December Nights Festival Ends Tonight

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego's "December Nights" festival will wrap up Saturday, with thousands expected in Balboa Park to mark the start of the holiday season.

The event, now in its 29th year, will include a number of holiday-themed exhibits, choir performances, multicultural music, international food and beer and wine tasting, organizers said.

Touted as the largest free community festival in San Diego, "December Nights" attracted more than 250,000 visitors last year.

The free event runs Saturday until 10 p.m. The park's museums and cultural attractions are also free during the festival.

The Barona Band of Mission Indians contributed $75,000 of the $210,000 budget for the event, which is run by the city of San Diego. The tribe is hosting a "My Ancestors Village" exhibit, that recreates a traditional Native American village within the heart of Balboa Park.

For the first time this year, more than 20,000 holiday lights and an accompanying "tree of lights" will adorn the Plaza de Panama.

The "Christmas on the Prado" portion of the event will include food from around the globe, a Santa Lucia procession at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Museum of Man and artisans at Spanish Village.

Musical and dance performances will be conducted by the San Diego Junior Theatre, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, Gay Men's Chorus of San Diego, La Jolla Renaissance Singers and a number of other groups.

Visitors are being encouraged to take public transportation to the event. Free shuttles will run from the San Diego County Administration Building and from City College.