Winter Walk draws big crowds as Union Square becomes holiday promenade

Holiday crowds return to Union Square as Winter Walk opens

Crowds filled Union Square for the launch of Winter Walk, turning Stockton Street into a holiday promenade through Christmas Eve.

SAN FRANCISCO - Large crowds packed Union Square on Saturday as for the kickoff of Winter Walk, a 12-day holiday celebration that transforms a stretch of Stockton Street into a pedestrian-only promenade filled with music, food and small businesses.

Two blocks of Stockton Street were closed to vehicle traffic and opened to pedestrians, drawing residents and visitors throughout the day for live entertainment, food trucks and a holiday marketplace. 

The kickoff coincided with SantaCon, adding to the already festive atmosphere and big crowds.

What they're saying:

Union Square Alliance CEO Marisa Rodriguez, who co-hosted the event, pushed back on the idea that holiday shoppers had abandoned the area. 

"Someone was saying Santa didn’t want to come to Union Square, are you kidding?" Rodriguez said.

Former Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli also co-hosted the opening celebration, saying the event highlights the city’s ability to bring people together. 

"There’s Santas everywhere. I just love being a part of this," Ezeli said. "Obviously sports brings people together, but there’s nothing like the holidays to bringing people together, making them feel joyful."

Mayor Daniel Lurie attended the kickoff and credited public safety improvements for the increased foot traffic. 

"I actually just talked to a shop owner who came up to me just now and said thank you, our customers feel so much safer right now than they have in years," Lurie said. "So I want to shout out our SFPD. I want to shout out our district attorney as well."

Lurie said crime is down 30 percent citywide, car break-ins have dropped 44 percent, and San Francisco is on track to end the year with its lowest homicide rate since the 1950s.

Local perspective:

Visitors said they are noticing the difference. 

"It got pretty bleak here for a while," said Carol Shoemaker of San Jose. "Not really scary, but it was like maybe we don’t want to come up there, and now it feels a lot more comfortable."

Lorissa Ashurst, who was visiting from Texas, said she follows the city closely. 

"I follow the news, I follow the excellent mayor, and I think it’s just wonderful," she said. "I just love that everybody comes together."

Sponsors for this year’s Winter Walk include JPMorgan Chase, Amazon, and Gap Inc., which presented the holiday marketplace for the first time. 

Local business Kekoa Creative reported strong sales during the opening day.

"I had a really great day today," said co-owner Oliver Cheong. "My husband actually ran home to make more body butters because there’s been so much support from the community."

Winter Walk runs daily through Christmas Eve in Union Square.