COMMUNITY EVENTS/FESTIVALS
Now-Dec 21 - Free Carriage Rides! City Center at Oyster Point, Fri and Sat, 6 - 8:00 pm, Sun 12 - 3:00 pm, City Center at Oyster Point, Newport News. Come celebrate the enchanting holiday season at City Center! Shop for your perfect holiday gifts in the unique and elegant stores while enjoying the holiday sounds of outdoor performances from carolers and musicians on Market Stage. Looking for a shopping break? Enjoy a magical Carriage Ride around the fountain complete with cookies and hot chocolate from Aromas to satisfy your sweet tooth! Carriage rides, cookies & cocoa, music at Market Stage and parking all free! Carriage Rides and Cookies & Cocoa from Aromas.
Now-Dec 21 - Christmas Tree & Wreath Sale, Nimmo United Methodist Church, 10:00 am - 8:00 pm, 2200 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach. All proceeds benefit programs at the church. 427-1765
Now-Dec 23 - Polar Express at Illumination Station, Mon-Thu 4:30 & 5:15 pm, the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Azalea Garden Rd, Norfolk. Bring your family and friends to Norfolk Botanical Garden’s most popular holiday event! Guests of all ages will enjoy exploring Illumination Station inside the Visitor’s Center where they can enjoy hot chocolate, create a keepsake holiday craft, listen to a beloved children’s story, and explore the festive decor for picture perfect photo ops or holiday shopping in the gift shop before boarding the Polar Express for a tram ride through the Dominion Garden of Lights display. This event is a holiday tradition for many families, so book early before it sells out! Ticket Prices (ages 24 months+) : $12 per person/$10 for NBG Members* Limit 6 tickets at membership rate per NBG member.
Now-Dec 23 - "Priority Automotive Home for the Holidays Adoption Event", Chesapeake Animal Services, (closed on Wed’s), 2100 S. Military Hwy., Chesapeake. During this event all dog and cat adoptions will be half price! This means dogs will be $47.50 and cats will be $37.50. All adoptions include vaccinations, spay or neuter, microchip and registration. Make the holidays special by adding a new member to your family. Adoption of a pet is the only love money can buy! For more information, contact Chesapeake Animal Services at 382-8081.
Now-Dec 31 - Winter Wonderland at Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, Fri/Sat 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Sun 11:00 am - 5:00 pm, Corner of High & Court St, Portsmouth. Join us for the 10th season of Winter Wonderland at the Portsmouth Art and Cultural Center, with holiday displays from the popular Coleman Nursery Collection that became a tradition for families from across the region. Open special holiday hours. Save up to $4 with a Holiday Pass - $12 gets you one admission to each of the Portsmouth Museums: the Children’s Museum of Virginia, Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum. 393-8543
Now-Dec 31 - Dominion Garden of Lights, Norfolk Botanical Gardens, 5:30 - 10:00 pm nightly. Don’t miss Hampton Road’s favorite holiday tradition. Bring your family and friends to our 20th annual light show extravaganza for a magical holiday experience. During this event, our garden is transformed into a winter wonderland where you can enjoy a 2-mile drive through a million sparkling lights bringing the four seasons to life. $20 Per Car (Friday, Saturday & Sunday), BEST VALUE: $15 Per Car (Monday - Thursday) /http://norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/events/dominion-garden-lights-2014-2014-11-27/
Now-Dec 31 - Antebellum Holidays, Lee Hall Mansion, 163 Yorktown Road, Newport News. Guests step back in time to enjoy the elegance of a mid-nineteenth century Christmas. Period decorations enhance the historic interiors and illustrate how Richard Lee and his family celebrated the holidays in the years before the Civil War. Guided tours are offered. Regular hours and admission rates apply. 757-888-3371
Now-Dec 31 - Christmas at Endview Plantation, 362 Yorktown Road, Newport News. Greenery and period decorations brighten the house for the 1861 holidays. Learn about the families and local history that surround this historic plantation home. Included with regular admission. 757-887-1862
Now-Dec 31 - Horizon Flight Center Holiday Lights Tour, Chesapeake Regional Airport, Tours begin at 5:00 PM each evening, 2800 Airport Drive, Chesapeake. running through December 31, Horizon Flight Center is offering its Holiday Lights Tour. Your flight will begin at Chesapeake Regional Airport and pass you over the grand illuminations of Olde Towne Portsmouth and downtown Norfolk to follow up the Elizabeth River for a fly-by of the naval station’s ship lights. The tour continues by Norfolk’s Botanical Gardens around Cape Henry with a final turn into the glistening Virginia Beach boardwalk. Hot chocolate awaits you when you land and a photo will be snapped to share your holiday flight tour memories. Horizon’s Holiday Lights Tours will be flown in one of our Cessna 172/G1000 - N9530H, N604TT or N1407D for a luminous avionics experience! Up to 3 passengers are welcome per flight (please note total occupancy is based on individual weight maximums). All tours must be reserved in advance. Space is limited! Call to book your tour today! Admission: $249 per tour, (757) 421-9000 / http://horizonflightcenter.com/links/holiday-lights-tour/
Now-Jan 1 - Newport News Celebration in Lights, Newport News Park, 13560 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News. Virginia’s first drive-through holiday light event, Newport News Park will be transformed by over 800,000 individual lights creating animated holiday and fanciful scenes. This year’s event will feature more “light tubes” which create the effect of falling snow, more lighted arches, and the refurbishment of displays with energy efficient LED bulbs. The event will be open each evening, 5:30 - 10:00 p.m. through New Year’s.
Now-Jan 4 - A Colonial Christmas, Yorktown Victory Center, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, 200 Water Street, Yorktown. Holiday traditions of 17th- and 18th-century Virginia are recalled through special interpretive programs and, from December 26 through 31, musical entertainment of the period. At the Yorktown Victory Center, hear accounts of Christmas and winter in Revolutionary War encampments and glimpse holiday preparations on a 1780s farm. $. Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Call 757.253.4838
Now-Jan 4 - McDonald’s Holiday Lights at the Beach, Wed/Thu 5:30 - 10:00 pm, Fri-Dec 4 4:30 - 11:00 pm, Virginia Beach Oceanfront, enter at 2nd Street.
Now-Jan 4 - Hampton Carousel open for holidays, 1:00 - 8:00 pm (closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day), 602 Settlers Landing Rd., Hampton. Ride Hampton’s restored 1920 merry-go-round this holiday season. One of only 200 antique carousels still in the United States, the Hampton Carousel is a rare and beautiful example of American folk art. ride for $2, or free ticket with purchase of $15 of merchandise at a downtown store
Now-Jan 6 - "Artfully Done: Gifts for All Seasons", Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, Tue-Sat 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, 110 West Finney Avenue, Suffolk. Be sure to visit our “Artfully Done” gallery exhibition to see what our very talented regional artists have produced. Most items in the exhibition are for sale, so you can purchase handmade gifts just in time for the holidays. 757.923.2900 / www.SuffolkCenter.org
Now-Jan 19 - MacArthur on Ice: Outdoor Ice Skating In Downtown Norfolk. There’s only one place to skate outdoors during the holidays at MacArthur Center, where you’ll always find something special. Bring the family, bring your friends and enjoy the best skating extravaganza Norfolk’s ever seen. The outdoor ice rink is located at the corner of Monticello Avenue and Freemason Street, across the street from The Norva.http://www.shopmacarthur.com/maconice
Now-Jan 20 - Winter Extravaganza Carnival, MacArthur Center, Downtown Norfolk. Enjoy our outdoor Winter Carnival featuring nine family-friendly rides. Located outside next to MacArthur On Ice, the Winter Carnival will be open Thursday through Sunday until the kids are out of school, at which time it will be open seven days a week. The cost is $1.25 for a single ticket, $25 for 25 tickets or $40 for 50 tickets. Rides include: 55-foot-tall, LED-lit Ferris Wheel, 20-foot-tall Fun Slide, Tilt-a-Whirl, Spinning Monkeys, Helicopters, Red Baron Airplanes, Rio Grande Train, Spinning Tea Cups, Ocean Rage.
