5 stats that illustrate life on the Peninsula this year

Can you believe we’ve nearly reached the end of 2024? Ready or not, 2025 is coming soon (so futuristic!) and this week we’ve compiled a list of New Year’s Eve festivities happening on the Peninsula. From kid-friendly daytime events to parties, performances and meals, there are plenty of choices for those of you looking at options for ringing in the new year. We’re also taking a look at food and drink trends of 2024 and the local eateries that participated in them, plus stats on some of the year’s most popular library books, parks and more.

What’ll be next? What will 2025 bring? We have some ideas, and we look forward to sharing them with you, but to quote Doc Brown, “Your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one …”

Your friend in time,

Karla Kane

Six Fifty Assistant Editor

editor@thesixfifty.com

2024 wrapped: 5 stats that illustrate life on the Peninsula this year

We asked local agencies and organizations for data that could inform a by-the-numbers look back at 2024. Here are five statistics about life on the Peninsula this year as we head into 2025.

Meet me at midnight: 36 New Year’s Eve festivities on the Peninsula

Whether your ideal New Year’s Eve celebration is a family-friendly affair at an earlier hour, a multicourse meal with bubbly or a rousing party where you can dance the night away, the Peninsula has you covered. Here’s what’s happening around the region.

3 food trends of 2024 and the Peninsula eateries that participated

Created by well-respected chefs and home cooks alike, food trends have the potential to make a big impact on the culinary scene. Looking back on 2024, three major food trends shaped the Peninsula’s culinary scene: Dubai chocolate, nonalcoholic beverages and Asian French fusion.

Congrats to Jasan in Campbell, who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s the Bay Trail in Mountain View!).

The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a prize from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!

Grapes and Giggles: Dec. 27 Looking for laughs? Domenico Winery hosts stand-up comedians every month, including this holiday season show.

Hot Kugel Hanukkah: Dec. 27 Feldman’s Books celebrates the Festival of Lights with klezmer music and potato and noodle kugels.

Anastasia: Through Dec. 29 Hillbarn Theatre presents the sweeping musical (based on the animated film) about a young woman who may be long-lost Russian royalty.

Noon Year’s Eve Celebration: Dec. 31 Families can count down to the new year at a kid-friendly hour with Hiller Aviation Museum’s “Noon Year’s Eve” event.

First Day Hikes: Jan. 1 Take a guided hike at a local state park to ring in the first day of the new year. Peninsula options include hikes at Montara State Beach, Pescadero State Beach, Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park and more.

DIY Chinese New Year Couplet Workshop: Jan. 5 Learn the basics of Chinese calligraphy and create couplets for Lunar New Year under the guidance of calligraphy artist Jojo Liu.

Community Poetry Open Mic: Jan. 8 The Burlingame Library hosts an open mic poetry evening with featured reader former Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Sally Ashton, who will also sign books.

An Evening with Tommy Emmanuel: Jan. 10 Finger-picking guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel comes to The Guild Theatre.

Plan Ahead

Rachmaninoff and the Tsar: Jan. 10-Feb. 9 Pianist/writer/actor Hershey Felder returns to TheatreWorks, along with actor Jonathan Silvestri, exploring the life of Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Holidays at Filoli: Through Jan. 12 The historic estate is all aglow for the holiday season, featuring dazzling displays and some special events and experiences.

Yan Can Cook Live: Jan. 14 Beloved chef Martin Yan demonstrates how to cook dishes from his two new cookbooks, followed by a meet-and-greet and book signing.

Maryna Krut: Jan. 18 Ukrainian singer and bandura virtuoso Maryna Krut performs at Stanford.

A John Williams Celebration: Jan. 18-19 Peninsula Symphony pays tribute to the movie-score maestro John Williams, including selections from “ET,” “Jaws,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and more.

IlluminOdyssey: Through Jan. 26 CuriOdyssey hosts an immersive winter display inspired by the science of light.

Palo Alto Lunar New Year Fair: Jan. 26 Celebrate the year of the snake at Mitchell Park Community Center.

Just for the Record: Through March 2 The Museum of American Heritage’s current exhibition showcases vintage record players and phonographs.

Get up close with Año Nuevo’s elephant seals in all of their blubbery, bewhiskered glory
Now is the time to visit the world-famous NorCal breeding grounds.

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