Charles Harder fell in love with the University of California Santa Cruz the first time he visited in the fall of 1986. He remembers the wispy clouds, bright blue sky and wet-glistening dew of the forest around him. The scene reminded him of the camping trips that his best friend’s mom would take him and his buddy on to National Parks like Yosemite. “I was over the moon, I just loved it,” Harder remembers. “It was like we were simpatico.”

The following year, Harder moved from the San Fernando Valley to Santa Cruz, where he began his freshman year at UCSC as a biology major, but soon switched to politics.

He embedded himself in the local Democratic scene, leading the UCSC College Democrats. “No one else wanted to do it,” he says. He remembers winning awards from Farr, Dianne Feinstein, Leon Panetta and Henry Mello. Harder served for one quarter as managing editor of the Santa Cruz Independent, a campus newspaper at the time. He took theater arts classes and sang as a tenor in the elite UCSC Chamber Singers choir. Thirsty for adventure, he biked across the country on a summer vacation in 1989, at age 19.

Those who knew Harder, a 1991 graduate of the university’s Merrill College, and have followed his post-college career have been surprised to see where it has led him. Now an attorney, he’s defending Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, as his personal lawyer.

“If you told any of us back in 1990 that he’d be working for Trump, we’d say you’re fucking crazy, because he was a liberal guy,” says a former high-ranking staffer at the Independent, who asked to remain anonymous.

The Washington Post reported that Harder donated $500 to Barack Obama in 2008 and voted in the 2016 Democratic primary, but that, in December 2016, after Trump’s election, he changed his party affiliation to nonpartisan. He won’t say how he voted in 2016, but stresses that he’s long written checks to candidates of both parties, expressing an affinity for politicians like former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“It’s nice that we have a secret ballot,” Harder says. “I don’t think I’ve ever disclosed who I’ve voted for, at least not to a reporter.”

HUSH WITH FAME

Harder has been working for Trump on a few cases, including the lawsuit brought by porn star Stormy Daniels over a dispute about hush money stemming from an alleged affair she had with the president. Harder’s also defending him against former aide and fellow reality television star Omarosa Manigault. Trump may be one of the most polarizing presidents in American history, but Harder says representing him has nothing to do with politics.

“The things where I’ve represented the president—they really have nothing to do with public policy,” Harder says, his shoes kicked off in his Beverly Hills office, revealing socks with a pattern of dancing hula girls. “I’m not representing him on immigration, or the environment, or the economy, or foreign policy. I have nothing to do with any of that. So people should not look to me as if I have any role to play on that, because I don’t.”

He says he doesn’t have a “litmus test” for potential clients. Rather he takes on cases that he likes and that he thinks have merit, and that he turns about two-thirds of potential cases away.

Harder is also representing the Trump campaign and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. He represented Melania Trump in a defamation suit against the Daily Mail that settled for $2.9 million. Last year, he wrote the New York Times a letter on behalf of Harvey Weinstein, threatening to sue if the paper published its months-long investigative report into sexual assault allegations against the movie mogul. Harder resigned from Weinstein’s legal team a few days later.

Harder’s big break was representing Hulk Hogan against Gawker Media in a case that earned a $140 million judgment. Of course, he wasn’t exactly a small-time attorney at the time, having already represented Hollywood celebrities like Schwarzenegger,Clint Eastwood, George Clooney, Sigourney Weaver, Bradley Cooper, Sandra Bullock, Cameron Diaz, Reese Witherspoon and Lena Dunham.

Harder’s earlier Hollywood work often focused on celebrity images, like when a furniture company was using Eastwood’s name and image to sell chairs without his permission.

Harder, whose two sons attend middle school in Santa Monica, has clear turquoise eyes, and were it not for his silvering brown hair, would look a decade younger than his 48 years. Sitting in the sunlit communal “living room” area of the law office, he asks me not to record—an uncommon request from sources in news interviews. He says it’s always been his policy with reporters.

Politically, Harder says he strongly supports the environment and civil rights, but also believes that government spending and taxes are out of control. He has a vision that government should work more like a smartphone app, like Uber. Disillusioned by the news media, he sees CNN and the New York Times as being as far to the left as Fox News is to the right. His views, he says, have evolved slowly over time.