Now-Feb 2 - Oceanfront Ice Park, Rudee Loop, Virginia Beach. Ice skate at the Oceanfront to holiday tunes and a sea breeze. The Ice Park will provide a full array of events and activities highlighted by special demonstrations and a holiday themed carnival area for the kids! Admission to the Ice Park is $12 for individuals and $45 for families (up to 5 people) and includes rental skates and unlimited skating for the evening. Skating is open to everyone age 4 and up! Military discount tickets are available at all local base Information, Ticket & Tour Offices (ITT).
All Week - 'Holt Family Lights', Mon-Thu & Sun: 5:15 - 10:00 pm; Fri & Sat: 5:15 - 10:30 pm, 900 Teakwood Court, Chesapeake. Enjoy this annual Christmas display at the home of Allen and Cattina Holt. Featuring new lights, new characters, new elements, and new surprises. With more than 35,000 lights, 40 inflatables, 5 wireframes, 9 controllers, and 144 channels, this display is sure to get you in the holiday spirit! Open rain or snow if possible. Come see Elmo, Santa, Buddy the Elf and Frosty the Snowman.https://www.facebook.com/pages/Holt-Family-Lights/163705990330762?sk=timeline
Tue-Sun - 'Christmas in Yorktown' Exhibit at the Gallery at York Hall, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Sun 1 to 4:00 pm, 301 Main Street, Yorktown. Come and enjoy the best of the best of local artist around our area. There will be a mix of local and Christmas holiday art pieces at the Gallery at York Hall. You can relish in our revolving exhibit of fine art in all media by local artists for display and sale.
Wed-Sat - Bruce Munro: Light at the Hermitage, 4 - 9:00 pm, The Hermitage Museum and Gardens, 7637 North Shore Road, Norfolk. Munro conveys his love of experimentation through flickering fluorescent tubes, LED-lit water bottles, Fresnel lenses reminiscent of owl’s eyes, and an inventive reuse of materials. During the exhibit, visitors will wander the Hermitage forest, gardens, boardwalk, and the shoreline of the Lafayette River as they are guided by Munro’s interactive displays. The museum will also house two pieces, a prototype of a building Munro hopes to create and a permanent suspended artwork in the front foyer. $15 Non-Members, $12 Members, Children (6-12), and Active-Duty Military.
Wed-Fri - Christmas in the Country, Triple R Ranch, weekly Wed -Fri 6 - 9:00 pm, through Dec 19, 3531 Bunch Walnut Road, Chesapeake. Every December we decorate Triple R with lights to celebrate, inviting the Hampton Roads community to enjoy the holiday season with us. Our annual tradition continues this year with more nights added. Live Nativity, Hayrides, Pony Rides, Rock Climbing wall, Cookie Decorating for the kids, Campfire with Marshmallows, Create a Leather Craft*, Music, Food*, (* Leather Craft and Food for purchase). The week day evenings are FREE and open to the public. (757) 421-4177 / http://www.triplerranch.org/
Thu, Dec 11 - Emerson’s Cigars 9th Annual Open House, Peninsula Town Center, 12 - 8:00 pm, 4410 East Claiborne Square, Hampton. Stop by for our 9th Annual Open House and meet representatives from Altadis, Ashton, Davidoff, Drew Estate, General Cigar and Xikar! There will be plenty of great deals and specials with raffles throughout the day!
Thu, Dec 11 - Hermitage Museum & Gardens Members’ Holiday Party, 6 - 8:00 pm, 7637 North Shore Road, Norfolk. All Hermitage members are invited to celebrate with us. It’s been a fantastic year and we are thankful for your support! Purchase a Bruce Munro: Light ticket at the Member price of $12 on Thursday, December 11th and receive a wristband to enjoy hors d’oeuvres, music, and complimentary drink tickets. More details to come soon.
Thu/Fri, Dec 11/12 - Santa’s Attic Craft Show, Hampton City Hall, Thu 12- 5:00 pm, Fri 10 - 6:00 pm, Downtown Hampton. Santa’s Attic provides a wonderful opportunity for area crafters to showcase their talents while affording the public an array of original, handmade items perfect for that one-of-a-kind holiday gift. 757-727-8311
Thu/Fri, Dec 11/12 - Holiday Train Display, Tidewater Big Train Operators Club, Avalon Church of Christ, Thu/Fri 6 - 8:30 pm, Sat 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, 844 Woodstock Road, Kempsville, Virginia Beach. Amazing train layouts, raffles, snacks, FREE. tbto.org
Fri, Dec 12 - Veterans Bridge Dedication Ceremony, the new Dominion Boulevard bridge, 10:30 am, Dominion Boulevard at Dominion Lakes Blvd, Chesapeake. Please join us for the dedication of the Veterans Bridge, the new Dominion Boulevard bridge over the Elizabeth River! The ceremony will be held on Friday, December 12 at 10:30 a.m. on the new bridge span, rain or shine. Contact Elizabeth Vaughn: 757-382-6983
Fri, Dec 12 - "55 and Better" Holiday Luncheon, River Crest Community Center, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm, 1001 River Walk Parkway, Chesapeake. Come celebrate the holiday season with us! Enjoy a catered lunch and musical entertainment. A special guest will stop by to help spread some cheer. Sponsored in part by Planet Chiropractic. $8. Register Online atwww.CityofChesapeake.net/55andbetter Info: Kela Cowan-Gant, CTRS, 757-382-1333
Fri, Dec 12 - Chesapeake Police Department Blood Drive, 12:00 - 6:00 pm, Greenbrier Mall (lower level Sears wing), 1401 Greenbrier Pkwy, Chesapeake. The Police Department is sponsoring a Blood Drive on Friday, December 12 from 12:00 Noon until 6:00 p.m. at Greenbrier Mall (lower level Sears wing across from the old Jillian’s). Please consider donating as we want to show citywide of support our blood drive. Appointment can be set between 12 and 6 p.m. in 15 minute intervals. Walk-Ins are welcome, but, if you can schedule a time, please email Greg Staylor at gstaylor@cityofchesapeake.net and he can schedule it for you. Please consider having family and friends come with you to donate as well. You can also schedule yourself at onhttps://esiebelarecprod.redcrossblood.com/eevents_enu/start.swe?SWECmd=GotoView&SWEView=ARC+City+State+Blank+Results+View+Clone&SWEHo=esiebelarecprod.redcrossblood.com&SWEApplet0=ARC+BDC+Upcoming+Drives+Applet+Clone&SWERowId0=1-20E0QND
Fri, Dec 12 - West Ghent/Chelsea Winter Solstice Holiday Open House, 5 - 9:00 pm, Chelsea Business District, near Redgate Ave. and Orapax St., Norfolk. Everyone is welcome to enjoy complimentary Holiday Refreshments at each location (including food trucks, roasting marshmallows, funnel cakes, a beer garden, & more), a Neighborhood Jam Session (acoustic, electric, improv, stories, fun-all welcome), Entertainment at each location (including musical performances, pony rides, a Krampus celebration, an art exhibition, a moonwalk, prizes, & more), and Unique Holiday Gift Ideas at each location. The event will happen in Chelsea from Redgate Avenue to Olney Road and from Claremont Street to Orapax Street and will take place inside and outside of The Muse Writers Center, The New Leaf, Lacey Lee Fitness, Princess Anne Estates, Smart Mouth Brewing Company, The Bakehouse at Chelsea, Otzi Tattoo Agency, The Big Yellow House at Boissevain, Acclaimed Events, The Birch Bar, Tortilla West, and others. For more information about the celebration, including a listing of specific happenings at specific locations, please visit www.The-Muse.org/Holiday or call 757-818-9880.
