Overview: Hillcrest for the holidays
This neighborhood is special and is one of the few places that so many people who have never lived here call home. Hillcrest is the most welcoming place in San Diego, rooted in the LGBTQ+ community.
Hillcrest is always a fun place to be during the holiday season.
It features festive traditions like the Mama’s Kitchen World AIDS Day Tree Lighting, Hillcrest Taste ‘N Tinis, Shop Hillcrest for the Holidays, and over-the-top decor at many of our neighborhood bars and restaurants.
And to add to all of that, this year the popular Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails will host an extra-festive edition on Saturday, Dec. 6, and everyone is welcome to participate.
Not only will participants volunteer their time to pick up litter and work on several other beautification projects around the neighborhood, but Hillcrest’s “biggest Christmas card photo ever” will be taken at the start of the event, with all participants receiving printed copies of the photo at the conclusion of the day’s activities.
Everyone is invited to join the holiday card photo under the Hillcrest sign, whether or not they stay for the cleanup and other festive activities.
Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails was envisioned by Rick Cervantes and me in late 2023 after hosting neighborhood litter cleanups for many years and needing to find a “spark” to get more people involved. A friend visiting San Francisco sent us a photo of a flyer she saw on a light pole, advertising an event called “Castro Cocktails & Cleanup,” which gave us an idea.
We had always hosted informal gatherings at local bars or restaurants following our cleanups, but thought that an event called “Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails,” with a formalized official “afterparty” would do the trick. (You may have noticed we reversed the order of the name. The San Francisco event is called “Cocktails & Cleanup,” and we figured it was likely best to have the cocktails after we cleaned up the neighborhood.)
With the power of Rick’s @hillcrestsandiego Instagram account, we have been able to reach a wide audience and promote the event, driving participation.
Hillcrest Holiday Party
And what a success Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails has become!
It has been hosted quarterly since January 2024, and the Dec. 6, 2025, event will mark the eighth edition.
Each event has had at least 100 participants, with our largest turnout being 176 volunteers signing in. We have engaged nearly 1,000 unique individuals in Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails, who have come from all over San Diego County, to help make Hillcrest a better place.
After years of organizing neighborhood litter cleanups, we never imagined that so many people would be excited about getting up on a Saturday morning to join us at 8:30 a.m. (I’m sure the promise of a free drink and bites after the cleanup has helped.)
The concept of Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails is simple: volunteers gather starting at 8:30 a.m. on the northwest corner of 5th and University, directly underneath the Hillcrest sign, and enjoy refreshments courtesy of Sunnyboy Biscuit Company. Cleanup supplies are also available as participants arrive.
Just before 9 a.m., there are safety announcements and community updates, then the entire group (safely) heads into the intersection underneath the sign and, in 30 seconds or less, takes one of our now-famous group photos.
After that, participants are free to fan out alone or in groups of their own choosing to clean up litter and, occasionally, work on other pre-organized projects.
Around 10:45 a.m., volunteers begin to wrap up their cleanup efforts and return their garbage bags to the check-in site, which are collected by the Hillcrest Business Association’s Clean & Safe staff.
Participants who give at least an hour of their time are given a wristband which entitles them to one free drink of their choice at Urban Mo’s, light bites provided by Mo’s, and a fun after-party.
At this special edition of Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails, participants are encouraged to wear Santa hats, festive onesies, or holiday costumes (that they don’t mind possibly getting a little dirty) so that we can bring festive cheer to the neighborhood while cleaning up. A limited supply of Santa hats will be available for volunteers who would like one.
Before volunteers head out for their cleanup efforts, we will gather as usual under the Hillcrest for our group photo, which this time we will call “Hillcrest’s biggest holiday card photo ever,” and while volunteers are out cleaning the neighborhood, the photo will be printed onto a nice holiday card style print, and everyone will receive a copy during the “Cocktails” portion at Urban Mo’s.
Everyone is welcome to participate, and we’d love to have you there, whether you just want to join in the photo or take part in cleaning and cocktails.
To RSVP or for more information, please visit bit.ly/SantaCleanup. Hope to see you there!
What makes Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails special is that it is less about cleaning up litter and more about building community in Hillcrest.
This neighborhood is special; so many people who have never lived here consider it to be home. Hillcrest is one of the most welcoming places in San Diego, with an ethos rooted in the LGBTQ+ community.
Many people attend Cleanup & Cocktails specifically to meet new friends or neighbors and establish a connection to the community. Nearly 50% of our volunteers over the last two years have come from all sorts of places between San Ysidro and Oceanside.
I have heard many stories of friendships that blossomed at Urban Mo’s following the cleanup, of people who were nervous about coming alone but left excited for the next one, and those who had never volunteered or participated in any community activities before and had a blast.
As Hillcrest continues to grow and change, it’s more important than ever that we continue to host activities like this that are inclusive of all and embody the fun dynamic that the neighborhood is all about.
The @hillcrestsandiego Instagram account and the Kiwanis Club of Hillcrest All-Inclusive will host the annual Hillcrest Community Holiday Onesie Party & Sock Drive on Thursday, Dec. 11, from 6-8:30 p.m. at Uptown Tavern, and you’re invited.
The purpose of the event is to bring all of our neighbors together for a festive holiday affair and do something good for those in need.
Partygoers are encouraged to dress in a festive holiday onesie (though they are not required!) and join in for an evening of hosted appetizers, drink specials, and Hillcrest holiday cheer. Those who are able to donate new, unused socks of any size or type to benefit our unhoused neighbors are also encouraged to bring them.
There is no charge to attend, no agenda, just a lot of fun with neighbors and people who love Hillcrest.
Stop by if you can.
Kiwanis Club of Hillcrest All-Inclusive update
The Kiwanis Club of Hillcrest All-Inclusive began its most recent administrative year on Oct. 1, with a new board of directors taking office to lead the organization.
After serving for two years as president and two years as president-elect, I have officially become the “immediate past president” of the club, and Rick Cervantes has taken on the reins of president, serving through Sept. 2027.
The club has grown substantially over the last four years – becoming one of the largest chapters in California – so Rick’s major goal is to ensure the sustainability of the club for years to come by implementing processes and procedures that will enable the club to remain stable and able to focus on its mission of service to the community.
Along with Rick, the officer team is rounded out by Edgard Portela as vice president, Katherine Dextraze as secretary, and Mayra Piña, who is serving a second term as treasurer. The board directors are Mike Bacon, Lenny Bolton, Melissa de Leon, Gil Loredo, and Anna Rauh-Krueger.
Club meetings resume after the holiday break on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, 6:30-8 p.m. at Uptown Tavern, and are held every second and fourth Thursday of the month.
More information can be found on the club’s Instagram page, @kiwanishillcrest.
Have a wonderful holiday season, and I can’t wait to see you around town at one of the many festive gatherings in the neighborhood.
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