Sam Farr, a Democrat who represented the Monterey Bay in the House of Representatives for 20 years, has vague memories of Harder, even though he had probably about 100 other interns after Harder’s tenure. Farr remembers him as very likeable and “a real go-getter.”

Although Farr wasn’t familiar with Harder’s career, he isn’t surprised to hear that his former intern found success as an attorney. Farr thinks Harder’s success shows how valuable an internship can be, as it shows how government processes work. He hopes the experience has made Harder a better citizen and a better lawyer.

Farr is a little disappointed, though, to hear about some of the shifts in Harder’s politics.

“It seems like his desire to be big lawyer has stepped on the good learning he got at UC Santa Cruz,” Farr says, before adding something his Democrat father, who had been raised conservative before attending UC Berkeley, told him: “People with good educations don’t end up as Republicans.”

“Sure, some do,” Harder responds, when asked about Farr’s quip.

“But I’m not a Republican, so no comment on that one.”

CLIENT PRIVILEGED

Sitting across from Harder in early October, I got a clear sense of what it would take my fellow left-leaning friends in the area a couple more weeks to learn: Trump could prevail in his legal battles against Daniels.

Say what you want about Harder—you might find his politics confusing or perhaps believe that he’s protecting a president who shows dangerously authoritarian tendencies. In conversation, though, even a total novice could plainly see that Harder is a serious lawyer. I knew, even in the midst of my discussion with him, that this was a bizarre revelation to come to. Considering that he is an attorney involved in one of the news cycle’s highest-profile lawsuits, it should go without saying.

But I only had to follow the antics of prosecuting attorney Michael Avenatti, who seems to be using the legal system to run for the Democratic nomination for president—and whose skill for trolling the American public nearly matches that of the sitting president himself—to know that Daniels, sympathetic as many Americans might find her, might not have an easy day in court.

“Lawyers run the gamut,” Harder says. “You could have a lawyer that barely passed the bar and is unethical. You could have lawyers that are super geniuses, but they’re evil geniuses. You could have lawyers who are super by-the-book. The approach that I take is that I have fun, but I’m very serious.”

The October ruling was not central to the Daniels-Trump hush money feud itself—that remains to be decided—but rather concerned a tweet that the president had sent about Daniels, which she claimed was defamatory. In throwing out the case, the judge ordered Daniels’ team to pay Trump’s legal fees. Avenatti immediately appealed the decision. In the days after, Avenatti suffered two other legal setbacks—an eviction notice for his law firm and an order to pay a former associate $4.85 million. (He was charged this week with domestic assault but has denied the charges.)

HULK SMASH

Before the Daniels affair, Harder’s most controversial case came in 2016, when his team won $140 million for his client, the wrestler Hulk Hogan, against Gawker after the online news gossip site posted a video of Hogan having sex with his best friend’s wife.

The Netflix documentary Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press painted the lawsuit as a frightening moment for American journalists, many of whom are open to attack by a president who has called them “the enemy of the people” and threatened to expand the reach of libel laws.

The Gawker suit was funded, to the tune of a reported $10 million, by Peter Thiel, a venture capitalist who had a vendetta against Gawker, at least in part, because the site outed him as gay. (Theil, coincidentally, later served as an advisor to Trump, most notably on his transition team to the presidency.) Free press advocates have raised concerns that other billionaires might use the courts to take down news outlets they don’t like.

Harder says he was surprised by the dollar amount, which was $40 million above what they had asked for, and which he believes would have been reduced on an appeal. Gawker ultimately went bankrupt.

He’s also adamant that Gawker’s blatant refusal to take down the video amounted to a “horrific privacy violation”—arguing that, were it not for outside help, Hogan would have never been able to afford the legal fees.

“The man was in a home. The doors were closed. He had no idea he was being recording. Everything was consensual. The public’s not allowed. The jury 100 percent agreed,” Harder says.

When he reads and watches the news, Harder feels that it’s very often too one-sided. He believes the news should be straight-ahead, showing two sides of an issue. He argues that the New York Times shoots itself in the foot for printing negative coverage, like its months-long investigation into the Trump family’s inheritance, arguing that it will turn many readers away, although he also predicts the story will win a Pulitzer Prize.

