7 incredible Bay Area things to do this holiday weekend, Dec. 26-28

We’re hope you are having a merry, happy or joyous holiday (or some mixture of all three), and if you’re looking for more ways to have fun this weekend, we are here for you. So let’s get to it, shall we?

(As always, be sure to double check event and venue websites for any last-minute changes in health guidelines or other details.)

Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters  or  www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

1 WATCH: An amazing movie about … ping-pong?

Yes, ping-pong … table tennis for you hoity-toity types. In any event, “Marty Supreme,” fueled by a jaw-dropping performance from Timothee Chalamet, opens on Dec. 27. And many are saying it’s one of the best films of the year.

Chef Jeff Chen selects a variety of fish to prepare a dish for customers during an omakase dinner at Tancho Japanese Restaurant in Castro Valley on Dec. 10, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Chef Jeff Chen selects a variety of fish to prepare a dish for customers during an omakase dinner at Tancho Japanese Restaurant in Castro Valley on Dec. 10, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

2 DINE: Give omakase a try

The trend in which diners let the chef select a meal for them is definitely alive in the Bay Area, here are four places that offer it.

3 SEE & HEAR: Great shows are all over

From great comedy shows and concerts to a glowing treat for parents and kids alike, there are a lot of fun things to do in the Bay Area this weekend and beyond.

4 SIP: It’s winter beer time

And if you are a fan of hardy brews, we have some suggestions for you.

San Francisco musician, composer and bandleader Idris Ackamoor and his band the Pyramids recorded an incendiary live album that was released in 2025.
San Francisco musician, composer and bandleader Idris Ackamoor and his band the Pyramids recorded an incendiary live album that was released in 2025. Courtesy of Idris Ackamoor

5 LISTEN: The best jazz in the Bay Area

Local artists released some killer albums in 2025 — here are some of the best.

6 DINE: Check out 2 new restaurants

Feel like checking out a new restaurant this weekend? A Brazilian steakhouse has opened in Concord; and Portola Valley has a new kappo-style Japanese restaurant.

7 WATCH: Unwind with a gentle rom-com

Let’s face it, 2025 has been a tense, trying year. And we’re all still trying to de-stress from the holiday preparations. For some of us (we know who we are!), the Hallmark Channel is calling.

​The Mercury News

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