24 Fun Things to Do Over Thanksgiving Week (11.22.21)

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This week we are thankful for vaccines and a once again thriving Bay Area events scene:

Indulge in a mid-week oyster and wine pairing at Hog Island Oyster Co., head to Cornerstone Sonoma for the return of Cirque de Bohéme, and a sound bath meditation at Grace Cathedral will help you find your zen before excess family time. Plus, we’ve rounded up plenty of places to dine out or grab take-out Thanksgiving day, guided workouts to burn off the pie, and so much more.

See you out there.

See works by the world’s most famous and elusive street artist, Banksy, under one roof. The showing of nearly 100 certified authentic pieces—including original paintings, prints, sculptures, and more—is said to be the largest privately owned collection of Banksys in the world; it takes over the Palace of Fine Arts starting today, through January 3rd. // The Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon St. (Marina); tickets at banksyexhibit.com

Shop for your friends and family who prefer the finer things at the expertly curated Holiday Bazaar at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society. Shop Respoke’s footwear and accessories made from recycled designer scarves; Assouline coffee table books; Lingua Franca’s embroidered designs; custom arrangements from Mr. Fulk’s Flower Factory, and more; 10am to 6pm weekdays through December 3rd. // Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, 1401 Howard St. (SoMa), saintjosephsartsfoundation.org.

Get in touch with your mind, body, and spirit during a sound bath experience at Grace Cathedral. Bring your yoga mat, blankets, pillows, and whatever other cozy accessories you like and relax into a meditation unlike any other; Monday at 7pm. // Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St. (Nob Hill); tickets at eventbrite.com

Dust off your vinyl for BYOV—Bring Your Own Vinyl—night at Rare Barrel’s tasting room; Mondays from 4pm to 8pm. // The Rare Barrel, 940 Parker St. (Berkeley), therarebarrel.com

Make reservations for Thanksgiving dinner or pre-order your takeout if you haven’t already. There are several restaurants in San Francisco, Oakland, Marin, and Wine Country that are serving up bountiful feasts. // Find more details (plus wine pairings!) at 7×7.com.

Send noods. The pasta pros at Flour & Water are sharing their tricks of the trade. Learn how to make pasta from scratch while enjoying wine and light bites. After playing chef, you’ll enjoy a family-style dinner complete with wine pairings (and plenty of leftovers to enjoy the next day); Tuesday at 6:30pm. // Penny Roma, 3000 20th St. (Mission); tickets at exploretock.com

Head to Hog Island Oyster Co’s farm for a seasonal harvest. Wine and oysters, name a better duo—we’ll wait. Get schooled by the experts from Obsidian Wine Co. and the famed oyster harvesters at Hog Island for this equally educational and delicious adventure; Tuesday at noon. // Hog Island Oyster Co., 20215 Shoreline Hwy (Marshall); tickets at exploretock.com

Contribute to Friendsgiving in an impressive way this year. This cooking class will teach you how to make center-stage sides and desserts like sweet potato biscuits, farro with Brussels sprouts, roasted beets, squash and greens gratin, and a pear almond frangipane tart; Tuesday at 6:30pm. // First Class Cooking, 1 Bluxome St. (SoMa); tickets at first-class-cooking.square.site

Get your mid-week laughs in at Mad Oak’s intimate “rooftop” patio. Wednesday nights this downtown Oakland bar hosts a live standup comedy show with comedians who have appeared on Netflix, HBO, and Comedy Central; Wednesdays at 8:30pm. // Mad Oak Bar, 135 12th St. (Oakland); details at eventbrite.com

Round up your flock for a Thanksgiving morning turkey trot. There are plenty of in-person fun runs around the Bay including San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Rosa, Marin, and more; Thursday.

Buffets are back, and for that we are thankful. Head to Cavallo Point Lodge for a Thanksgiving Day buffet in their grand ballroom. Walk it off with a post-meal stroll around the property and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge; Thursday 11am and 3pm. // Cavallo Point Lodge, 601 Murray Circle (Sausalito), cavallopoint.com

Honor a different perspective with an Indigenous Peoples’ Day sunrise gathering on Alcatraz. On Thanksgiving morning, you’ll take the ferry to Alcatraz where the Indian Treaty Council will commemorate the 1969-71 occupation of the island by Indians of All Tribes; departures are every 15 minutes from 4:15am to 6am, Thursday. // Alcatraz Landing, Pier 33 (Embarcadero); details at cityexperiences.com