“It’s way too partisan. It’s dangerous, and I think the American people are not happy about that, either,” says Harder, suggesting that former President Obama would probably agree. “We’ve gotten a lot more polarized as a people. The tone of what people are saying is getting more and more chilling, and I don’t think that’s productive. It used to be that we would disagree with each other, but now we’re arguing more.”

Harder has spoken favorably about changing libel laws, though certainly with less bravado and more nuance than Trump does. In particular, Harder argues that the burden on plaintiffs is far too high to prove that a given reporter had “actual malice” and “reckless disregard for the truth,” making the current framework unfair.

In addition to the Daily Mail and Gawker, Harder has taken on other media organizations. He hasn’t always prevailed, but the legal news website Above the Law wrote, “If you’re looking for a lawyer to bring a publication to its knees, Harder’s the leader in the clubhouse.”

Conn Hallinan, a longtime journalist who served as UCSC’s print media adviser and remembers the Independent, paints Harder’s media work as a “dangerous” piece in a changing landscape of threats to news organizations.

“If someone sues you, you may be able to win the case, but the average decision for one of those suits is $45,000. If small publications get charged with defamation, it may put them out of business. Anything that encourages these cases is very dangerous to the press,” says Hallinan.

Harder insists that he isn’t against a free press, just bad actors.
He stresses also that he doesn’t only represent celebrities and political figures. He’s been working on two cases that he has petitioned to the U.S. Supreme Court—one on behalf of a woman he says was defamed on Yelp.com, and another for an alleged rape victim of comedian Bill Cosby.

Amy Everitt, who worked with Harder at the Independent, first met Harder during their freshman year and shared politics classes with him. An ardent defender of freedom of the press, she believes journalists should be able to pursue any news story they want to.

She says that many times, however, media outlets like Gawker cross the line, delving into personal issues with no news value, and should face the consequences.

Everitt, now the state director of NARAL Pro-Choice California, hasn’t kept in touch with Harder, but, like many who remember his college days, she has no issue with his business decisions.

“Charles is doing his job. He’s got a client, and lawyers defend their clients,” Everitt says. “He’s an enormously thoughtful person, and he has an enormous respect for the rule of law. When he gets up in the morning, I think he does the best job he can for his clients.”

GREAT MEADOW DAYS

Les Gardner, a longtime leader in the Santa Cruz County Democratic Party, remembers when he brought Jerry Brown to UCSC in 1990. Brown, then a former governor, was campaigning on a get-out-the-vote effort for Democrats like Dianne Feinstein, then a former San Francisco mayor who was running for governor.

Gardner enlisted Harder to draw the biggest turnout possible to the Great Meadow for the rally. When Gardner checked in with the student leader, he learned that Harder had printed out two flyers, a serious-looking blue one and a separate teal one that read “Governor Moonbeam”—a nickname that, unbeknownst to Harder, Brown hated. The thought of Brown catching sight of one of those signs worried Gardner, and the night before the event, Harder went through campus, ripping down each Moonbeam sign one by one.

Gardner heard that Brown would be going to visit the chancellor, and once he learned Brown’s route, he double-checked to make sure the flyers had all come down along the way. The ordeal served as a reminder that, for all his ambition, Harder was just 20 years old.

“He was a very bright young man,” Gardner says with a laugh.

“And he had a great spirit, but he was a kid.”

Jacob Pierce is the news editor at Good Times

Ready or not, nearly two months of holiday fun and cheer are coming your way. To help navigate the season and keep your spirits bright, we present our select guide to multi-denominational holiday fun.

EVENTS

Holidays Along the Farm Trails Celebrate the season with the local agricultural community, as farmers and producers offer a view of life on the farm. Find farm-stand gifts, cut a Christmas tree to take home and enjoy DIY workshops. Hosted by Sonoma County Farm Trails. Nov. 14–
Jan. 1. Various Locations in Sonoma County. Registration required. farmtrails.org.

WinterBlast The South of A arts district in Santa Rosa turns into a dazzling wonderland for the 14th annual holiday art party. Open studios showcase dozens of artists in their element, an electric sofa parade lights up the streets and live music kick the holiday spirit into gear. Magic, belly dancing, food trucks, beer and wine and merriment abound. Nov. 17.
312 South A St., Santa Rosa. 5–9:30pm. Free entry. sofasantarosa.com.

