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Weekend Events: Legendary Santa, Model Railroad Show, Dominion Gardenfest of Lights and more

Posted at 3:14 PM, Nov 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-24 11:51:40-05
A List Weekend Events

A List Weekend Events

Dominion GardenFest of Lights

November 25, 2016 – January 9, 2017, Nightly 5 – 10 p.m.; closed Dec. 24 & 25; Dominion GardenFest Grand Illumination is Friday, Nov. 25, 4 pm. Featuring a half million lights, botanical decorations, trains, holiday dinners, family activities and more. “Living Color” this year’s theme, explores how the world’s kaleidoscope of colors speaks to us, impacts nature and influences culture. Dominion GardenFest for Fidos, Thursday, Dec. 1,  and Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, 5 – 10 p.m. Regular Garden admission; $2 suggested “pet admission” benefiting the Richmond SPCA. Leashed pets allowed on these nights only. New this year is M&T Bank Lights Up for Reading Monday, December 5, 5 – 7 p.m. at the Kelly Education Center Auditorium. There will be special story-times with a host of fun characters, including the Garden’s own Garden Keeper and Nutzy and Nutasha from the Flying Squirrels. Visitors are encouraged to bring a new or like-new book to donate to the RVA Book Buggy to be distributed to those in under-served communities. For more details visit http://www.lewisginter.org/visit/events/dominion-gardenfest-of-lights/.

Legendary Santa at The Children’s Museum of Richmond

Friday November 25th at 9:00 am through Saturday, December 24th at 2pm. Entrance to Legendary Santa is FREE and professional photographs can be purchased. Families can also skip the lines to see Santa with Sunrise or Sunset with Santa, an advance ticket program with the opportunity to experience the magic of Legendary Santa, including watching Santa come down the chimney, without waiting in the public line. Tickets are $60 and photo packages are not included in the ticket price but may be purchased during the visit. While waiting to see Santa families can visit the Genworth Foundation Holiday Village, located across from Santa Land, this exhibit invites guests to explore the cultural symbols, family traditions and customs of six holidays (Diwali, Eid, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Lunar New Year, and Christmas) celebrated around the world. The Genworth Foundation Holiday Village is open through January 1st and is FREE of charge. For more information visit http://www.c-mor.org/legendary-santa or call Santa’s hotline at 804-474-7009.

39th Annual Model Railroad Show

Friday November 25 – Sunday November 27 at the Science Museum of Virginia, featuring trackless train rides on the Teddy Bear Express, tours of vintage train cars and gigantic model train displays. Families can also see model train layouts, scaled locomotives and intricate landscapes and miniature cities. In addition to trains, the show also showcases blacksmiths, Clydesdale horses and hands on activities. The Model Railroad Show is included with exhibit admission, tickets are $14 with $1 discounts for ages 4-12 and 60 plus. For more information visit www.smv.org or call 804-864-1400.

Union Bank & Trust LolliPops: The Snowman Saturday!

Nov. 26 at 11am, Steven Smith, conductor, Pre-concert activities begin at 10am. Handel’s Messiah Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:30pm, Erin R. Freeman, conductor, Richmond Symphony Chorus. Let It Snow! Saturday, Dec. 3 at 8pm, Sunday, Dec. 4 at 3pm – Chia-Hsuan Lin, conductor, Richmond Symphony Chorus (Erin R. Freeman, director). Concerts at the Carpenter Theatre, Dominion Arts Center. For details visit richmondsymphony.com or call 800-514-ETIX.

Virginia Repertory Theatre opens A Christmas Story, the Musical

November 25 – January 1, 2017 at the Historic November Theatre downtown. directed by Chase Kniffen, for details visit http://va-rep.org/press.html or call 804-282-2620.

The Historic Beacon Theatre in Hopewell – An Evening With – Presented by Renaissance Entertainment Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes

Saturday November 26; Lez Zeppelin, Saturday December 10, 2016 (rescheduled from 9/30); The Spinners – Thursday December 29; Travis Tritt (Solo-Acoustic) – Tuesday January 31, 2017. Details Box Office:  804-446-3457, 401 N. Main St. Hopewell, VA 23860, Visit http://thebeacontheatreva.com/schedule-2/ or http://www.myticketstobuy.com/.

Annual Holiday Open House at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, featuring Soul Santa

December 3 & 10, noon – 4pm, 122 West Leigh Street, free photos with Santa, arts & crafts, children storytelling, get details at www.blackhistorymuseum.org.

The Watoto Children’s Choir

A group of 18 orphans from Uganda, returns to Virginia with stops in Richmond, Colonial Heights, Amelia, Charlottesville and Blackstone, November 30 through December 9 featuring a brand new concert, Oh, What Love.

The concert features worship songs that share the stories of the children, all performances are free and open to the public.

The choir will be performing at the following venues:

  • Charlottesville, Va. – Portico Church (981 2nd St. SE.) on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m.
  • Richmond, Va. – Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (4207 Forest Hill Ave.) on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.
  • Colonial Heights, Va. – Wesley United Methodist Church (3701 Conduit Rd.) on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
  • Amelia, Va. – Hope Chapel (9681 Wayside Ave.) on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.
  • Blackstone, Va. – Lion of Judah Ministries (612 North Main St.) on Friday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. For more information visit www.watoto.com/choir/.

Commonwealth Catholic Charities 25th Anniversary Holiday Festival of Music

Nov. 28, 7pm featuring the Richmond Symphony, the VCU Choral Arts Society and members from the Cathedral Choir, presenting a concert of Christmas Classics and Carols. For more information visit www.cccofva.org.

Illuminate Light Show at Meadow Event Park starts Friday through January 1, 2017

Light Show & Santa’s Village opens nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m., Central Virginia’s largest drive-through light show with a million LED lights synchronized to music played on guests’ car radios.  It features 50-foot trees, an 80-foot tunnel of lights, dancing snowmen, and singing Santa’s and Christmas trees. A new addition this year is an additional 150-foot light tunnel. The light show also features Santa’s Village, a new Christmas Bounce Fest in the Fun Zone, with several inflatables along with a mechanical bull and a trackless train. The Richmond Freelance and Model Railroaders will have a model train display November 28 through January 1. Pictures can be taken with Santa nightly through December 23. For more information visit IlluminateLightShow.com or the Illuminate Light Show Facebook page. Discounted tickets also will be sold at participating Walgreens locations in Central Virginia. The light show begins off State Route 30. Enter Gate 1, and look for the purple tree.

Anne’s Visual Art Studio gallery ARTe’licious, Art and Appetizers to benefit Santa Paws First

Friday, December 2, from 5-7PM. Santa Paws is a program founded by featured local artist Susan Lamson that collects donations and items like leashes, blankets and food for area animal shelters during the holiday season. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from her exhibition River Journeys benefit Santa Paws. Sponsored by Daddy Red Catering. Live Music provided True Tonic, Elana Lisa (vocals, acoustic guitar and Rod Hyner (percussion). Tickets available www.mkt.com/visualartstudio. First Friday Reception December 2, 2016 from 7-10PM. Susan Lamson will continue to meet and greet visitors and talk about her artwork. Live Music by True Tonic.