The Livermore-Amador Symphony's "Hope and Joy" concert at the Bankhead Theater on Saturday, December 5, starts at 8 p.m. as usual, but this time without a pre-concert talk. Livermore Valley Arts gives the reason on its event page: "No pre-concert talk, holiday parade day."
That line shows how the Tri-Valley's holiday season is built. Most of the calendar is planned around one night. The City of Pleasanton describes its date as the "first Saturday of December", and in 2026 that's December 5. Livermore Downtown picked the same Saturday. The two parades start an hour apart, and the Friday events, the theater shows and the Dublin calendar all line up around them.
Saturday, December 5, hour by hour
The two downtowns run their evenings back to back. Here's the timeline from the published schedules:
- All day, Livermore. Livermore Downtown hosts a Holiday Open House. Participating businesses will offer holiday specials, seasonal treats and activities. The list of businesses is still marked "coming soon."
- 5:00 p.m., Pleasanton. The Hometown Holiday Parade heads down Main Street with floats, marching bands and community groups. The city's parade rules put the route at about one mile.
- After the parade, Pleasanton. The mayor and City Council light the tree in front of the Museum on Main. Live music and a visit from Santa are on the program.
- 6:00 p.m., Livermore. The Holiday Sights & Sounds Parade starts on First Street. Local businesses, bands, schools, clubs and community groups bring floats and performances.
- Right after, Livermore. LPFD escorts Santa to the stage, where a children's choir from LVJUSD schools welcomes him. The crowd joins a sing-along and the countdown to the tree lighting.
- 8:00 p.m., Livermore. The symphony performs "Hope and Joy" at the Bankhead with hometown flute soloist Annie Wu. The program covers Barber, Michael Tilson Thomas, Génin and Dvořák's Symphony No. 8.
Pleasanton's parade steps off an hour before Livermore's, and the symphony's 8 p.m. curtain comes two hours after the First Street parade starts. Livermore Downtown also notes that its parade is rain or shine.
Livermore's day runs longer, and the Bankhead plans for it
The two downtowns structure their Saturdays differently. Pleasanton's celebration happens in the evening: a parade at five, then the tree. Livermore spreads its day out, with an open house in the shops before the parade, the parade and tree lighting, and a full orchestra concert at the Bankhead at 8 p.m.
Families who want dinner and a show can stay in Livermore all evening. Anyone planning to go to the symphony should know that the 8 p.m. start is unchanged but the pre-concert talk isn't happening this time. If you usually arrive early for the talk, use that time for the tree lighting instead.
On the logistics, the City of Livermore lists a downtown parade closure from 6 to 9 p.m. on December 5. The city says street-closure and parking details will come closer to the date. Livermore Downtown's route page also says 2026 details are coming soon. Pleasanton's posted parade map is labeled 2025, so check for an updated map before you choose a viewing spot on Main Street.
Friday, December 4, is the warm-up night
Friday is busy too, with something different in each of the three cities:
- Pleasanton: The Pleasanton Downtown Association's Magical Holiday Evening runs from 4 to 7 p.m.
- Livermore: Charo plays the Bankhead at 8 p.m. in "Charo in Concert: A Musical Sensation," part of the Bankhead Presents series. Front-row seats are $25.
- Dublin: Holiday DancEscape runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Dublin Senior Center, 7600 Amador Valley Blvd. Tickets are $12 for residents, $15 for nonresidents and $20 at the door.
With Friday's PDA evening ending at 7 and Charo starting at 8, you could do both cities on the same night. Saturday's stagger works the same way, so the whole weekend is set up for moving between towns.
Main Street may also have a new name by then. The Oaklandside reported on October 6 that Gold Bean Cafe's Pleasanton location at 440 Main St. was scheduled to open October 10. Check its hours before you plan around it.
The weeks around the weekend
The rest of the season splits by venue. In the weeks after the parades, Livermore's Bankhead runs most nights. Pleasanton's Firehouse Arts Center has a shorter list of cabaret and concert dates. Dublin's events center on the Senior Center.
| Date | Event | Where | Listed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 7, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Holiday Craft Boutique | Dublin Senior Center | Free |
| Nov. 20–22 | Encore Players, "Christmas, Virtually" | Bankhead Theater | Not listed |
| Sun., Nov. 22 | Laurie Roldan, "A Song For You: The Music of Karen Carpenter at Christmas" | Firehouse Arts Center | See venue |
| Sat., Nov. 28, 8 p.m. | Jeff Bordes, "A New Orleans Christmas" | Bankhead Theater | $25 front row |
| Sun., Nov. 29, 3 p.m. | Pacific Chamber Orchestra, Handel's "Messiah" | Bankhead Theater | Not listed |
| Mon., Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m. | "Mostly Kosher," a Chanukah celebration | Bankhead Theater | $25 front row |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | Mads Tolling, "Cool Yule" | Firehouse Arts Center | $28–$38 |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | The Golden Follies, "A Very 'Follies' Holiday 2026" | Firehouse Arts Center | $25–$35 |
| Sat., Dec. 12, 5–8 p.m. | Spirit & Sweater Stroll | Downtown Pleasanton | See PDA |
| Dec. 12–13, 18–20 | Valley Dance Theatre, "The Nutcracker" | Bankhead Theater | Not listed |
| Wed., Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m. | Kat Edmonson, "Have Your Merry Christmas With Me" | Bankhead Theater | $25 front row |
| Sat., Dec. 19, 1–4 p.m. | Golden Follies Holiday Performance | Dublin Senior Center | $15 |
| Mon., Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m. | "An Evening with Peter Billingsley and A Christmas Story" | Bankhead Theater | $25 front row |
| Tue., Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m. | "Campana Sobre Campana" with Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar and Ballet Folklorico del Rio Grande | Bankhead Theater | $25 front row |
The Golden Follies are booked in two cities a week apart: at Pleasanton's Firehouse on December 12 and at the Dublin Senior Center on December 19. The Dublin show is the cheaper of the two. Saturday, December 12, is also the busiest day after parade weekend. "The Nutcracker" opens in Livermore that day, and in Pleasanton the Follies are at the Firehouse while the PDA's Spirit & Sweater Stroll runs from 5 to 8 p.m. The PDA said stroll tickets would go on sale at the end of October, so they may already be on sale when you read this.
Small deadlines that come up before December
Some of the things you can do this season are open now and have deadlines. Pleasanton is holding auditions for parade announcers. Applicants send a one-minute video of themselves reading the city's script, and submissions are due by the end of the day on November 8, 2026. The city's page also has links for parade registration, volunteering and 2026 sponsorships, and lists a contact number, (925) 931-5352. Livermore Downtown takes parade entries and volunteer sign-ups through links on its parade page.
Dublin's Holiday Craft Boutique on Saturday, November 7, is the first event on the Tri-Valley calendar. It runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dublin Senior Center and admission is free. It's a month before the parades.
If you're a Tri-Valley neighbor planning your December 5 around Main Street or First Street, I'd be glad to talk through the season with you, from parade-night plans to what's new downtown. Chris A. Sabido has worked with Peninsula and Bay Area families since 2005 and is always happy to hear from people in the community. Book an Appointment whenever it suits you.