Fri, Dec 12 - Town of Smithfield Christmas Tree Lighting, 5:30 pm, Smithfield Center, 220 North Church Street, Smithfield. Sponsored by the women’s Club of Smithfield, featuring free, light refreshments, cookies and drinks, Christmas Music and singing. For further information call (757) 357-2806.
Fri, Dec 12 - Family Gingerbread House Workshop, Children’s Museum of Virginia, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, 221 High Street, Olde Towne Portsmouth. Get everyone in the holiday spirit and bring your family and imagination to a gingerbread workshop, sponsored by the Portsmouth Museum Foundation. Leave all the hassle and mess to us, while you relax and enjoy creating this holiday treat with your family. Each workshop will last approximately one hour and a half. Families will be given all the materials needed to make their own one of a kind holiday creation. $20.00 member families; $45 non-member families (nonmember price includes admission to the Children’s Museum for 4 people). Families may purchase additional houses for $15.
Fri/Sat, Dec 12/13 - "Load the Truck" Food Drive for the Isle of Wight Christian Outreach Program’s Food Pantry, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm, Smithfield Auto Truck Center, 928 S. Church Street, Smithfield. Drop off food items (and monetary donations) before the Evening Market, tree lighting or the Parade. Sponsored by Dominion Power, Smithfield Auto Truck Center and Ringo’s Donuts. You won’t even have to get out of your vehicle! For further information call (757) 365-2007.
Fri/Sat, Dec 12/13 - Historic Olde Towne Holiday Home Tour, Fri 5 - 9:00 pm, Sat 2 - 8:00 pm, Olde Towne Portsmouth. Experience the grandeur of a Victorian Christmas as you tour seven lavishly decorated homes in historic Old Towne and sip on hot cider. Houses confirmed for the tour include: 106 London Street, 221 North Street - Hill House, 339 Court Street, 340 court Street, 329 Court, 497 North, 506 Hampton Place. For more information, please call 757-305-7741 or 757-235-2608. http://www.otcl.org/Events.html
Fri/Sat, Dec 12/13 - Snow Wonders! Snow and Light Shows at the Children’s Museum of Virginia, 5:30 - 7:30 pm, 221 High Street, Olde Towne Portsmouth. Bring the kids down to the Children’s Museum of Virginia and stay for a musical light show accompanied by snow! Shows run every half hour from 5:30 to 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday evenings. Let it Snow! Planetarium show - Noon, 3 PM, 6 PM and 7PM - This show features a new variety of festive classics from Sinatra and Chuck Berry to Burl Ives and Brenda Lee. There is a stunning multi-media finale by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Fri/Sat, Dec 12/13 - Home for Christmas Show, Military Aviation Museum, 6:00 pm, 1341 Princess Anne Road, Pungo, Virginia Beach. Free musical celebration of Christmas with performances by Guava Jam, Letha Holland-Deel and Meghan Shanley. 721-7767 / guavajamchristmas.org
Fri-Sun, Dec 12-14 - Winter Wonderland Weekend activities, Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, Corner of High & Court St, Portsmouth. Face Painting, Airbrush Holiday Cards, Cookie Decorating, Candle Making, Chocolate Dipping, and Arctic Express: A Magical Train Tour of Winter Festivals Around the World. See the web site for days and times:http://www.portsvaevents.com/december_2014.html
Fri-Sun, Dec 12-14 - Dickens’s Christmas Towne, Half Moone Celebration Center (lower level), Fri/Sat 10:00 am - 8:00 pm, Sun Noon - 6:00 pm. Nauticus and the Virginia Stage Company have joined together to create a new, unique holiday tradition for families throughout the region. DICKENS’ CHRISTMAS TOWNE is an interactive holiday experience on the Downtown Norfolk waterfront. Cobblestone paths and candlelit windows, the smell of freshly-baked treats and the sound of carolers. Just as visitors in Williamsburg encounter colonial townspeople, guests strolling down London’s Drury Lane will bump into Bob Cratchit, his young son Tiny Tim, and other characters from the play. A “prize turkey” hangs in the window of the Poulterer’s on the corner. In the Town Square, visitors perch on crates, drink hot chocolate, and enjoy actors performing Victorian street scenes every hour. We’ll watch Ebenezer Scrooge learn the true meaning of Christmas. Meanwhile, London shop owners sell cider and scones, ornaments, children’s books, toy trains and teddy bears. An amazing model train display will wind through 20-foot-high set pieces. Children will actually be encouraged to “play in the streets” as they look for hidden clues and learn more about holiday traditions. And as the journey through this Victorian Christmas comes to an end, children have the opportunity to get their picture taken with Father Christmas, clad in period clothing. $5 Adults, $4 Children ( 4-12 ), Ages 3 & under FREE.
Fri-Sun, Dec 12-14 - Olde Towne Santa at Winter Wonderland, Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, Fri 5 - 8:00 pm, Sat 3 - 8:00 pm, Sun 1 - 5:00 pm, Corner of High & Court St, Portsmouth.
Sat, Dec 13 - 20th Annual Santa Claus Shuffle 5K Race and 1 Mile Fun Run, 7:00 am, Olde Towne Portsmouth. This family friendly, fun event is sure to boost your holiday spirits as you participate with crowds of costumed runners through the beautiful streets of Olde Towne. Race begins at nTelos Wireless Pavilion. For more information please call 757-488-9161 or visithttp://santaclausshuffle.org.
Sat, Dec 13 - Breakfast with Santa at MacArthur Center, California Pizza Kitchen, 8:30 - 9:00 am, Monticello Avenue, Downtown Norfolk. Santa starts his day with a good breakfast and kids are invited to join him at California Pizza Kitchen. Guests can talk with Santa and enjoy their favorite breakfast and a jolly good time. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Prices are $7 for kids and $8 for adults and include your choice of breakfast pizza or pancakes plus fruit, juice and coffee. Call 757-314-4402 or register online at www.shopmacarthur.com/santabreakfast.
