by Noella Noelophile®
(Graphic courtesy of GLIDE, and used with permission.)
GLIDE’s Annual Holiday Jam, in San Francisco, could easily be described as “effervescent”.
Every November, GLIDE assembles top musical talent and “everyday heroes” (as their press release says) for an unforgettable evening. Great music and a giving spirit combine in this beloved Bay Area tradition, which benefits GLIDE’s life-changing programs, including meals, housing, and services for women and families, year-round.
And this year there will be a little extra sparkle.
Three-time Grammy Award winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and multiple lifetime achievement award honoree Patti LaBelle will be headlining the 2026 GLIDE Holiday Jam: Turn It Up and Turn It Out!
(Photograph courtesy of Whitney Thomas, and used with permission.)
Welcoming a legend
Personally, I love her performances on “The Dude”, with Quincy Jones, best. (“Razzmatazz” is a song to make anyone smile!) But with sales of more than 50 million records and a career spanning more than six decades, the “Godmother of Soul” gives her audiences innumerable opportunities for joy and inspiration through her music.
“It has long been a dream to welcome Patti LaBelle to the GLIDE Holiday Jam stage,” said Gina Fromer, President and CEO of GLIDE, in a recent press release.
“Music has the power to bring people together, inspire hope, and remind us of our shared humanity. Every year, the Holiday Jam harnesses that power to support GLIDE’s work serving our neighbors experiencing poverty, homelessness, and crisis. We are honored to celebrate this tradition with an artist whose voice and spirit have touched generations.”
And as the GLIDE Holiday Jam returns to The Warfield on Thursday evening, November 5th, numerous other featured stars will be shining brightly, as well.
(Photo courtesy of GLIDE, and used with permission.)
A luminous program
“I create music that gives people space to feel,” says powerhouse vocalist Destani Wolf, on her website.
Destani has a distinctive Cali-soul sound, shaped by influences ranging from classic soul and Latin music. Her career began when she performed at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall, at the age of 15. Today, she has recorded more than 40 albums, and has toured internationally as lead vocalist for Cirque du Soleil’s BAZZAR. Her exceptional vocal range and authentic songwriting give her a genre-defying sound.
Meanwhile, Son de Fandango, a traditional music group from Veracruz, Mexico, is likely to get everyone clapping along.
Formed in the Bay Area by Claudio Vega and Lolis García, they celebrate Mexican culture through music, dance and community. Their performances energetically blend rural and urban influences in the vibrant Son Jarocho tradition.
(Photo courtesy of Alain McLaughlin, and used with permission.)
And the legendary GLIDE Ensemble and The Change Band, led by Zoe Ellis, is celebrating a milestone.
2026 marks their sixtieth anniversary!
On Christmas Day, 1966, the group began with just ten singers and jazz legend John Handy. Since then, they’ve grown to include more than 100 voices and eight musicians, and have performed with artists including Sammy Davis Jr., Leonard Bernstein, Marvin Gaye, Bono, Bobby McFerrin, Maya Angelou, Michael Franti, and Joan Baez.
(Photograph courtesy of GLIDE, and used with permission.)
Honors and hope through community
The 2026 GLIDE Holiday Jam continues a more-than-40-year tradition of bringing together acclaimed artists, community leaders and supporters for an unforgettable event which raises critical funds for GLIDE’s mission of unconditional love, radical inclusion, and social justice.
Doors open at 5:30 pm on the 5th, for the reception. The program, which will be emceed by ABC7 anchor Kristen Sze, begins at 6:45 pm.
And the program will include a special award.
GLIDE has chosen Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi as the recipient of the second annual Lizzie Glide Spirit Award, for her lifelong dedication to human rights, LGBTQ rights, and access to affordable healthcare. .
This award, named for the founder of Glide Church, honors individuals who carry forth the spirit of inclusion and equity with which Lizzie Glide established Glide Church in 1929. Her vision: to create a place of social justice, education and spiritual care for women, children and marginalized individuals. The inaugural Lizzie Glide Spirit Award was presented to folk icon and activist Joan Baez, in 2025.
(Photo courtesy of GLIDE Holiday Jam.)
How to be a part of this community
As mentioned in previous posts, while the GLIDE Holiday Jam is an unforgettable evening, it’s also a great cause.
Proceeds support GLIDE’s comprehensive programs and services, year-round. That translates to pathways out of poverty, meals, housing support, healthcare, recovery services, and advocacy for thousands of individuals and families.
Tickets are currently on sale, at this link.
Individual tickets are available for $125 and $550 (plus applicable fees). Sponsorship opportunities begin at $2,000.
And please note the earlier date for this year’s GLIDE Holiday Jam: the first Thursday in November.
If your schedule is busy as we approach the Christmas season, you might like to join the Glide Memorial Church mailing list, or follow GLIDE on social media for updates and reminders. You’ll find information on both on the Church’s website.