa Park
Admission: $37-$65
Info: theoldglobe.org
The repentant green thief returns to Balboa Park for the 16th annual live musical performance.

12/1: 2013 SoNo Fest & Chili Cook-Off
Location: 32nd and Thorn Sts., North Park
Admission: Free
Info: sonofestchilicookoff.com
Twenty-five South and North Park restaurants battle for “Best Chili” bragging rights, while the taste-testing public visits the beer-and-wine garden and rocks out to live bands on the Casbah and Bar Pink stages.

12/6-7: Balboa Park December Nights
Location: Throughout Balboa Park
Admission: Free
Info: balboapark.org
San Diego’s largest annual community festival attracts 350,000 guests with live music and entertainment, free entry to all Balboa Park museums, and plenty of food and holiday cheer.

12/7: North Park Toyland Parade & Festival
Location: University Ave., North Park
Admission: Free
Info: toylandparade.com
Catch a free screening of Jim Carrey’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas at North Park Theatre after marching bands, beauty queens and more lead the way for Santa’s sleigh.

12/8: Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade
Location: Fourth and Fifth Aves., Gaslamp
Admission: Free to view, $15-$20 to participate
Info: gaslamp.org
Bring Ma and paw to compete for prizes in pet (and owner) costume categories including Best Costume Made Out of Duct Tape and Ugliest Holiday Sweater.

12/8 & 12/15: San Diego Bay Parade of Lights
Location: San Diego Bay, from Shelter Island to Coronado
Admission: Free
Info: sdparadeoflights.org
More than 80,000 spectators are expected to watch this annual procession of 100 boats decked out with lights and decorations in keeping with the 2013 theme: Big Bay Toy Parade.

12/12: Hillcrest Taste ‘N’ Tinis
Location: Several Hillcrest locations
Admission: $20-$25
Info: fabuloushillcrest.com
Take a self-guided walking tour of Hillcrest’s boutiques, sampling fabulous fare from the neighborhood’s restaurants and sipping a different holiday martini at each retail stop/shop.

12/14: Mission Bay Tecolote 5000
Location: Mission Bay Youth Aquatic Center, Fiesta Island
Admission: $25-$30 and one unwrapped toy for donation
Info: sdckt.net
Paddlers will compete in 100-, 3,000- and 6,000-meter races in Mission Bay; show-offs vying to be named the top Waterman/Waterwoman can enter all three races.

12/14-22: The Nutcracker
Location: San Diego Civic Theatre, Downtown
Admission: $40-$90
Info: sandiegotheatres.org
The California Ballet performs Tchaikovsky’s classic to live orchestrated music. Meet the cast after each matinee during Sugar Plum Parties in Civic Theatre’s Grand Salon.

12/26: Poinsettia Bowl
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, Mission Valley
Admission: $52-$91
Info: poinsettiabowl.com
A college football team from the Mountain West Conference will battle one from the Mid-American Conference at this year’s Poinsettia Bowl game benefiting Make-A-Wish San Diego

12/30: 18th Annual Bumble Bee 5K Run
Location: North Harbor Dr. and Ash St., Downtown
Admission: $30-$35
Info: active.com
Participants will run the first leg of this 5K race in front of 100,000 Big Bay Balloon Parade spectators, and then loop around the Convention Center and cross the finish line at Tuna Harbor Park in time to catch the rest of the parade.

12/30: Holiday Bowl
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, Mission Valley
Admission: $96-$120
Info: holidaybowl.com
Football teams from the Big 12 and Pac-12 Conferences face off at this 36th annual college Bowl game, which features the Navy LeapFrog parachute jumpers, marching band performances and the Holiday Bowl’s famed football-field-sized American flag.