Sat, Dec 13 - Smithfield Kiwanis Breakfast with Santa, 8 until 10:00 am, the Smithfield Center, 220 N. Church Street in downtown Smithfield. Ticket Cost $ 7 per person. Tickets may be purchased by cash or check at the Smithfield Center. For further information call (757) 356-9939.
Sat, Dec 13 - Girls on the Run 5K, Presented by Girls on the Run South Hampton Roads, Town Point Park, 8:30 am, Downtown Norfolk. Join us for a 5K unlike any other! A 5K fun run through Norfolk, starting and finishing at Town Point Park to celebrate and raise scholarship funds for the Girls on the Run program. $25 Participation Fee until Dec 1/$30 thru race day
Sat, Dec 13 - Breakfast with Santa Cruise, Spirit of Norfolk, board 8:00 am, 8:30 - 10:30 am, Town Point Park, Waterside Drive, Downtown Norfolk. Enjoy breakfast with Santa along the Elizabeth River! Each Child will get a visit with Santa. Photos will be available for purchase. Christmas Carol Sing-a-long and Storytime with Mrs. Claus as well as DJ playing kid-friendly music for entertainment. Candy canes for all! $31.90 per adult, $19.95 per child age 12 and under. Call 866-304-2469 for reservations.
Sat, Dec 13 - Santa Breakfast at the Duke of York Restaurant, 9:00 - 11:00 am, 508 Water Street, Yorktown. Bring Kids to see Santa at the Duke of York Restaurant on Saturday, December 13 from 9: 00 am - 11:00 am. Free pancakes for children 10 and under. Don’t forget to bring your camera. 757.898.3232
Sat, Dec 13 - Santa and Rip Tide at Harbor Park, 9:00 - 11:00 am, 150 Park Avenue, Norfolk. Jolly old Saint Nick (a.k.a. Santa Claus) will make his annual visit to Harbor Park on Saturday, December 13 from 9-11 AM to spend time with his friends Rip Tide, Salty, and, of course, you! You can reserve a seat at the table and enjoy a delicious breakfast at Hits at the Park Restaurant . Plus, if you bring a gift to share with the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, you’ll be entered in a raffle to win prizes. You’ll also have the opportunity to take your picture with Santa (as well as Rip Tide and Salty if they’ll stand still) and participate in some holiday-themed arts and crafts projects. Seating is limited, so we encourage you to make your reservations early. The cost is just $15 per person and you can add your name to the guest list by contacting Heather McKeating at (757) 622-2222 ext. 121.
Sat, Dec 13 - Tacky Sweater 5k, Presented by Mettle Events, Ocean View Beach Park, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, 100 W. Ocean View Avenue, Norfolk. LIVE, LOVE, RUN TACKY for EDMARC Hospice for Children! $30 Participation Fee.
Sat, Dec 13 - Veterans of Foreign Wars Community Breakfast, 9:00 am until 1:00 pm, VFW Post 8545, 223 Washington Street, Smithfield. The Smithfield VFW invites the community to a fund raising breakfast featuring “Salted Fried Herring Fish,” scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, sausage gravy, biscuits grits, mixed fruits, coffee, juice, cornbread and omelets. Breakfast is held every 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. The VFW building is located across from the Smithfield Library. Donation $8. All proceeds go to support Local Veterans and community projects. For further information email donhull@charter.net or call (757) 279-0025.
Sat, Dec 13 - Breakfast with Santa & Craft Show, Virginia Beach Farmers Market, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, 3640 Dam Neck Road, Virginia Beach. Have breakfast with Santa in the Princess Anne County Grill, 9 - 11:00 am; Visit with Santa in the Rural Heritage Center, 12 - 3:00 pm; Craft Show, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Shop for the Holidays!
Sat, Dec 13 - Breakfast with Santa, Funny Bone Comedy Club, 9:30 am - Noon, Virginia Beach Town Center, One Columbus Center, Virginia Beach. The Funny Bone is hosting its annual Breakfast with Santa! Come celebrate the holidays with the man in red and the Funny Bone Crew! Breakfast service to include French toast sticks, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, fruit, and juice or milk! Coffee, tea and soda will be available upon request. Each child will go home with their very own photo with Santa, provided by Astro DJ’s! And there will be lots of fun and family friendly entertainment! The PUSHERS, some of Hampton Roads best comedians will be on hand to play ‘Who’s Line is it Anyway’ style improv games designed specifically for children. Audience participation is greatly encouraged. Children will be asked to give suggestions for scenes… as well as be in skits! We will also have a special visit from Mrs. Claus!
Sat, Dec 13 - 11th Annual Breakfast with Santa and Craft Show, Virginia Beach Farmers’ Market, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, 3640 Dam Neck Road, Virginia Beach. Chocolate chip pancahes, photos with Santa, make a craft.
Sat, Dec 13 - Family Gingerbread House Workshop, Children’s Museum of Virginia, 10-11:30 am, 12:30 - 2:00 pm, 221 High Street, Olde Towne Portsmouth. Get everyone in the holiday spirit and bring your family and imagination to a gingerbread workshop, sponsored by the Portsmouth Museum Foundation. Leave all the hassle and mess to us, while you relax and enjoy creating this holiday treat with your family. Each workshop will last approximately one hour and a half. Families will be given all the materials needed to make their own one of a kind holiday creation. Workshop Fee: $20.00 member families; $45 non-member families (nonmember price includes admission to the Children’s Museum for 4 people). Families may purchase additional houses for $15.
Sat, Dec 13 - In Winter Quarters, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Downtown Portsmouth. What was life like for soldiers in the Confederate and Union, at the holidays during the Civil War? Join the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum for a journey back in time to discover how holidays were celebrated in camp. Also, enjoy a day of guided tours, ornament making and shopping in the museum’s gift shop for that historically themed gift. 757-393-8591
Sat, Dec 13 - Genuine Smithfield Christmas Parade: “Genuine Hamtown Holidays”, 11:00 am, Downtown Smithfield. A wonderful old-fashioned parade that sums up the heart of Smithfield. Parade Starts on Main Street at Underwood, north to Mason Street, then left to Grace Street, south on Grace to finish at James Street. For further information call (757) 357-5182.
Sat, Dec 13 - Build Your Own Edible Stadium, Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, 11:00 am - Noon, Downtown Portsmouth. This holiday season, bring the kids to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum for a sporty twist on an old holiday favorite. Kids can build their own sports stadium from graham crackers, icing, sprinkles and other treats. Whether it is a football stadium, baseball stadium, or hockey rink your kids will enjoy creating their own edible masterpiece. $15 per child (general admission for adults) and includes admission into the museum. Pre-registration is required. For more information please call 757-393-8031
Sat, Dec 13 - Brunch with Santa, Hunt Club Farm, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm, 2388 London Bridge Road, Virginia Beach. Buffet style brunch with Santa, take-away holiday crafts, costumend characters, petting farm. Pre-paid reservations required. $12, 427-9520.