Friendship Circle Hanukkah Party Annual gathering gets you ready for the Jewish holiday and includes a shopping bazaar full of artisan gifts, candle-lighting ceremony with special guests, traditional latke lunch provided by Park Avenue Catering and live music by Klezmer Creek ensemble. Nov. 19. Congregation Shomrei Torah, 2600 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. 11am–2pm. $20; RSVP required by
Nov. 15. 707.528.1182.

Holidays in Yountville Skip the big-box stores this Christmas and join the people of Yountville for six weeks of food, wine and holiday cheer. As the town transforms into a magical winter wonderland with thousands of sparkling lights, visitors can enjoy a full schedule of live entertainment, art shows, workshops and classes, along with unique shopping choices, food and wine tours, carriage rides and more. Nov. 19–Jan. 1. Washington St., Yountville. Full schedule and info at yountville.com.

Napa’s Christmas Tree Lighting The mayor of Napa flips the switch and welcomes the Christmas season to Napa in this traditional community event. Sip on hot chocolate, nibble on cookies and enjoy local entertainment. Nov. 21. Veterans Park, Third and Main streets, Napa. 6pm. Free. donapa.com.

Healdsburg Turkey Trot Family-friendly Thanksgiving morning 5k run and walk awards prizes
for first place and favorite costumes, and benefits the Drew Esquivel Scholarship, which helps Healdsburg high school students and athletes attend college. Nov. 22. Race starts at 333 Center St., Healdsburg. 8am. $25–$35. healdsburgturkeytrot.com.

Winter Lights Santa Rosa’s downtown Courthouse Square shines with the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony that includes activities for all ages. Enjoy local eats, see Santa arrive on a fire truck and partake in the Remembrance Candle Lighting. This year’s Winter Lights theme is “I Believe in Santa Rosa,” to highlight the town’s resilience in the wake of last year’s fires. Nov. 23. Third Street and Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa. 4pm. Free admission. 707.545.1414.

Santa’s Riverboat Arrival Santa and Mrs. Claus give the season its start when they arrive by tugboat at the Petaluma River Turning Basin and disembark to hand out candy and take holiday photos with kids. After, attendees can take advantage of “small business Saturday” at the shops throughout downtown Petaluma. Nov. 24. River Plaza Shopping Center, 72 E. Washington St., Petaluma. 11:30am–1pm. Free. 707.769.0429.

Napa’s Christmas Parade This long-running, family-friendly evening parade features creative floats built by Napans themselves, focusing on the theme “Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas.” Nov. 25. Second and Third streets in downtown Napa. 5–7pm. Free. donapa.com.

Italian Christmas Festival Bring the family for a festive day featuring artisan vendors, Italian cafe, wine and beer bar, silent auction, historical exhibit of Italians in Sonoma County
and live entertainment. Dec. 1.
St. Rose Hall, 320 Tenth St., Santa Rosa.11am–5pm. $5; kids 12 and under are free. 707.591.9696.

Lighting of the Snowmen Annual tradition lights up Cornerstone Sonoma with decorative snowmen coming to life amid live music and entertainment. Get a photo with Santa and enjoy the seasonal spirit in the picturesque setting. Dec. 1. Cornerstone Sonoma, 23667 Hwy. 121, Sonoma. 4pm. Free admission. 707.939.3010.

The Reindeer Run Eighth annual run or walk covers Thompson Trail on Wetlands Edge Trailhead and encourages participants to dress in festive holiday gear. Dec. 1. Eucalyptus Drive, American Canyon. 8am. $37–$47. khopeinternational.org.

Calistoga Lighted Tractor Parade Twenty-third annual small-town celebration of the holiday season and Calistoga’s agricultural heritage boasts vintage tractors, antique trucks and other rustic autos lit up in dazzling displays. Dec. 1. Lincoln Avenue between Stevenson and Cedar, downtown Calistoga. 7pm. Free. visitcalistoga.com.

Luther Burbank Holiday Open House A popular holiday tradition in its 39th year, this open house features Victorian-era finery and a charming tour of Burbank’s historic home and gardens, with free parking at First and D streets, and free rides on Rosie the Trolley to and from the Handmade Holiday Crafts Fair held at the Finley Community Center. Dec. 1–2. Luther Burbank Home & Gardens, 204 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. 10am to 4pm. $3; kids 12 and under are free. lutherburbank.org.