Embrace a Parisian holiday tradition in Wine Country—Cirque de Bohéme returns to Cornerstone Sonoma. Created in Paris after the conclusion of World War I, the lively performance showcases an original spectacle with music, mystery, poetry, and amazing circus talents. Even better, Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand restaurant Folktable has created a special menu—think smoked turkey leg, slow-braised pork with crepe lettuce wraps, and black truffle hand pies—that can be enjoyed pre- or post-show; Friday, through December 26. // Cornerstone Sonoma, 23570 Arnold Dr. (Sonoma); tickets at brownpapertickets.com

Escape the Black Friday mess by heading to Half Moon Bay for a day-after-Thanksgiving wreath-making workshop. Grab a beer at Half Moon Bay Brewing Co. around the corner afterward; Friday at 10:30am. // Moon Mother’s Nursery, 401 Prospect Way (Half Moon Bay); tickets at eventbrite.com

Celebrate Goldwin’s second anniversary in San Francisco with complimentary refreshments and exclusive discounts on the latest ski, outdoor, and lifestyle apparel; 11am to 6pm, Friday and Saturday. // Goldwin, 444 Jackson St. (Jackson Square), goldwin-sports.com

Thank you to our partners at Goldwin.

Host of Netflix’s Patriot Act and all around funny guy Hasan Minhaj heads to San Francisco for three nights of laughs and realness; 7pm, Friday through Sunday. // The Masonic, 1111 California St. (Nob Hill); tickets at livenation.com

Don’t miss Bonobo’s last DJ set of the year. Promising to play all new music, the British musician/producer, will headline The Midway this Friday; 10pm. // The Midway, 900 Marin St. (Bayview); tickets at tixr.com

Celebrate Small Business Saturday by shopping for goods from Creativity Explored. This pop-up shop at the Ferry Building will have everything original paintings, prints, ceramics, and tapestries by developmentally disabled artists as well as wrapping paper, greeting cards, and more; 8am to 3pm, Saturdays through December 18th. // Ferry Building Marketplace (across from Far West Funghi), 1 Ferry Building (Embarcadero), ferrybuildingmarketplace.com

Burn off your second (or third) helping of Thanksgiving stuffing with a guided hike through Tennessee Valley. This moderate, four-mile hike led by the Greenbelt Alliance will take you along one of the Bay Area’s most “I can’t believe I live here” trails; Saturday from 10am to 1pm. // Tennessee Valley Trailhead, 591 Tennessee Valley Rd. (Mill Valley); tickets at eventbrite.com

Shop small, shop local, and support Bay Area makers and vintage curators. Artists & Fleas is taking over Fourth Street Maker’s Row in Berkeley and the surrounding parking lot for a holiday market; 11am to 5pm Saturdays. // 1919 Fourth St. (Berkeley); RSVP to receive $5 in “market money” toward any purchase, fourthstreetmakersrow.com.

Thank you to our partners at Fourth Street Makers Row.

Cuddle up over Teddy Bear Tea at the Ritz-Carlton. The hotel’s Terrace Room will be transformed into a winter wonderland where families can enjoy hot chocolate (bubbly for the adults), sweet treats, finger sandwiches, and a holiday show. And, of course, each child will receive a plush gift and a photo op with a giant Teddy Bear to take home; Saturday and Sunday through December 19th. // The Ritz-Carlton, 600 Stockton St. (Nob Hill); tickets at eventbrite.com

It’s pie season, y’all—but don’t let it impact your fitness goals. Join Decathlon and SF Boxing Club’s free strength and conditioning training workout session, all levels welcome; Sunday at 11:30am. // Decathlon Potrero, 2300 16th St. (Mission); RSVP at eventbrite.com

Book club, but make it introvert-friendly. Unlike traditional book clubs where Cliffs Notes are often consulted in a last-minute effort to sound intelligent, this silent reading party is the perfect environment to unplug and get absorbed in a good book, with others around you doing the same; Sunday at 6pm. // The Center SF, 548 Fillmore St. (Lower Haight); details at eventbrite.com

SF Sketchfest celebrates 20 years of laughter and tears (from laughing too hard)—tickets for the comedy festival are on sale now! Taking over San Francisco in January 2022, Sketchfest returns with live in-person tributes and intimate performances and conversation with national headliners and up-and-comers alike; January 7-23. // Multiple venues throughout San Francisco; tickets at sfsketchfest.com

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