#holiday-markets

#holiday-markets

It may not snow in Sonoma County, but the region becomes its own special winter wonderland as the holidays approach. There are plenty of delicious dishes, festive drinks and wondrous events to create a warm, cozy and joyful atmosphere. As we count down to Christmas, here are more than 25 magical things to experience this holiday season. Now through December Shop local: Swap the dreaded mid-December mall experience for a wholesome outdoors event.

Who's ready to have some fun? Well, the Mercury is here to help with FREE TICKETS to see some of Portland's best concerts and events-our way of saying thanks to our great readers and spread the word about some fantastic upcoming performances! (Psst... if you want to say thanks to the Mercury, please consider making a small monthly contribution to keep us alive and kickin'!) And oh boy, do we have some fun events coming at ya this week! CHECK IT OUT!

Catch Exploratorium's Glow exhibit, lightscapes in the Botanical Gardens, dazzling displays at Filoli, and a holiday market with an illuminating finale at Embarcadero Center. Also in season: truffles at Spruce, tiki cocktails in Santa Rosa, and makers markets all over the Bay. Jump ahead to this week's top events: Witness a pupusa showdown.

Somehow it's already time to start thinking about giftinggood thing there's plenty of holiday markets on offer this weekend. DIYers can try a Champagne and ceramics class or some block printing, while festive spirits are uplifted at the Glide Holiday Jam. For those not quite ready to dive into the frenzy, there's Sunnyvale Restaurant Week, Oakland Cocktail Week, and plenty of collaborative dinner and drink sessions.