30+ Bay Area events, festivals and things to do in 2024

From food and film to art, music and nature, here’s an epic sampling of ways to have some Bay Area fun in 2024.

• SF Tape Music Festival: Jan. 5 to 7, Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St., San Francisco. America’s only festival devoted to the performance of audio works projected in three-dimensional space, SFTMF features four concerts of classic audio art and new fixed media compositions projected over a pristine surround system to an audience seated in complete darkness. $10 to $50. sfsound.org/tape

• BritBeat — a Tribute to The Beatles: 8 p.m. Jan. 6, Bankhead Theater, 2400 First St., Livermore. Step back in time to relive the iconic music of The Beatles with BritBeat, the ultimate tribute band, as they take you on a journey through the greatest hits of one of history’s greatest bands. $45 to $75. bit.ly/BritBeatBankhead

• Monster Jam: 5 p.m. Jan. 6 and 2 p.m. Jan. 7, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco. Come out to Oracle Park for some down and dirty monster truck mayhem, where audiences will stare in shock as terrifying trucks like Grave Digger and Max-D tear up the track. Tickets start at $20. bit.ly/MonsterJamOracle

• Cultural Winter Walk: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 7, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood. Join Mishewal-Wappo tribal member Desi Harp and Sugarloaf Ridge State Park staff on a hike down to Sonoma Creek Falls. The journey will be interwoven with stories of the Wappo and the cultural significance of the redwood habitat. $7.50 to $20. baynature.org/event/cultural-winter-walk

• Get It?! A Stand-Up Comedy Game Show: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11, Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave., San Francisco. Test how well you understood a stand-up comic’s set in real time. One comic will perform, then three participants will be picked from the audience and asked questions about what they just laughed at. Are you game? $23.55 to $33.30. bit.ly/GetItCobbs

• Napa Truffle Festival: Jan. 12 to 15, Napa Valley venues. Savor some of the finest truffle cuisine in the world, paired with magnificent wines amidst the splendor of world-class Napa wineries. Learn the trade traits of truffles from Michelin star and master chefs, explore a working truffle orchard and see where and how truffles are harvested. Prices vary according to event. napatrufflefestival.com

• Native Plant Day at Randall Museum: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 13, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco. The California Native Plant Society will teach museum visitors how to feed their local ecosystems by using native garden plants, followed by a special presentation on gardening to feed butterflies and caterpillars. Free. randallmuseum.org

• Winter Wineland: Jan. 13 to 14, Sonoma County venues. Explore Sonoma’s Wine Road at the 30th anniversary Winter Wineland. Taste current vintages, restock your cellar and chat with other wine lovers while exploring more than 50 local wineries. $75 to $95. wineroad.com/events/winter-wineland

• California World Guitar Show: Jan. 13 to 14, Marin Civic Exhibit Hall, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. Get ready for one of the largest annual guitar events on the West Coast. This show features everything from stars, collectors and authors to vintage dealers, builders and manufacturers. Admission is $25. amigoguitarshows.com/baywinter-2

• “Invented Before You Were Born” screening: 7 p.m. Jan. 16, 474 24th St., Oakland. Oakland’s New Parkway Theatre is hosting the screening of a compelling new documentary, followed by a Q&A with its filmmaker, San Anselmo’s Jonathan Knight. This event marks the film’s first screening in the East Bay, promising audiences a thought-provoking exploration of a hidden chapter in American history. thenewparkway.com

• Cirque du Soleil presents “KOOZA”: Jan. 17 through March 10 at 24 Willie Mays Plaza in San Francisco. “KOOZA” combines acrobatic performance with the art of clowning while exploring fear, identity, recognition and power. Sit back and watch as the Innocent’s journey brings him into contact with comic characters from an electrifying world full of surprises. Tickets starting at $72. cirquedusoleil.com/kooza