Sat, Dec 13 - Lunch with Santa, Gameworks, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 1401 Greenbrier Parkway South, Space 1020, Chesapeake. Reserve your seat today and enjoy lunch with Santa at GameWorks. Includes lunch, unlimited sodas, a $20 game card, and a special gift from Santa himself! $16.99 plus tax per child. (757) 624-9100
Sat, Dec 13 - Fort Monroe Mistletoe Home Tour, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm, Fort Monroe, Hampton. The tour will include four private residences, the Casemate Museum, and the Chamberlin. Participants will also view exteriors of other historic locations all dressed in traditional holiday splendor. $20 (until Dec. 12)/$25 day of. 251-2754 / http://www.fmauthority.com/calendar/
Sat, Dec 13 - Santa Family Photo Session, Lobby at TowneBank, Noon - 4:00 pm, Olde Towne Portsmouth. The Circle of Smiles of the King’s Daughters will host a Santa Family Photo session (pets welcome), a charity bake sale and a Children’s Craft table. For more information please call 757- 652-9175.
Sat, Dec 13 - Toyland Parade, Riverwalk Landing, 1:00 pm, 425 Water Street, Yorktown. Decorate a stroller, wagon, yourself, or even a pet and join in the 1:30 pm parade. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to greet the guests. The Fifes and Drums of York Town will lead the parade, and as an added treat, the Polar Express will be chugging along through Riverwalk Landing. All aboard! Free.
Sat, Dec 13 - Pony Rides at the Children’s Museum, 2 - 5:00 pm, Children’s Museum of Virginia, 221 High Street, Olde Towne Portsmouth. Free pony rides for those who have purchased a Holiday Pass, Winter Wonderland admission or admission to the Children’s Museum of Virginia. $5 for all others.
Sat, Dec 13 - Grace Episcopal Church holding a Silent Auction, 4 - 6:00 pm, 111 Church Street, Yorktown. Grace Episcopal Church in Historic Yorktown, will be holding a Silent Auction on December 13, 2014 in the Parish Hall from 4 pm to 6 pm. Proceeds from this auction will go towards the J2A (Journey to Adulthood/8th and 9th graders) culminating Pilgrimage in 2016. This event is open to the public. For more information, or to donate items for the silent auction contact Belinda Willis 757.870.6161.
Sat, Dec 13 - The Women’s Club of South Norfolk Holiday Tour of Homes, 4 - 8:00 pm, Chesapeake Avenue United Methodist Church, 1200 Chesapeake Avenue, Chesapeake. The Women’s Club of South Norfolk proudly presents the return of its very popular 25th annual Holiday Tour of Homes. This is a self-paced walking and driving tour of seasonally decorated private and historic homes and businesses in Historic South Norfolk. Start your tour or purchase your tickets at the door of the Chesapeake Avenue United Methodist Church. $10 per person; Children under 12 $5, when accompanied by a full adult ticket holder. https://www.facebook.com/pages/GFWC-Womans-Club-of-South-Norfolk
Sat, Dec 13 - Suffolk Holiday Parade, 7:00 pm, Downtown Suffolk. Free and open to the public. Be sure to join in the lights and sounds of the 2014 Suffolk Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 13, 2014, at 7pm. Find the best spot to watch the floats, equestrian units, marching bands and festive vehicles stroll down West Washington Street and take a turn up North Main Street, with the parade route ending on Prentis Street at the grandstand. 757.514.7267
Sat, Dec 13 - Hampton Holly Days Parade, 7 - 9:00 pm, Downtown Hampton. The Peninsula’s largest illuminated parade! Join us for an evening of enchantment as you view the creative floats, listen to the high school bands, salute the military marching units and exciting drill teams, and wave at the beauty queens. Of course this parade is not complete without everyone’s favorite.Santa Claus. Free Admission. 757-727-8311 /http://www.hampton.gov/index.aspx?nid=2010
Sat/Sun, Dec 13/14 - Trinity Children’s Christmas Shoppe, Sat 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Sun 1 - 3:30 pm, Trinity Episcopal Church, Olde Towne Portsmouth. Children can shop with the help of elves to complete their holiday giving while parents browse through various gifts of handmade items and holiday baskets. For more information please call (757) 393-0431
Sat/Sun, Dec 13/14 - Father Christmas, Merchant’s Square, Sat 2:30 - 6:00 pm, Sat 3:30 - 5:30 PM, Duke of Gloucester St, Williamsburg. Greet Father Christmas in the Square on weekends throughout the season. Find him at the Christmas tree outside from the Precious Gem.
Sun, Dec 14 - Meet Santa at the Suffolk Visitor Center, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, 524 North Main Street, Suffolk. Free and open to the public. Bring the kiddos to meet jolly ol’ St. Nick! Bring your cameras for photos with Santa. Holiday décor and light refreshments make this the ideal place to snap a photo with Santa. 757.514.4130
Sun, Dec 14 - Annual Lighting of the Yule Log, Adam Thoroughgood House, 4 - 5:30 pm, 1636 Parish Road, Virgigina Beach. Crafts, dancing, historic house tours. 385-5100 / www.museumsvb.org
Sun, Dec 14 - Pet Photos with Santa at MacArthur Center, 7:30 - 9:30 pm, The Ice Palace, Center Court, Level One, MacArthur Center, Monticello Avenue, Norfolk. MacArthur Center welcomes you and your four-legged friends for photos with Santa during two purr-fect evenings reserved just for them. Your cat or dog is welcome to sit pretty for Santa and you can fetch keepsake photos of all the fur-raising fun. Package prices range from $22-$49.
Tue, Dec 16 - MOCA Nights with Eats the Streets 757 & Bonfire Magazine, 4 - 9:00 pm, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach. Join us on the third Tuesday of each month, when the Museum is open from 5-9pm with FREE admission. Each MOCA NIGHT offers different experiences for visitors including open-mic performances, conversations gallery tours led by educators, hands-on art-making, grown-up scavenger hunts and a cash bar in our Atrium. MOCA Nights now features a 757 Eat the Streets Food Truck Rodeo and event sponsor Bonfire Magazine who will bring live music and other community partners to “celebrate living a full and rich life in Hampton Roads.” Food Trucks: The Lucky Peach, No Brick Grill, Bro’s Fish Tacos, Sofrito, Twisted Sisters Cupcakes. Come share your words, thoughts and music to inspire in an open and supportive environment. Open Mic Sign-up starts at 6:30pm or in advance on the Facebook event page.
LOCAL THEATER/CONCERTS
Now-Dec 19 - Holiday in the City: Strolling Musicians, Downtown Norfolk, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, Granby Street and Tazwell Street. Schedule: Dec 10 - Holiday Brass, Dec 11 - Santa Band, Dec 12 - Doorway Singers, Dec 15 - Doorway Singers, Dec 16 - Holiday Brass, Dec 17 - Santa Band, Dec 18 - Holiday Brass, Dec 19 - Doorway Singers
Wed, Dec 10-24 - Virginia Stage Company: A Christmas Carol, Wells Theater, Wed-Sat 8:00 pm, Sat 4:00 pm, Sun 2:00 pm, Tue 7:00 pm, 110 East Tazewell Street, Norfolk. Our favorite tradition returns with a special holiday schedule. Don’t miss this heartwarming classic for the whole family!
