Christmas Week Events
Friday, December 18
Steve Bassett & Friends in concert 7:30pm – 10pm, at the Beacon Theatre, 401 North Mai Street, Hopewell. Advance tickets $10- $50, at the door $15 -$55. Other performers include Travis Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, The Wailers, for a complete list of dates visit http://thebeacontheatreva.com/ or call (804) 446-3457.
Saturday, December 19
A Branch Holiday Open House, 1 – 5pm, The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, 2501 Monument Avenue. See rooms rarely opened to the public and learn how the Branch family celebrated the holidays. Participating in a scavenger hunt, enjoy the decorations and discover the unique story of each room. Holiday treats will be available after the tour and design your own ornament. The museum shop will offer a thirty percent discount during the event. Admission is free, suggested donation of $5 per person. For more information visit http://branchmuseum.org/events/a-branch-holiday-open-house/ or call 804-644-3041.
Saturday & Sunday December 19 & 20
Greenberg’s Great Train and Toy Show, 10am – 4pm at Richmond Raceway Complex, 600 East Laburnum Ave, model railroads, trains for sale, O Gauge Train Race Track for kids, door prizes, model train demos and more than fifty exhibitors. Adult tickets $9, kids under 12 admitted free, free parking, Discount tickets $2 off visit www.TrainShow.com.
Sunday, December 20
Richmond Youth Jazz Guild Holiday Concert & Instrument Drive, at Muse Creative Workspace, 6 North 19th Street, Shockoe Bottom, Richmond. Two performances 4pm features the Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker ensembles of the Richmond Youth Jazz Guild and the 6pm performance features the Blue Note Ensemble, the advance Richmond Youth Jazz Guild Ensemble. All proceeds benefit music education for undeserved youth in Richmond Metropolitan area, instrument repairs of donated instruments and free use of instrument. For more details visit www.musecreativeworkspace.com. Richmond Youth Jazz Guild will also e accepting gently used instruments at the concert.
December 21 – 23
13th annual Miracle of Christmas – Live at the Zoo, a Live Nativity Pageant, a re-enactment of the Birth of Christ (Christmas story) featuring animals from the Metro Richmond Zoo. The twenty-minute pageant is presented three times with live performances before and after each pageant provided by local churches and performing arts groups. It is free to attend and again this year there will be a collection of non-perishable food. Gates open at 6:15 and pageant times at 7pm, 7:45pm and 8:30pm at the Metro Richmond Zoo, 8300 Bever Bridge Road, Moseley, for more information visit http://metrorichmondzoo.com/moc/ or call 804-739-5666.
Wednesday, December 23
The Richmond Community Nativity Pageant is the oldest public Christmas tradition in Richmond. The pageant is a live presentation outdoors with a cast and choir of more than 200 participants that include family members some who have been in the pageant 30, 40 and even 50 plus years. The 7pm Wednesday performance is free and open to the public. For more information visit http://www.richmondnativitypageant.com/index.html.
Richmond Ballet The Nutcracker continues through Wednesday at The Carpenter Theatre, Richmond CenterStage with several new additions for the 2015 production. A New Swan Sleigh, a new scene at the opening of Act II featuring new choreography by Artistic Director Stoner Winslett, new Snow Queen and Kings costumes, in addition to the new costumes, scenery and choreography, the production also features 187 accomplished students from the school of Richmond Ballet. For times, tickets and more information visit www.richmondballet.com.
Saturday, December 26
2015 Capital City Kwanzaa Festival, 1pm- 9pm, The Altria Theater, 6 North Laurel Street. Featuring the Tunji Reggae Band, The Feedel Band from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Afrikana Film Festival, The African Market, Kwanzaa Candle Lighting Ceremony and guest speaker Dr. Phil Valentine, founder, director and pastor of the Temple of the Healing Spirit – Self Healing Education Center. Tickets are $8 at the door, free for children under 12, students & Seniors $7. For more information visit www.elegbafolkloresociety.org or call 804-644-3900.
December 26 – 30 & January 1
Puppets Off Broad Street – Pirates and Puppets, RVA Winter Pupperfest with 12 performances at Richmond Triangle Players. Applause Unlimited and Barefoot Puppet Theatre are joined by Crabgrass Puppets from Battleboro, Vermont. Performances run twice per day at 10:30am & 1pm except for December 27 at 1pm & 3:30pm. For more information visit http://www.puppetsoffbroadstreet.org/or call 804-852-2810.
Saturday, December 26
Multi-Grammy Award winner Delbert McClinton headlines the Red, Green and Blues concert with special guests Hazeltone at 6:30 pm at the Carpenter Theatre. Advance tickets are $24.50 and $42 with day of tickets at $27 and $45 (plus fees).Tickets can be purchased at Carpenter Theatre and Altria Theater box offices, online http://www.ETIX.com, and charge by phone 1 (800) 514-3849 (ETIX). For more information visit www.RichmondCenterStage.com.
Through January 2, 2016
Brighten up your Holidays with the 2nd annual Illuminate Light Show and Santa’s Village at Meadow Event Park. The Light Show is opened nightly 5:30pm – 10pm through January 2, 2016 . The show features hundreds of thousands of LED lights synchronized to music from your car, other attractions include an 80 foot tunnel of lights, 50 foot Christmas trees, dancing snowmen, singing trees and Santa and festive decorations. After the light show visitors can visit Santa’s Village inside, with of course Santa, an indoor skating rink, life-size Snow Globe photo booth, children’s activities, pictures with Santa and more. It takes about 30 minutes to drive through the entire show. Tickets car admission 1-9 passengers $25, for limos and buses and other information visit http://www.illuminatelightshow.com/. Get $2 discount off the Snow Globe in Santa’s Village Monday through Thursday when you purchase ticket from Walgreens and present your Walgreens ticket stub. check out the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/IlluminateLightShow. Benefits FeedMore and Toys for Tots.
January 2016
You’ll be DANCING IN THE STREETS this holiday season! Motown The Musical comes to Richmond Tuesday, January 5th through Sunday, January 10th, SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFER $49 Orchestra & Grand Tier tickets! Valid Tuesday, January 5; Wednesday, January 6 and Thursday, January 7 performances ONLY *Offer runs through Thursday, December 24 @ 11:59PM*. Tickets available http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/campaignSearch.jsp?campaign_id=87FA5BBA744F8E5B22F7D1EE809C6A9D&partner_id=331&cobrand=altria.
Follow your favorite characters in “Dressing Downton: Changing Fashion for Changing Times, a new Exhibition at the Virginia Historical Society, 428 North Boulevard and runs through January 10, 2016. The exhibit highlights fashion from the popular PBS TV series Downton Abbey. In this traveling exhibition you’ll see thirty-six period costumes with jewelry and accessories from the hit series and be transported into the lives of Downton’s aristocratic inhabitants and their servants during the 1910’s and 1920’s. Dressing Downton is free to member, $20 for adults and $16 for adult group of 10 or more. For more information and to purchase tickets visit http://www.vahistorical.org or call 804-358-4901.
Wanda Sykes is making her way to the Carpenter Theatre Saturday, January 30 for an 8pm show. Sykes ranks among Entertainment Weekly’s 25 funniest People in America and has been called one if the funniest stand-up comics by her peers. Tickets start at $39.50 plus fees, call 800-514-3849 (ETIX) or on-line www.ETIX.com
