1. Farmers market
Pack a tote bag and pick up your peppers, winter citrus and prescriptions in the same trip at the Kaiser Permanente farmers market. Irvine Kaiser Permanente, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays, healthy.kaiserpermanente.org.
2. Native plant hike
Learn about the seasonal life of California native plants with Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer naturalists on this 2.5-mile hike (175-foot elevation gain). Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 8:30-10 a.m. Dec. 7, letsgooutside.org.
3. ‘The Elephant Man’
Enjoy Irvine Valley College’s production of “The Elephant Man.” In 1880s London, John Merrick evolves from an object of pity to an urbane gentleman, desperate to be recognized as a man like any other. Irvine Valley College, starting Dec. 8, ivc.edu/pac.
4. Bommer Canyon
Bommer Canyon, known for ancient oak and sycamore groves and rough rock outcroppings, will be open for self-guided hiking and biking. Registration is required for this event. Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 9, letsgooutside.org.
5. ‘The Nutcracker’
Create holiday memories for your family by sharing the magic of Festival Ballet Theatre’s production of “The Nutcracker,” featuring colorful scenery and dazzling costumes, which make this age-old tradition sparkle like new. Irvine Barclay Theatre, Dec. 10-24, thebarclay.org.
6. Art exhibit
Explore what it means to change from one form to another at the ongoing “Dissolve” exhibit. Selected painting, photography, sculpture, installation and video demonstrate how changes impact viewers’ perceptions. UCI University Art Gallery, noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday through Dec. 10, imca.uci.edu.
7. Max Amini
Max Amini is back on the road with a new comedy set. Known for his hilarious impressions, Amini has made over 50 appearances in film and TV, ranging from NBC’s “Heroes” to Comedy Central. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 8 p.m. Dec. 16, thebarclay.org.
8. Canadian Brass
Celebrate the holidays with the internationally renowned Canadian Brass performing seasonal favorites, holiday classics and brass standards. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 8 p.m. Dec. 19, thebarclay.org.
9. Standup comedy
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, the star and executive producer of the Netflix comedy series “Mr. Iglesias,” will make a stop in Irvine. He is one of the most-watched comedians on YouTube with almost a billion views. Irvine Improv, Dec. 25, improv.com/irvine.
10. Great Park Gallery
The “Beyond the Decorative” exhibit surveys how contemporary artists are redefining decorative techniques through painting, photography, video, sculpture, textile design and wallpapers. Great Park, noon-4 p.m. Thur./Fri. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat./Sun. through Dec. 31, 949-724-6247, cityofirvine.org/great-park/exhibitions.
