This Weekend: The Holiday Season Comes to the Embarcadero Center

Note: Weekend M Ocean View Bus Substitutions 

The construction of pedestrian safety and transit improvements at the intersection of 19th Avenue and Junipero Serra Boulevard that required M Ocean View rail service bus substitutions has been completed early. The M Ocean View will resume normal weekend revenue service beginning this weekend. 

The Embarcadero Center alight with holiday cheer in 2011. Photo: Edwård/Flickr

Embarcadero Center Building Lighting Ceremony and Carnival

Friday, 4:00 to 7:00 PM
Justin Herman Plaza

Kick off the holiday season with a San Francisco tradition this Friday evening for the annual Embarcadero Center Building lighting ceremony. Beginning at 4:00 PM with a family-friendly Carnival featuring a live performance by Disney on Ice, visits with Santa, and a special appearance by Mickey Mouse. At 6:00 PM, the four buildings of Embarcadero Center will light up, one by one, with a grand total of 17,000 lights followed by a lively fireworks display that all signal the official start of the holiday season in the city.

How to Get There on Muni: You can ride Muni Metro to Embarcadero Station, any Market Street bus route to Market and Drumm streets, as well as the F Market and Wharves or E Embarcadero streetcar lines to the party.

Muni Service Note: No Muni service will be affected by this event

Downtown Snow Fall

Beginning Friday through December 31, various times
Hyatt Regency
5 Embarcadero Center (Market and Drumm streets)

Jack Frost is not known to frequent the Bay Area, but you can still experience the San Francisco-styled holiday Snow Fall at the Hyatt Regency. Creating an awe inspiring winter wonderland, the hotel’s 17-story atrium lobby boasts more than 300,000 lights, a popular Snow Village exhibit with over a thousand holiday pieces, plus the must see falling faux snow which occurs twice daily on weekdays and eight times during the weekends.

How to Get There on Muni: Intended for the child in everyone, you can ride Muni Metro to Embarcadero Station, any Market Street bus route to Market and Drumm streets, or the California Cable Car Line to California and Drumm streets.

Muni service note: No Muni service will be affected by this event.

Holiday Service Schedule and Parking Enforcement Alert:

Thanksgiving Day

Muni will operate on a Sunday schedule.

There will be no enforcement of parking restrictions for:

• Seven-day street sweeping
• Parking meters (including those meters on Port of San Francisco property)
• Residential parking permits
• Monday through Friday street sweeping
• Commute hour tow-away

Black Friday

Muni will operate on a regular weekday schedule, though there will be no express bus service.

Parking enforcement will be as follows:

• Enforced: Seven-day street sweeping restrictions and parking meters (including those meters on Port of San Francisco property).
• Not Enforced: Residential parking permits, Monday through Friday street sweeping, and commuter tow-away restrictions.

For complete parking enforcement details, visit the holiday enforcement schedule webpage. For complete details on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday Muni service, visit sfmta.com/thanksgiving

Reminder: J Church Stop Changes at Balboa Park

Due to construction for the Balboa Park Station Area and Plaza Improvement Project, the J Church Line will continue to serve alternate stops on San Jose Avenue until the fall. For details, please visit our Green Light Rail Center Track Replacement Project page.

“On Tap” gives you a heads up about the big events in town and what Muni routes and lines will get you to the party. Look for this feature to be posted usually on Wednesdays for a look ahead to the weekend. Check out our Weekend Traffic & Transit Advisory for more details.