Hands-On Chanukah Join the Jewish Concierge of Sonoma County and the Charles M. Schulz Museum to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Chanukah with dreidel-spinning contests, marshmallow-dreidel decorating, menorah crafting and more. Dec. 2. Charles M. Schulz Museum, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. 11am–4pm.
Free admission when you say “Hands-On Chanukah!” 707.579.4452.

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Chanukah at the River Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma hosts the fourth annual Grand Menorah Lighting ceremony at the Petaluma River that celebrates the Festival of Lights and includes live entertainment, latkes and other trad fare. Dec. 2. Water Street Promenade, 100 Petaluma Blvd. N., 4:30pm. Free with RSVP. 707.559.8585.

Sebastopol Chanukah Party Sonoma Wine Shop & La Bodega Kitchen hosts its annual Chanukah family-style dinner featuring latkes, slow-braised brisket and sufganiyot (jelly donuts). Dec. 2. 2295 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. 6pm. Prices vary; kids four and under are free. RSVP to reserve a spot. 707.827.1832.

Windsor Holiday Celebration Family event lets the kids write and send letters to Santa, make crafts, decorate gingerbread, take wagon rides and more, with the annual tree-lighting ceremony, dance party, carolers and other holiday highlights. Dec. 6. Windsor Town Green, 701 McClelland Drive, Windsor. 5–8pm. Free admission; $1–$10 for various activities. townofwindsor.com.

Light Up a Life Heartland Hospice honors lives lost with annual candle- and tree-lighting ceremonies. Celebrate the holidays with community, enjoy live music from Michael Brandeburg’s Jazz Trio and create an ornament in honor of your loved one. Dec. 6. Montgomery Village Terrace, 911 Village Court, Santa Rosa. 5–6:30pm. Free. mvshops.com.

Ner Shalom Chanukah Party Inclusive Jewish community located at the Old Cotati Cabaret pulls out the stops for this massive holiday fest that is open to all and welcomes a potluck from all who attend. Dec. 8. Congregation Ner Shalom,
85 La Plaza, Cotati. 5:30pm. Free. RSVP requested. 707.664.8622.

Sebastopol Holiday Home Tour & Artisan Boutique Enjoy the holiday lights and décor of several different stylish homes, with cheerful music and festive bites on hand. Then, browse a variety
of holiday crafts and decorations for sale at a boutique at Pleasant Hill Christian School, all benefiting the Jacob’s Scholarship Fund. Home Tours, Dec. 8–9; Artisan Boutique, Dec. 7–9. 1782 Pleasant Hill Road, Sebastopol. Friday, 5–9pm; Saturday, 10am–5pm.; Sunday, 10am–4pm.
Tours, $10–$35 and up;
Boutique, free admission. sebastopolholidayhometour.com.

SHOPPING

Gifts ‘n’ Tyme Holiday Faire Long-running Napa holiday tradition highlights more than 85 local and regional artists and makers of fine crafts selling everything from stocking stuffers to fine works. Holiday music and aromas like cinnamon-roasted almonds fill the air. Nov. 16–18. Napa Valley Expo, Chardonnay Hall, 575 Third St., Napa. Friday–Saturday, 10am–6pm; Sunday, 10am–4pm. Free. 925.372.8691.

American Folk Art Holiday Festival Browse through unusual and one-of-a-kind folk-art creations and antiques while enjoying wine and chocolate pairings. Treats and other beverages are available for purchase, and a positive communal spirit awaits. Nov. 17, Lucky Penny Community Arts Center, 1758 Industrial Way, Napa. 10am–3pm. $10 at the door. luckypennynapa.com.

West County Craft Faire Ramp up to the holidays with this 17th annual celebration of all things local and handmade. West County vendors will sell crafts, jewelry, clothing, quilts, bodycare products, art and much more, with live music, food and refreshments and a raffle to benefit Sebastopol based Interfaith Sustainable
Food Collaborative. Nov. 17–18. Sebastopol Grange Hall,
6000 Hwy. 12, Sebastopol.
11am–4pm. Free admission. sebastopolgrange.org.

