19 things to do in SLO County on Saturday, Dec. 9
Cerro Alto Peak Hike
9 a.m.
Sierra Club. A 7.1-mile loop hike with about 1,700 feet of elevation gain. Risks of ticks and poison oak. Meet at Cerro Alto Campground on Highway 41, near Atascadero. Free. 805-441-7597.
Wings and Water: Birds of the Lake
10 a.m. to Noon.
Join a ranger for a guided nature walk to learn about birds in the park. Meet at Cottonwood parking lot. Lopez Lake, 6800 Lopez Drive, Arroyo Grande. Park day-use fee: $10 per vehicle. 805-788-2381.
Holiday Extravaganza
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Santa, hot apple cider, popcorn, cookies and holiday gifts for all ages. Benefits the library. Paso Robles City Library, 1000 Spring St., Paso Robles. 805-237-3908.
Birding for Beginners
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Learn about the skills needed to master birding as a hobby. 2 to 3 hours, 1 mile. Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History, 20 State Park Road, Morro Bay. Free. 805-772-2694.
Discover Estero Bluffs
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Walk along the bluffs to discover geologic forces that shaped the coastline and the Chumash culture. Meet at the Fig Tree parking lot. Easy hike. 1 to 2 miles; 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Estero Bluffs, Highway 1, Cayucos. Free. 805-772-2694.
Make Merry at the Point San Luis Lighthouse
Noon to 1:35 p.m., 1 to 2:35 p.m.
Appetizers, soup, holidays treats, coffee bar and music by San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble. Point San Luis Lighthouse, near Avila Beach. $50. 805-540-5771.
A Day of Christmas Fun
Noon to 4 p.m.
Wagon rides, Santa Claus, music, singing, gingerbread houses, games and more. Children ages 3 to 13 must preregister. Paso Robles Event Center, 2198 Riverside Ave. $20. 805-237-1626.
Olive the Holidays
Noon to 5 p.m.
Holiday party includes treats, cookies and olive samples, plus wreath-making with olive branches for a $10 donation to local food bank. Olivas De Oro Olive Co., 4625 La Panza Road, Creston. Free. 805-227-4223.
Saturday Live
1 to 4 p.m.
Dulcie Taylor. Vina Robles Winery, 3700 Mill Road, Paso Robles. Free. 805-227-4812.
‘The Nutcracker’
2 and 7 p.m.
Civic Ballet San Luis Obispo and Opera San Luis Obispo orchestra. Harman Hall, Performing Arts Center, Cal Poly. $18 to $59. 805-756-4849.
Songs for the Season
2 to 4:30 p.m.
Fog’s End Barn. Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. 2735 Main St., Cambria. $20. 805-927-2856.
Christmas Nostalgia
5 to 8 p.m.
Victorian traditions are blended with the 1920s. Refreshments served on the patio. Jack House and Gardens, 536 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo. $5, ages12 and under free. 805-781-7300.
Contra Dance
6:30 to 10 p.m.
Dance to the music of Growling Old Geezers. Odd Fellows Hall, 520 Dana St., San Luis Obispo. $5 to $10, ages 16 and under free. 805-602-2929.
Vine Street Victorian Christmas Showcase
6 to 9 p.m.
Caroling, music, illuminated floats, open houses, cookies and hot chocolate, plus appearances by Santa Claus, Ebenezer Scrooge and the Snow Queen. Vine Street between Eighth and 21st streets, Paso Robles. Free. 805-238-4103.
SLO Gathering
7 p.m.
Music by Moonshiner Collective, Bear Market Riot, Truxton Mile and Brass Mash. Fremont Theatre, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo. $15 to $20. fremontslo.com.
‘Big Fish’
7 p.m.
A son recalls his traveling salesman father’s tall tales. Musical. Arroyo Grande High School Theatre Company. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. $10 to $15. 805-489-9444.
‘The Holiday Extravaganza’
7 p.m.
“A Christmas Carol,” plus fractured fairy-tale opera “Cinderella, or The Shoe Must Go On” and “Holiday Vaudeville Revue.” Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville, 1863 Front St., Oceano. $25 to $29. 805-489-2499.
‘Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol’
7:30 p.m.
Live radio play. Pewter Plough Playhouse, 828 Main St., Cambria. $5 to $10. 805-927-3877.
‘Peter and the Starcatcher’
7:30 to 10 p.m.
An orphan boy becomes Peter Pan, encountering marauding pirates and jungle tyrants along the way. Paso Robles High School, 801 Niblick Road, Paso Robles. $10 to $12. 805-769-1500.
For a complete list of events, visit events.sanluisobispo.com.
This story was originally published December 8, 2017 at 3:27 PM with the headline "19 things to do in SLO County on Saturday, Dec. 9."