Kick off the holiday season at the 38th Annual Building Lighting Ceremony and watch as Embarcadero Center illuminates the San Francisco skyline with 17,000 holiday lights!

38th Annual Building Lighting Ceremony
Thursday, November 21, 2024 | 5:30pm-ish
Embarcadero Center, San Francisco
FREE

Lighting takes place “as the night draws to a close” after the SF’s Embarcadero Center so we expect the lighting to be around 5:30pm or 6pm

Celebrate the official start of the holiday season with the 38th Annual Building Lighting Ceremony at Embarcadero Center! The excitement begins at 4:00pm on Thursday, November 21st, with the Holiday Market.

Dive into the festive spirit as you shop local artisans and retailers, groove to live music, sip on delightful drinks, and savor tasty lite bites. Plus, discover the mystique of tarot readings to add a dash of intrigue to your night! As the night draws to a close, be captivated by the breathtaking sight of Embarcadero Center lighting up the sky with 17,000 dazzling lights outlining the building.

Arrive early! The first 200 attendees at the Holiday Market (4-6p) will receive a drink token for a complimentary cocktail or mocktail. Plus, the first 300 guests who purchase a drink will be treated to a complimentary caramel apple. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate the season!

For more information please click the following link

https://sf.funcheap.com/embarcadero-center-lighting-ceremony/

The Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) in San Francisco has, unfortunately, announced it will temporarily close its galleries for at least one year, beginning December 16, 2024, due to financial challenges.

The good news is that in order to give the public an opportunity to experience the museum before the closure, CJM is offering free admission through December 15, 2024 waiving the usual $16 entry fee.

Contemporary Jewish Museum
Visit for free through December 15, 2024
Open Thursdays through Sundays | 11a-5p (closed Thanksgiving)

Please note that free tickets seem to be available starting November 17, 2024

Current Exhibitions

California Jewish Open – Transdisciplinary artist Nicki Green’s first museum solo exhibition delves into questions of identity, transformation, and reinvention of Jewish traditions through new and existing artworks in ceramic, installation, fiber, and more.
Nicki Green: Firmament – Marking the first time the space has been activated in this way since the building’s opening, Bay Area artist Leah Rosenberg transforms The CJM’s Yud Gallery through light and color, creating a welcoming environment for visitors to reflect, rest, and wonder.
L’Chaim: Celebrating Our Building at 15 – This exhibition delves into the deep symbolism imbued in The CJM’s iconic building, inspired by the Hebrew phrase l’chaim (“to life”).

The CJM’s current home, designed by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, opened in 2008 and uniquely combines the historic 1881 power station with a bold blue geometric structure. This architectural fusion, inspired by the Hebrew word “chai” (meaning “life”), has made the building a recognizable part of San Francisco’s cultural landscape. With free admission through mid-December, visitors can explore both the exhibits and this distinctive building before the temporary pause.

The museum’s Board of Trustees emphasized that this closure is a proactive measure to stabilize finances and plan for the future, rather than a permanent shutdown. The Board has likened this period to a “Sabbath” pause, giving time for planning and exploration of new ways to reach audiences and ensure long-term sustainability.

Since its founding, the CJM has worked to foster understanding of Jewish culture, counter antisemitism, and serve the Bay Area community. As the museum prepares for its sabbatical, it encourages visitors to enjoy its galleries, exhibitions, and architecture at no cost through December 15.

For more information please visit the link below:

https://sf.funcheap.com/city-guide/sfs-contemporary-jewish-museum-closes-free-visits-december-15/

https://www.thecjm.org

Thanks to an optical illusion in the sky, the moon will appear bigger and brighter than normal in the San Francisco Bay Area in the night, during what astronomers call a “supermoon.”

Because the sun is about 50,000 miles closer to the earth than at its furthest point – and it’s a full or new moon – the moon will appear larger and brighter than most full moons. To be considered a supermoon, it has to be within 224,851 miles (361,863 kilometers) of our planet, as measured from the centers of the moon and Earth.

The best time to observe the supermoon is when the moon is near the horizon during either moonrise or moonset, thanks to having objects in the foreground (like buildings or trees) to provide reference points for estimating the moon’s size.

2024 Supermoons & Rare Full Moons

August 19 – “Blue” Supermoon

September 17 – Super Harvest Moon plus a partial lunar eclipse

October 17 – Super Hunter’s Moon and the closest full supermoon for 2024

November 15 – Full Moon, Supermoon

For more information please click the following link

https://sf.funcheap.com/astronomy-calendar-celestial-events-2020-sea-sky/

https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/what-is-a-supermoon/