Thu, Dec 11 - Swing Virginia Dancers, Town Center Fountain Plaza, 6:00 pm, Town Center of Virginia Beach, One Columbus Center, Virginia Beach. Come out for the festive holiday FREE entertainment at the Fountain Plaza! Join in the carols, or just listen, as the music of season cheers and inspires you. Happy holidays to you from the Town Center of Virginia Beach!
Fri, Dec 12 - Mike Beyrodt Piano, Town Center Fountain Plaza, 6:00 pm, Town Center of Virginia Beach, One Columbus Center, Virginia Beach. Come out for the festive holiday FREE entertainment at the Fountain Plaza! Join in the carols, or just listen, as the music of the season cheers and inspires you. Happy holidays to you from the Town Center of Virginia Beach!
Fri, Dec 12 - York River Symphony Orchestra: Concert ‘Magnificat’, 7:00 pm, Williamsburg Library Theatre, 515 Scotland Street, Williamsburg. Conductor Dr. Eric Reiff, Associate Conductor Clint Correll, with YRSO Chorus, featuring selections: Bach-Magnificat, Berlin-White Christmas, Tobani-Around the Christmas Tree, Adler-The Feast of Lights, Mozart-Three German Dances, Elgar-Meditation from The Light of Life, Upton-Christmas in my Hometown
Fri, Dec 12 - Firehouse Bluegrass Benefit Concert, 7:30 pm, Fire Station 10, 15020 Carrollton Blvd., Carrollton. Proceeds benefit the all-volunteer fire/rescue service of Carrollton and nearby mutual aid districts in Smithfield and northern Suffolk. $5 admission. Your donations to this non-profit all-volunteer department serve the community by enabling the purchase of needed medical, rescue and firefighting supplies and equipment. Hot dogs and soft drinks are available during the concert. Please bring your own chair. For further information call (757) 613-6183.
Fri/Sat, Dec 12/13 - Masterworks USA presents: A Story Land Christmas, Regent University, Fri 7:00 pm, Sat 2:00 & 7:00 pm, Performing Arts Center Main Theater, off Centerville Tnpk, Virginia Beach. While staying with their tradition of presenting story ballets, Masterworks turned to a fantasy ballet for children for the Christmas season. The new ballet, “A Storyland Christmas” was first presented at Regent University’s stage following a performance of the Virginia Symphony the previous week. Based on story book characters and fit loosely on the plot line of “There Was A Crooked Man”, this ballet was a smash hit and because of popular demand, has been repeated each year.http://www.masterworksusa.com/productions/a-storyland-christmas/
Fri-Sun, Dec 12-14 - A Christmas Carol Street Theater, Merchant Square, Fri 5:00 pm, Sat 2:00 3:30 & 5:00 pm, Sun 3:30 & 5:00 pm, Williamsburg. Enjoy a hilarious 30 minute street theater production of the Christmas classic from the Virginia Theatre Machine. Back for a 7th year!
Fri-Sun, Dec 12-14 - Richmond Ballet’s Nutcracker, Chrysler Hall, Fri/Sat 7:00 pm, Sat/Sun 2:00 pm, Downtown Norfolk. Stoner Winslett’s The Nutcracker, heralded as “perfect” by The New York Times returns to Chrysler Hall to celebrate the holiday season.
Fri-Sun, Dec 12-14 - Hurrah for the Holidays, TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, Fri 7:00 pm, Sat/Sun 3:00 pm, Granby St., Norfolk. A lively musical review in the style of Radio City Music Hall. Featuring holiday favorites from yesterday and today, precision kick line dancers, a multi-cultural celebration and a 100% chance of snow! It’s an event for the entire family! Hurrah Players are proud to host this Norfolk “Official Holidays in the City” event!
Fri-Sun, Dec 12-14 - “A TUNA Christmas”, Peninsula Community Theater, Fri-Sat 8:00 pm, Sun 2:30 pm, 10251 Warwick Blvd., Newport News. In this hilarious sequel to “Greater Tuna”, it’s Christmas in the third smallest town in Texas, where two men perform all 30-plus characters in this quick-change hilarious yuletide romp. $18 adults, $17 students/military/seniors.http://pctlive.org/
Fri-Sun, Dec 12-14 - Ballet Virginia International: The Nutcracker, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Fri 7:30 pm, Sat 2:00 and 7:30 pm, Sun 2:00 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. A Hampton Roads holiday tradition. Join us for “The Nutcracker” and experience the beauty and athleticism of this timeless classic. Enjoy nationally recognized guest artists, our region’s finest young dancers and a cast of over 100 talented local children. Symphonicity, the Symphony Orchestra of Virginia Beach, will provide full orchestra accompaniment.
Sat, Dec 13 - Theatre IV: Beatrix Potter’s “The Tailor of Gloucester”, The American Theater, 11:00 am & 2:00 pm, 125 E Mellen St, Hampton. When a poppycock mayor orders a cherry-colored coat for his Christmas wedding, the poor Tailor of Gloucester works his fingers to the bone. All goes well until the tailor realizes he lacks the piece of twisted silk needed to sew on the final button. He gives his last coin to Simpkin, his faithful pet cat, confident that he will set out into the snow to purchase the much-needed “twist.” But it is Christmas Eve, that one blessed night when animals are granted the gift of speech. And so, before story’s end, we hear not only from Simpkin, but also from all of the mice he has trapped beneath teacups for his holiday feast - well-dressed mice that have benefited for years from the tailor’s elegant scraps. Natural enemies become steadfast friends, and all work together to complete a coat that leaves the bedazzled Mayor - and Simpkin and his mice - speechless for a miraculously happy ending on Christmas Day. $8 http://www.ticketmaster.com/beatrix-potters-the-tailor-of-gloucester-hampton-virginia-12-13-2014/event/01004CAFBFAC54E9?artistid=1997366&majorcatid=10003&minorcatid=23
Sat, Dec 13 - Olde Towne Holiday Music Festival, Noon - 6:00 pm, Olde Towne Portsmouth. one of Portsmouth’s signature Holiday Season events. It is a musical tribute to the spirit of the Holiday Season, enlivening the historic High Street corridor with performances, children’s activities, re-enactors in period attire and strolling characters. This event offers a musically packed day for visitors to Olde Towne Portsmouth featuring choral groups from regional schools as well as performances by established recording artists. TOO MUCH TO LIST. check: http://www.portsvaevents.com/othmf/index.html
Sat, Dec 13 - Tidewater Opera Initiative Sing-Along, Children’s Museum of Virginia, 12:30 & 1:30 pm, 221 High Street, Olde Towne Portsmouth. Come and sing some of your favorite holiday tunes with singers of Tidewater Opera Initiative. Bring your excitement and holiday spirit and join us in singing some of the season’s best music.
