# Sensory-Friendly Nutcracker Matinees — Golden State Ballet at the San Diego Civic Theatre

> Event for families in the San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad area (CA). Times are Pacific Time.

- When: Sat, Dec 19 (+2 more dates) · 2:00 PM
- Where: San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
- Ages: Recommended ages 3 and up; for young children and individuals with sensory sensitivities
- Price: Reduced-rate tickets (price not printed on the ballet's page)
- For kids with sensory or other needs: Sensory-friendly. Sensory-friendly: recorded orchestral music at reduced volume instead of the live Symphony, softened production elements and a more flexible, relaxed audience environment. Tickets through the Golden State Ballet box office or Ticketmaster; no refunds or exchanges.
- Organizer: Golden State Ballet
- Official page: https://32296.danceticketing.com/sg/1251/the-nutcracker/
- Last checked: Tue, Oct 27

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 2, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-01), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/san-diego/activities/sensory-friendly-nutcracker-matinees-golden-state-ballet-at-the-san-di--listing-703c59fc92ea46b8865e3a92

## About

Golden State Ballet sets aside three matinees of its Civic Theatre Nutcracker as Family- and Sensory-Friendly performances for young children and anyone who does better in a relaxed theater. The full production keeps Artistic Director Raúl Salamanca's choreography, scenery and costumes, following Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to Tchaikovsky's score, but at these shows the San Diego Symphony does not play live: the orchestral music is a recording played at a reduced volume. Production elements are softened and the house rules are more flexible, so children can move, react or step out without stress. The ballet runs 2 hours 10 minutes with one intermission and is recommended for ages 3 and up. These performances are sold at a reduced rate through the ballet's box office or Ticketmaster; Nutcracker tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged, so check the date before buying. The regular evening and weekend performances, with the Symphony playing live, run December 17–23.

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