Balboa Park December Nights: 32 Magical Years of San Diego's Favorite Holiday Event

SAN DIEGO, CA, Aug 17 (MARKET WIRE) --
Balboa Park December Nights, San Diego's favorite kick-off to the holiday
season, will take place for the 32nd consecutive year on Friday, December
4, 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, December 5, noon to 10:00 p.m. In the
spirit of the holidays, participating Balboa Park museums open their
doors free of charge from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. both evenings. The largest
free community festival in San Diego, December Nights is expected to
attract more than 325,000 visitors over two days.

Entertainment, wonderful food and holiday cheer are all part of this
classic and elaborate San Diego celebration. Long-standing traditions --
including food from around the globe at the International Christmas
Festival at the House of Pacific Relations Cottages; the charming Santa
Lucia Procession at the San Diego Museum of Man; unique gift shopping at
the museum stores and with the artisans of Spanish Village; and musical
and dance presentations from the San Diego Junior Theatre, San Diego Civic
Youth Ballet, Del Cerro Baptist's Christmas Story Tree and more -- fill
the heart of Balboa Park. In addition, the varied museums open for free
from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. both nights feature a wide variety of exhibitions
and entertainment -- from the Timken Museum's annual Christmas Tree
displaying the exquisite Schlappi Collection of Hord and Schlappi
Christmas ornaments -- to the Reuben H. Fleet's kid-friendly and
interactive Motion Mania -- to the San Diego Natural History Museum's
Fossil Mysteries set to holiday music in the atrium.

The Barona Band of Mission Indians will return as a proud sponsor of
December Nights. Barona will also bring back the popular "My Ancestor's
Village," a re-creation of a traditional Native American village, as a
tribute to the local Tribes and the important role they have played in
San Diego's history. The Barona Tribe has contributed more than
$275,000.00 to the event since 2005.

San Diego Gas and Electric, A Sempra Energy Utility, will once again cover
the center of the Plaza de Panama with a dazzling and energy-efficient
canopy of holiday lights. This canopy of lights will illuminate the Park
for the entire Holiday Season.

Photos are available at
http://www.balboapark.org/press/details.php?ContentID=35.

Balboa Park December Nights 2009 is co-produced by:

The City of San Diego - the Office of Special Events and other City
departments provide festival management expertise and the Business
Improvement District (BID) Council, a non-profit business association of
17 BIDs throughout San Diego, whose members manage civic special events
for more than 1 million guests annually.

Balboa Park December Nights is co-hosted by:

The Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, a coalition of the non-profit
cultural institutions in the Park serving over 6 million visitors
annually; Balboa Park Central and the City of San Diego Park and
Recreation Department

In addition:

Del Cerro Baptist Church provides staging and lighting for the Organ
Pavilion and the Community (More than 2,500 performers provide their gift
of music, dance, and drama. Hundreds of volunteers from Balboa Park
cultural institutions, and from the community, provide their time and
talents.)

Founded in 1978, Balboa Park December Nights is the largest free community
event in San Diego, attracting more than 400,000 visitors annually. The
two-day festival, Balboa Park's holiday gift to San Diego, features free
admission to museums and cultural attractions (from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. both
evenings), international foods, multi-cultural music and dance
performances, Christmas carolers, bell-ringers, choirs and bands, along
with a variety of holiday-themed areas. Event hours are Friday from 5:00
to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 10:00 p.m.

Press Contacts:
Allison Rynne
Event Manager
(619) 252-9883
Email Contact

Debbie Petruzzelli
Public Relations/Balboa Park Marketing
(619) 231-9193
Email Contact

www.BalboaPark.org
www.VisitDecemberNights.org
Public Information: 619-239-0512

Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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