Holiday Marketplace at CIA Copia Start your holiday shopping with seasonal and local offerings from Napa and Bay Area vendors, featuring handmade items and culinary delights.
Nov. 23–24. 500 First St., Napa. 11am–5pm. ciaatcopia.com.

Rohnert Park Holiday Arts & Crafts Faire Thirty-ninth annual fair features holiday decorations, live music and jolly entertainment, festive treats and cheerful holiday crafts and jewelry. Nov. 23–24. Rohnert Park Community Center, 5401 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. 10am–4pm. Free. 707.588.3456.

Calistoga Holiday Village & Christmas Faire First, stroll through downtown Calistoga and indulge in a holiday shopping spree on Friday, Nov. 30. Then enjoy a fair with artisan vendors, food and activities on Saturday, Dec. 1. Napa County Fairgrounds, 1435 N. Oak St., Calistoga. Friday, 4–8pm; Saturday, 9am–4pm. Free admission. visitcalistoga.com.

Handmade Holiday Crafts Fair Forty-fourth annual event features 80 local artists selling their quality crafts and gifts, holiday goodies, entertainment, a prize drawing and trolley rides to the Luther Burbank Home & Gardens Holiday Open House. Dec. 1–2, Finley Community Center,
2060 West College Ave., Santa Rosa. Saturday, 9am–5pm; Sunday, 10am–4pm. $3; 12 and under are free. 707.543.3737.

Freya Lodge Holiday Arts & Craft Fair The Norwegian cultural center hosts this classic fair. Enjoy a variety of high-quality handmade items made by Sonoma County artists. There will also be Scandinavian baked goods, Norwegian waffles, coffee and light lunch available to purchase, and a cozy holiday atmosphere. Proceeds from food sales go to children’s charities. Dec. 8, Freya Lodge, Sons of Norway Hall,
617 W. Ninth St., Santa Rosa. 9am–3pm. 707.579.1080.

Sonoma Ceramics Fiber & Print Holiday Sale Find affordable and unique handmade holiday items from several artists who work in Sonoma. Pieces range from decorative ornaments to sculptural works of art. The Ceramics Studio is also open for tours and artist demonstrations. Dec. 8–9. Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. 10am–5pm. Free. 707.938.462.

Goddess Crafts Faire Women’s art, music, dance and handmade gifts by local and regional women are all part of this 24th annual community holiday fair. Dec. 8–9, Sebastopol Community Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. 11am–7pm. $5–$13 suggested donation; kids, free. goddesscraftsfaire.com.

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Occidental Holiday Crafts Faire See work by more than 35 local and regional artists, grab gift certificates for local restaurants and hotels, enter into raffles for local goodies, hear live music from West County musicians, taste food from a gourmet chef and enjoy baked goods by Salmon Creek School students this season. Dec. 8–9, Occidental Community Center, 3920 Bohemian Hwy., Occidental. Saturday, 10am–5pm; Sunday, 10am–4pm. Free admission. occidental-ca.org.

Holiday Crafterino Tenth annual art-and-craft extravaganza features a curated collection of vendors, food trucks and loads of cheer. Proceeds from sales and a raffle supports the Committee on the Shelterless. Dec. 16. Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building, 1094 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. 10am–4pm. $1 admission.
www.holidaycrafterino.com.

PERFORMANCE

Sonoma County Philharmonic Music director Norman Gamboa and the local philharmonic present a program titled “A Hero’s Life,” featuring pre-concert talks that illuminate the various selections presented in concert. Nov. 17–18. SRHS Performing Arts Auditorium, 1235 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 2pm. $15; students are free. socophil.org.

Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater Yountville Holiday Movie Series screens The Santa Clause on Nov. 18, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Nov. 23 and The Muppets Christmas Carol on Dec. 9. VOENA children’s choir performs Dec. 1. 4pm. $25. Symphony Napa Valley presents “Christmas at the Symphony” on Dec. 2. 3pm. $25. Transcendence Theatre Company’s “Broadway Holiday Spectacular” entertains Dec. 6–7. 7:30pm. $39 and up. 100 California Drive, Yountville. 707.944.9900.