Sat, Dec 13 - Civil War Lecture Series: The Gale That Sank the Monitor, The Mariners’ Museum/USS Monitor Center, 1:00 pm, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. Jay Moore, Mariners’ Museum archivist and manager of NOAA’s USS Monitor Collection, describes in incredible detail how foul weather off the North Carolina coast ultimately led to Monitor’s demise in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. 757-596-2222
Sat, Dec 13 - Disney’s Frozen - Free Family Movie, Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 2:00 pm, 110 W. Finney Ave., Suffolk. Free and open to the public - Gladly accepting canned/non-perishable food items. After the kingdom of Arendelle is cast into eternal winter by the powerful Snow Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), her sprightly sister Anna (Kristen Bell) teams up with a rough-hewn mountaineer named Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his trusty reindeer Sven to break the icy spell. Stay for photos with Elsa and Anna following the movie! Bring your camera! Sponsored by Suffolk Tourism. 757.923.2900
Sat, Dec 13 - Up Tempo Music Sing-Along, Children’s Museum of Virginia, 2 - 4:00 pm, 221 High Street, Olde Towne Portsmouth. Join in on the sing-a-long at the Children’s Museum of Virginia. Up Tempo Entertainment features the vocal and musical talents of Marietta Ayers and Val Fuller, two energetic and multi-talented women whose popularity and unique style of performance have spread throughout the Southeast. They will entertain with a variety of instruments and sing songs of the season.
Sat, Dec 13 - Sing Along with the “Snow Queen” @ Winter Wonderland, 4:00 & 4:45 pm, Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, Corner of High & Court St., Portsmouth. Donna Strother Deekens, aka The Snow Queen, will perform on the second floor of the Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center with the backdrop of Winter Wonderland. Come visit Donna and sing along as she performs some traditional holiday songs.
Sat, Dec 13 - Dance Magic Recital, Harrison Opera House, 5:00 pm, 160 Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk. Join us for a special holiday performance by the Lakewood Dance & Music Center dancers. Watch dancers perform tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, belly dance, line dance, ballroom and more. The Lakewood Ballet Company will perform a special production of The Nutcracker.
Sat, Dec 13 - Doorway Singers, Town Center Fountain Plaza, 6:00 pm, Town Center of Virginia Beach, One Columbus Center, Virginia Beach. Come out for the festive holiday FREE entertainment at the Fountain Plaza! Join in the carols, or just listen, as the music of the season cheers and inspires you. Happy holidays to you from the Town Center of Virginia Beach!
Sat, Dec 13 - Musical Mosaic Vocal Ensemble, Performing & Creative Arts Center, 6:30 pm, 300 Butler Farm Rd., Hampton. Musical Mosaic, a community focused vocal group, will perform classic and contemporary holiday favorites. Special performances include rapper and poet Walt-Leon, Angel Choir of First Church of Newport News, Joselyn Best and DeEuniqua of Middleton Academy of Dance. Cost: Free, accepting donations of gloves and blankets for the homeless. 766-1510
Sat, Dec 13 - Hurrah Players present: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, 7:00 pm, Granby St., Norfolk. Based on the popular book by Barbara Robinson, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever tells the funny and heartwarming story of an unlikely group of kids who learn the true meaning of Christmas. A holiday tradition in Hampton Roads, this one-night only event is presented with Happy Hanukkah, My Friend, a short program celebrating the Festival of Lights. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. Hurrah Players are proud to host this Norfolk “Official Holidays in the City” event!
Sat, Dec 13 - Christmas at the Ranch - Supper and Concert, Triple R Ranch, 7 - 9:00 pm, 3531 Bunch Walnut Road, Chesapeake. Join us for a special evening, with a wonderful holiday meal catered by our own chef. Special musical guest - The Last Bison. Seating is limited.http://www.triplerranch.org/
Sat, Dec 13 - Ronnie Milsap Hits & Christmas, Ferguson Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. Ronnie Milsap ranks as the pre-eminent country soul singer of his generation. He also represents much more than any two-word definition can convey: a humble, overtly friendly fellow with a talent as vast and multi-dimensional as the American South. Milsap provided country music with one of its most important voices, as the genre was moving beyond its rural roots into the mainstream of modern entertainment. Country music couldn’t have found a man more suited to lead the charge.
Sat/Sun, Dec 13/14 - Christmas Dreams, Kimball Theater, Sat 2:30 & 7:30 pm, Sun 2:30 pm, 428 West Duke Of Gloucester, Williamsburg. Bring the entire family to experience a production set in those magical moments of Christmas Eve, just before bedtime when children everywhere are wondering, wishing, and wanting just a glimpse of the magic of Christmas. This performance by The Institute for Dance is a unique Williamsburg tradition that continually evolves and showcases the community’s best. Make it a part of your holiday season!
Sat/Sun, Dec 13/14 - Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, presented by the Crispus Attucks Cultural Center, Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 4:00 pm, Church Street, Norfolk. joyous celebration for all ages - perfect for anyone who loves music, dance and the holiday season! Charles Dickens’ timeless holiday classic is coming to the legendary Attucks Theatre stage with an urban twist. A Christmas Carol is a unique dance/theatre odyssey that blends Contemporary, Jazz, Funk, and Hip Hop dance styles with the classical flavor of the original story line.
Sat/Sun, Dec 13/14 - Williamsburg Players present Christmas Cabaret: Holiday, Stage & Screen, Sat 8:00 pm, sun 2:00 pm, 200 Hubbard Lane, Williamsburg. Directed by Elizabeth Penn. The Williamsburg Players present Hampton Roads’ finest performers in a Christmas Season Cabaret. Along with holiday classics, you will be taken on a journey of Academy Award-winning songs made famous by the likes of Judy Garland, Carole King, Stephen Schwartz, and George and Ira Gershwin, featuring hits from Frozen, Wicked, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Pippin!
Sun, Dec 14 - Timothy Seaman at The Gallery at York Hall, 12:30 - 3:30 pm, 301 Main Street, Yorktown. Come out and enjoy local musician Timothy Seaman perform music on the Hammered Dulcimer in the Gallery at York Hall. Free 757.890.4490
Sun, Dec 14 - Rainbow Puppets present “Toyland!”, Children’s Museum of Virginia, 2 & 3:00 pm, Olde Towne Portsmouth. Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep and cannot find them anywhere. Could her evil Uncle Barnaby somehow be involved? In her search, she meets a bumbling pirate, gets trapped in the scary Spider Forest, and eventually makes her way to Toyland where she seeks protection from the Master Toymaker. This edition of the Rainbow Puppets features pre-recorded vocal performances form movie legend Mickey Rooney. While the original production opened a century ago, this program features a brand new script by show director David Messik.
