Holiday Displays And Events Light Up The Castro

Holiday Displays And Events Light Up The CastroPhotos: Brian Ray/Hoodline
Brian Ray
Published on November 30, 2015

If you braved the chilly weather this weekend, you probably noticed the appearance of lights, wreaths, trees, bows, and more in the Castro. Local businesses, the Castro Merchants, and the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District (CBD) are all sprucing up the neighborhood to attract visitors and celebrate the holidays.


Tree lights along Market Street.

On Market Street between Castro and Church, the Castro Merchants have installed 50 red and silver bows on the road median palm trees. The organization is also bringing back light-covered trees along the sidewalks for a second year, doubling coverage to 55 lit trees total.


Decorations at Orphan Andy's.

Turning onto Castro Street from Market, you can enjoy the decorations along Orphan Andy's and Jane Warner Plaza. Castro CBD executive director Andrea Aiello, the subject of a recent Hoodline do-gooder featuretells us that the wreath and lighting at the plaza will begin this evening, around 5pm.


Wreath and lights at Jane Warner Plaza.

Aiello said she appreciates the businesses who decorate. "Walking by their windows at night is great, and really makes it feel like the holidays in the Castro," she said.


Jane Warner Plaza will be hosting a new event this year: the Hanukkah Menorah Lighting Ceremony, which is put on by the Castro Merchants and CBD. "The menorah will stay up after the event," Aiello explained. She expressed concern that it might be vandalized, but hopes that people will respect it.


Down at 18th and Castro, the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place today at 6pm, in front of Bank of America. The event, put on by the Castro Merchants, is a long-running tradition in the neighborhood.

"We've sponsored the big, lit and decorated tree at 18th & Castro in the plaza by BofA for more than 15 years," Richard Margery, of the Castro Merchants, told us. "Once, several years ago, we moved it to Harvey Milk Plaza at Castro and Market by the Castro Muni Metro station, but overwhelming sentiment, and some installation logistics, clearly favored bringing it back to the current spot."


The tree was installed, decorated, and lit by the Delancey Street Foundation. Those interesting in acquiring their own tree for the holidays can visit Delancey's tree lot, at Market and Dolores by the eastern end of the Safeway.


Storefront decorations along 19th Street.

If you turn off of Castro onto 19th Street, you'll also see some festive decorations along the storefronts there. 

Where do you go for your neighborhood holiday fix? Let us know in the comments.