Cirque de Bohème Annual winter circus wonderland is based on the wondrous French tradition. This year, a brand-new original production, “Yesterday,” tells enchanting tales with an amazing cast of performers who achieve world-class heights. Nov. 23–Dec. 16. Cornerstone Sonoma, 23570 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Days and times vary. $27–$55. cirquedeboheme.com.

Luther Burbank Center for the Arts A Magical Cirque Christmas kicks off the season Nov. 23. Transcendence Theatre Company performs its “Broadway Holiday Spectacular” with daily pre-show activities Nov. 30–Dec. 2. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy plays a Wild & Swingin’ Holiday Party Dec. 3. LeAnn Rimes performs as part of her You & Me & Christmas Tour Dec. 4. Posada Navideña returns Dec. 7. Roustabout Apprentice Program’s “A Christmas Carol” delights Dec. 14–16. Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker comes to life Dec. 18. Brian Wilson plays The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album live Dec. 22. Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 707.546.3600. lutherburbankcenter.org.

The Isle of Klezbos Enjoy the spirit of Hanukkah with a performance from the Isle of Klezbos, an all-female Klezmer ensemble from New York who headline the final concert of Sonoma State University’s Jewish Music Series. Nov. 29. Green Music Center, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 6:30pm. Free. 866.955.6040.

A John Waters Christmas Filmmaker John Waters brings his demented sensibilities to the stage in a critically acclaimed one-man holiday show. Nov. 30. JaM Cellars Ballroom,
1030 Main St., Napa. 9pm. $52; $125, meet-and-greet VIP. 707.880.2300.

Occidental Community Choir West County cultural institution celebrates its 40th birthday with a winter concert program of holiday songs written by choir members past and present. Nov. 30–Dec. 2 and Dec. 8 at Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental; Dec. 9 at Glaser Center, 547 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Times vary. $15;
kids 12 and under are free. occidentalchoir.org.

Healdsburg Chorus The long-running community choir shares the joy of the holidays in their annual winter concert, with new arrangements of spirited standards and a slew of seasonal surprises. Dec. 2, Glaser Center, 547 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa; Dec. 8–9, Raven Theater,
115 North St., Healdsburg. 3pm. $5–$15. healdsburgchorus.com.

An English Holiday The North Bay Sinfonietta chamber orchestra performs a festive program of music by English composers. Dec. 2, Church of the Incarnation, 550 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 4pm. $10. 707.527.4249.

ArtQuest Dance Company Winter Performance The talented students of Santa Rosa High School’s award winning ArtQuest program communicate the spirit of the holidays through movement. Dec. 7–8. SRHS Performing Arts Auditorium,
1235 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 7pm. $5–$15. srhsdance.org.

Healdsburg Community Band’s Christmas Concert The 30-plus member band plays their annual holiday-themed concert with classics and big-band arrangements of Christmas hits. Dec. 7 (Veterans Memorial Building,
205 W. First St., Cloverdale; 7:30pm) and Dec. 9. Community Church, 1100 University St., Healdsburg; 2pm). Free, donations accepted. healdsburgcommunityband.org.

David Templeton’s ‘Twisted Christmas Live!’ Once among the North Bay’s most popular annual holiday events, the offbeat show of holiday-themed stories read aloud by Bay Area comedians and actors returns after a five-year absence. Dec. 9. Spreckels Performing Arts Center,
5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. 7pm. $25–$30. 707.588.3400.

Teresa Lubarsky’s Healdsburg Ballet Nineteenth annual winter performance brings Christmas Eve to life in a program, “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” that is sure to delight audiences of all ages. Dec. 15–16. Raven Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg. Saturday, 7pm; Sunday, 2pm. $15–$20. healdsburgballet.com.

A Chanticleer Christmas Holiday favorite from the vocal orchestra tells the Christmas story in Gregorian chant, Renaissance polyphony, traditional carols and a medley of spirituals. Dec. 14,
St. Vincent’s Church, 35 Liberty St., Petaluma. 6pm and 8:30pm. $35–$75. chanticleer.org.

An Irish Christmas Family-friendly event includes Riverdance principal dancer Caterina Coyne performing traditional Irish dances that incorporate theatrical arts, and music from Christmas classics. Dec. 21. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. 7pm. $40–$55. 707.588.3400.