SAN FRANCISCO - The holiday season officially arrived in Union Square on Wednesday, as crowds gathered for the opening of San Francisco ’s iconic outdoor ice rink, a longtime city tradition now in its 18th year.

"When we started loading in the other day, people started poking their heads in and going, 'Oh, the chiller’s out on the streets again, they’re coming,’" said Robert Keith, director of rink operations. "Look around, there are people with shopping bags, full bellies, people from all over the world coming into San Francisco again."

That growing foot traffic comes as several new pop-up shops and businesses open in Union Square through the city’s Vacant to Vibrant program, designed to bring new life to underused downtown spaces.

Among them, Dandelion Chocolate, which recently op

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