Sun, Dec 14 - It’s a Wonderful Life: Live From WVL Radio Theatre, The American Theater, 2:30 pm, 125 E Mellen St, Hampton. It’s Christmas Eve in 1945, and only a handful of WVL Radio’s actors have braved the blizzard to perform that evening’s broadcast of It’s a Wonderful Life and keep the station afloat. This 1940s “live broadcast” of Frank Capra’s beloved film takes us back to the Golden Age of Radio. This fresh new adaptation of the film is set in the fictional studio of WVL Radio Theatre on a cold, snowy winter night. Due to the blizzard, the professional voice actors are unable to get through, but the show must go on - so a small but intrepid band of employees manage to create the dozens of movie characters and scenes using just their voices and a sound effects table. This exquisitely detailed production is an uplifting story of struggle and triumph. Cost: $30/$25
Sun, Dec 14 - The Academy of Dance presents: The Christmas Extravaganza, Ferguson Center for the Arts, 3:00 and 7:00 pm, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. If you can see only one Christmas celebration this year, this is it! The Christmas Extravaganza is a delightful show for young and old that’s a perfect way to begin the holidays! This wonderful Christmas celebration features nearly 300 performers from the Academy of Dance including the National Dance Champion “Showbiz Kids” plus over 50 Elves in costume entering in sleighs, angels, toy soldiers, beautiful ballerinas, fantastic tap dancers, exciting Christmas hip-hop dancers, Christmas vocalists, plus much, much more. To purchase tickets please call (757)873-0454
Sun, Dec 14 - Smithfield Little Theatre presents the Gentlemen of the College, 4:00 and 7:00 pm, the Smithfield Little Theatre, 210 N. Church Street in downtown Smithfield. A true holiday treat, the Gentlemen of the College is the men’s a cappella singing group from the College of William and Mary. They will be joined by Smithfield’s own “Hamtown Harmony Chorus” - a prospective Sweet Adeline’s Chapter for a program of seasonal and popular music. Net proceeds will benefit the Food Bank of Isle of Wight County through the Christian Outreach Program. Tickets are $10 for Adults and $5 for students (all general admission). The theatre will open 30 minutes prior to showtime. Tickets are available online now at http://www.smithfieldlittletheatre.org or by calling the box office at (757) 357-7338.
Sun, Dec 14 - Frank Sings Frank, Town Center Fountain Plaza, 6:00 pm, Town Center of Virginia Beach, One Columbus Center, Virginia Beach. Come out for the festive holiday FREE entertainment at the Fountain Plaza! Join in the carols, or just listen, as the music of the season cheers and inspires you. Happy holidays to you from the Town Center of Virginia Beach!
Mon, Dec 15 - Tidewater Winds: Celebrate the Season…and all that Jazz!, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. Join the Tidewater Winds for the wonderful, annual Holiday Concert and celebrate the season!
Mon, Dec 15 - A Grand Medley of Entertainments, Kimball Theater, 7:30 pm, 428 West Duke Of Gloucester, Williamsburg. Owen Murdock’s company gamely tries to present a Grand Medley—an 18th-century traveling variety show! They have high hopes of amazing feats, strange beasts, and fast-paced hilarity, but things aren’t going well for the company. Their misfortunes provide a comedy of errors for the entire family to enjoy. A colonial entertainment so amusing that even Colonel Washington would have laughed!
Tue, Dec 16 - Virginia Beach Chorale: Sing We Now of Christmas, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. The program offers well-loved holiday favorites with beautiful new arrangements, including “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Joy to the World,” “In the Bleak Mid-Winter,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” “Jingle Bells” and much more! The Virginia Beach Chorale is delighted to welcome the Tallwood High School Madrigals, under the direction of Corbin Thomas Shoup, as their guest artists during this concert. The Madrigals will present several vocal selections and then join the Chorale for the finale, “God Bless Us Everyone,” from Disney’s “A Christmas Carol.”
Tue/Wed, Dec 16/17 - A Big Band Christmas, Kimball Theater, 7:30 pm, 428 West Duke Of Gloucester, Williamsburg. Enjoy an evening of the greatest holiday classics from the 1930s and 1940s. The Williamsburg Classic Swing Orchestra will feature arrangements from the Glenn Miller, Stan Kenton, and Duke Ellington orchestras as well as other holiday favorites from the Big Band era.
Wed, Dec 17 - Vienna Boys Choir, The American Theater, 7:00 pm, 125 E Mellen St, Hampton. Vienna Boys Choir - the name alone conjures images of majestic holiday celebrations held around the globe. This year, the sonic celebration takes place at The American Theatre. Come alone, or with the special people in your life, to experience the soaring voices and exquisite vocal discipline of the Vienna Boys Choir, in an evening sure to lift your spirits and provide a brief but glorious rest from the hustle and bustle of what we know as ‘the most wonderful time of the year’. The performance starts early - because the boys need to get to bed at a reasonable hour - but that makes the event perfect for students as well!
FARMERS’ MARKETS
Fri, Dec 12 - Smithfield Evening Christmas Craft & Food Market, at the Bank of Southside Virginia parking lot, 5:00 - 9:00 pm, Downtown Smithfield. A Magical evening with Christmas lights, music and adult beverages, food and more. Performances by school and community choirs, and live music by Alec Edmonds, and concert by Bria Kelly. Ugly Sweater contest, and a visit by Santa. plus over a 100 of vendors with handcrafts and gift items.
Sat, Dec 13 - Williamsburg Holiday Market, Merchants’ Square, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm, 402 West Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg. the Williamsburg Farmers Market is a favorite Saturday morning gathering spot for the finest Virginia-grown and Virginia-made produce, plants, and products in the area. Contact Tracy Herner, Market Manager 757-259-3768. Over 40 vendors will have produce, fruit, eggs, baked goods, meats, cheeses, honey, live music, and so much more.
Sat, Dec 13 - Holiday Market/Toyland Parade, Riverwalk Landing, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, 425 Water Street, Yorktown. The market will operate with extended hours and offer items unique to the holiday season, in addition to the usual array of fresh produce, meat and seafood, baked goods, quality art, and more. This week’s live entertainment is by “Ron Herrick”.
Sat, Dec 13 - Olde Towne Holiday Farmers’ Market, hours from Nov 1 to Dec 20 are 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, Downtown Portsmouth Historic district. Market with locally and organically grown veggies, fruits, nut, herbs, beef, chicken, eggs, seafood, artisanal breads, scones, pastries, cakes, pies, jams, jellies, salsas, fresh, dried and silk flowers, soaps, lotions, pottery, arts/crafts. Just outside the Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center courtyard at Court and High Streets.
Sat, Dec 20 - Old Beach Farmers’ Market, Croc’s 19th Street Bistro, 9:00 am-12:00 pm, on the corner of 19th Street and Cypress Ave, Virginia Beach. We feature seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables, meats (pork, bison, beef, chicken, turkey, sausages, charcuterie), eggs, seafood, cheeses, a wide assortment of baked goods (biscuits, pies, cakes, brownies and cookies), artisanal breads, and savory foods from local chefs (pasta, sauces, salsas, salads, tamales), soap, and flowers. Founded in 2008, Old Beach Farmers Market is run entirely by volunteers as an independent 501(c)6 organization. We support local family farms, watermen, and Virginia wineries. Old Beach Farmers Market is a certified Virginia Green market, encouraging eco-friendly practices. Walk over or ride a bike. Bring a reusable shopping bag. Come discover the taste of fresh, seasonal fare. Beginning November 2014 and running through May 2015 your market will be open every third Saturday, 9:00 am to Noon.
Sat, Dec 20 - Smithfield Christmas Craft & Food Market, at the Bank of Southside Virginia parking lot, 9:00 am-1:00 pm, Downtown Smithfield. Named one of the “101 Best Farmers Markets in America” by the DailyMeal.com, Smithfield’s Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning from April 5 through October 25. Now in its 14th season, each market features “Virginia Grown” - locally grown produce and items such as: beef, pork, chicken, eggs, peanuts, plants, herbs, baked goods, coffee, cheese, honey, barbecue, wood-fired pizza, ham sandwiches, handcrafted items and live music each week!
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