• SF Sketchfest: Jan. 18 through Feb. 4, San Francisco venues. This multiday festival offers more than 200 shows featuring major comedy stars and the best up-and-coming acts for sketch, stand-up, alternative comedy, music, improv, films, tributes, all-star reunions, live podcasts and workshops. Prices vary according to event. sfsketchfest.com

• TAKE3 — Where Rock Meets Bach: 8 p.m. Jan. 19, Bankhead Theater, 2400 First St., Livermore. Pack your bags for an unexpected musical journey as this violin, cello and piano trio brings together the power and energy of rock music with the sophistication and beauty of classical Bach. $30 to $60. bit.ly/RockBachBankhead

• Harajuku Foodie Fest: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 20, City Park, 1149 First St., Benicia. Get excited for the Bay Area’s cutest foodie marketplace. Enjoy a Kawaii food court with tasty food selections, photo opportunities with iconic characters, and an artisan marketplace offering handcrafted goods. Free admission. bit.ly/HarajukuFoodieFest

• Napa Lighted Art Festival: Jan. 20 through Feb. 18, Downtown Napa. This annual festival showcases innovative techniques using light technologies as a growing art medium. This walkable outdoor experience will showcase 10 lighted art sculptures and projection artwork on three iconic  Napa buildings. Free. bit.ly/NapaLightedFest

• AZ/DZ at Sweetwater Music Hall: 9 p.m. Jan. 20, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. This San Francisco North Bay band salutes the “Gods of Thunder from Down Under” in a high voltage celebration, bringing the full sound and energy of an AC/DC concert experience to life. $20 to $25. bit.ly/AZDZ

• House of Disco at Public Works: 9:30 p.m. Jan. 26, 161 Erie St., San Francisco. Get ready to groove the night away with an epic celebration of classic disco from the likes of ABBA, The Bee Gees and Earth, Wind and Fire, mixed with modern house music anthems from top artists like Dom Dolla, Dombresky and Purple Disco Machine. $0 to $20. bit.ly/HouseofDisco

• Seafood & Sips Mendocino: Jan. 26 through Feb. 4, various Mendocino venues. This annual salute to the sea offers an extravaganza of all things crustacean. Belly up for a round-up of epicurean adventures including a Sparkling Wine & Oyster Celebration, a Crab Cake Cook-Off & Wine Tasting Competition and a family-style Cioppino Feast. Prices vary according to event. visitmendocino.com/seafood-sips-2024

• California Symphony presents “Gershwin In New York”: 7:30 p.m. Jan 27 and 4 p.m. Jan. 28, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Hear the California Symphony as it explores the American Dream with music of Barber, William Dawson and Gershwin for the 100th anniversary of “Rhapsody in Blue.” $20 to $90. californiasymphony.org

• White Elephant Sale: Jan. 28 through March 3, 333 Lancaster St., Oakland. Get ready to shop till you drop at one of Northern California’s oldest and largest rummage sales. The fun will begin with a preview sale on Jan. 28, followed by a string of public shopping days and finally a big blowout sale from March 2 to 3. $0 to $40 admission. whiteelephantsale.org

• Adventure Cabaret at Freight & Salvage: 7 p.m. Jan. 30, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. Prepare yourself for an eclectic live theater experience featuring an astral LED fan artist, a miraculous disabled guitar player, a heavy metal band improvising to the longest list of vices you have ever heard, and actors performing deep scenes of love, pain, joy and failure. $35. bit.ly/AdventureCabaret

• Oakland’s Sooooooo Chocolate Festival: 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 2, Uptown Station, 1955 Broadway, Oakland. Prepare your taste buds for a journey through the world of chocolate with delectable culinary delights that range from rich truffles to silky-smooth chocolate fondues. $100. bit.ly/SoooChocFest

• Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend: Feb. 2 to 4, various Lodi venues. Fall in love with this premiere winegrowing region while sampling renowned Lodi wines and delicious chocolate pairings at one of Northern California’s most popular and decadent weekend experiences. Event offerings include winery experiences, tours and the crowd favorite, Winemaker’s Toast. $75 to $125. lodiwineandchocolate.com

