There’s no Thanksgiving Day parade on our San Francisco Bay Area list, but Niles Festival of Lights Parade and Tree Lighting is Friday, Nov 27 at Not listed. In all we found four Thanksgiving-weekend outings in and around San Francisco Bay Area: four Black Friday weekend picks, and four are free. We also list two places and whether they’re open on Thanksgiving Day.
Thursday to Sunday
Everything below, laid out by day. Tap any outing to jump to its details.
Nothing posted yet
Monday to Wednesday, Nov. 23–25
Many schools are off all week. The full Monday-to-Wednesday list goes up with the weekly update on Monday, Nov. 23; what’s already posted is below.
It comes from the same weekly check as the Bay Area this-week page.
Thursday morning
Start time, route and what to know with a stroller, from the organizer’s page.
We check the organizers every week. The 4 outings below are confirmed on their official pages.
Run it off
Kids’ races, family walks and stroller rules, from each race’s own page. Kids’ turkey trots in other cities.
Race pages usually open registration in the fall. We check them every Thursday.
Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday
Holiday hours from each place’s own hours page. “Not posted” means the page doesn’t list Friday hours yet. Worth a quick check that morning.
Friday, Nov. 27
Tree lightings, parades, light-display openings and Santa arrivals on Black Friday.
Plaza de César Chávez · Plaza de César Chávez, downtown San Jose, CA
With littles: Light display opening this weekend. Rows of decorated trees, more than 40 animated displays and a 50-foot tree you can walk inside. Sensory-friendly mornings run 9am–2pm on Sundays Dec 13 and Dec 27.
Niles Town Plaza and Niles Boulevard · Niles, Fremont
With littles: More than 60 floats, marching bands and costumed characters, with Santa at the end. It's the night after Thanksgiving.
Saturday and Sunday
Parades, lightings, light displays and other easy outings Saturday and Sunday.
Christmas in the Park, Plaza de César Chávez · Plaza de César Chávez, downtown San Jose, CA
With littles: Santa visits opening this weekend. Santa sits for free photos every night from opening night through Christmas Eve, inside a park full of decorated trees and animated displays.
Plaza de César Chávez · Downtown San Jose
With littles: The opening ceremony for San Jose's holiday park, and the first night Santa is there for free photos.
Coming soon
These happen most years, but the 2026 details aren’t on the official page yet.
Golden Gate Park · Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94122
With littles: A Thanksgiving morning run and walk in Golden Gate Park for the Lowell High School track teams. The race site hasn’t posted 2026 details yet.
Keep planning
November: things to do in Bay AreaEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in Bay AreaEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free things to do in Bay AreaFree days, free events and places that never charge
Indoor play in Bay AreaIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with prices
Library storytimes in Bay AreaBaby, toddler and preschool storytimes by day and branch
Ice skating in Bay AreaHoliday and indoor rinks, skate aids and prices
Noon Year’s Eve in Bay AreaKid-friendly countdowns, home by napChristmas parades in Bay AreaParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
Christmas trains in Bay AreaPolar Express, Santa and lights trains with datesThe Nutcracker in Bay AreaBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in Bay AreaChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hours
Christmas break in Bay AreaWhat’s open on Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1This week in Bay AreaDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday
Good questions
We haven’t found 2026 details for a Thanksgiving parade in San Francisco Bay Area yet. We check again every Thursday and add it as soon as the organizer posts it.
Open on Thanksgiving: San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. Closed on Thanksgiving: Glowfari at the Oakland Zoo. Check the venue page the morning of, since holiday hours can change.
Yes. Its hours page lists it as open every day of the year. Holiday hours can change, so check the hours page that morning.
No. Its hours page lists it as closed Nov 26. Holiday hours can change, so check the hours page that morning.
On Friday, Nov. 27: Christmas in the Park, San Jose and Niles Festival of Lights Parade and Tree Lighting. Times and prices are on each card.
Niles Festival of Lights Parade and Tree Lighting: Fri, Nov 27, 2026, Not listed, Niles, Fremont. Christmas in the Park Opening Night: Sat, Nov 28, 2026, 6–7pm, Downtown San Jose. Times come from each organizer’s page.
Christmas in the Park, San Jose, Free photos with Santa at Christmas in the Park, Niles Festival of Lights Parade and Tree Lighting and Christmas in the Park Opening Night. Dates and times are on each card.
Christmas in the Park, San Jose, Free photos with Santa at Christmas in the Park, Niles Festival of Lights Parade and Tree Lighting and Christmas in the Park Opening Night are free to watch or attend. More free ideas are on free things to do in Bay Area.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 29, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday through Thanksgiving week. How we choose and check.
One short email every Thursday evening: the best things to do with little kids in Bay Area that weekend, Thanksgiving week included.