• Great Sonoma Crab and Wine Fest: 4 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 3, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. Come out to the 34th annual festival for fabulous pairings of wine, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, fresh Sonoma Coast crab and accompaniments and a live auction. $150. bit.ly/SonomaCrabWineFest

• Winter & Wine — Sixth Annual Sip with Soroptimist: 6:30 to 10 p.m. Feb. 3, 1189 Washington St., Benicia. Enjoy an evening of winter fun and wine tasting at the charming Benicia Clock Tower. Indulge in a variety of wines while enjoying the cozy atmosphere and mingling with fellow wine enthusiasts. $85. bit.ly/WinterWineSoroptimistSip

• San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade: Feb. 3 through March 3, San Francisco venues. Festivities include the Flower Market Fair (Feb. 3 to 4), Chinese New Year Celebration and Choy Sun Doe (Feb. 10), a Chinese New Year Parade (Feb. 24) with floats, ferocious lions, firecrackers and a 288-foot long Golden Dragon, and a Community Street Fair (Feb. 24 to 25) with Chinese folk dancing, opera, drumming and more. Free admission. chineseparade.com

• Cooking with Champions: 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4, 2043 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. Get your aprons ready for a culinary event where participants will learn how to make paella alongside Special Olympics Northern California athletes-turned-chefs. $150. bit.ly/CookingwithChamps

• Disney On Ice presents “Frozen” & “Encanto”: Feb. 7 to 12 at San Jose’s SAP Center and Feb. 22 to 25 at Oakland Arena. This adventure on ice transports fans into two of the most popular Disney films of all time, with audiences invited to sing along to their favorite songs. $20 to $145. disneyonice.com/frozen-and-encanto

• California International Antiquarian Book Fair: Feb. 9 to 11, Pier 27, The Embarcadero, San Francisco. This three-day event features fine and rare materials from around the globe, including manuscripts, first editions, illustrated books, ephemera, maps and autographs, as well as antiquarian books on a vast array of topics. $0 to $25. abaa.org/cabookfair

• SF Beer Week: Feb. 9 to 18, Bay Area venues. This 10-day event celebrates the vast community of Bay Area beer lovers and brew makers with hundreds of tours, tastings, whimsical events and more. Prices vary according to event. sfbeerweek.org

• Anderson Valley White Wine Weekend: Feb. 17 to 18, various Anderson Valley wineries. Escape to the beautiful Anderson Valley for a weekend of white, sparkling and rosé wines. Wineries along the wine road will welcome you with exclusive wine flights, food pairings and special library tastings. $95 to $145. avwines.com/white-wine-weekend

• Marin Arts and Crafts Show: Feb. 23 to 25, Marin Center Exhibit Hall, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. This event offers a vast showcase of artisan exhibits and workshops, as well as fine foods and live music. Inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement, the show is a grand celebration of today’s makers and artisans, bringing focus to handicraft in all forms. Free admission. marinartsandcraftsshow.com

• Sip and Sketch Happy Hour: 4 p.m. Feb. 24, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. Come out to Schulz Museum for a fun day of sipping and drawing. Get inspiration from the museum galleries and work with professional cartoonist Justin Thompson to learn how to draw emotions while enjoying adult beverages. schulzmuseum.org

• “Mr. Roboto” at the Museum of Craft and Design: Feb. 24 through June 30, 2569 Third St., San Francisco. Hosted by 60 San José State University students, this exhibition tests the creative possibilities of robotic collaboration through a range of experiments in lighting, stop-motion animation, color materials and finishes and typography. $0 to $10. sfmcd.org/exhibitions/mr-roboto

• Berkeley Symphony presents “French Reverie”: 4 p.m. Feb. 25, 2407 Dana St., Berkeley. This concert, which features Robert Young on saxophone, invites audiences to experience the diversity and vibrancy of French music, traversing from the Impressionist era to contemporary times. $40. berkeleysymphony.org