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Weekend Events: Live Nativity & other Holiday events

Posted at 11:08 AM, Dec 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-22 11:22:10-05

The Richmond Nativity Pageant

Richmond’s oldest Christmas public outdoor Holiday tradition, is Thursday, December 22nd at The Carillon in Bryd Park with a Rain date of December 23rd. The bells of the Carillon starts at 6:30 and the pageant at 7 and runs about 30 minutes. It’s a standing event but you can bring a chair if you need to and dress for the weather. The “Nativity” is a live presentation out doors with a cast and choir of over 200 participants, it includes family members, some of whom have been in the annual pageant thirty, forty, and some fifty years. It’s also an interdenominational Christmas event drawing people from the Richmond Metro area as well as across Virginia. For more information email Paige Quilter, Pageant Director mrspdq@aol.com or visit www.richmondnativity.com.

Holiday Glitter: Monument Avenue After Dark Walking Tours

Wednesday, December 28, 6-7:30 pm (JUST ADDED!) Tours scheduled for December 26 & 27 are SOLD OUT. Enjoy the lights and glitter of Monument Avenue while learning about the history of the homes, residents, and holiday traditions. Tour begins at the Robert E. Lee Monument. Tickets are $15 per person and $5 for Valentine Members. Plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Reservations required. Call (804) 649-0711 ext. 301. Tours are held rain or shine, for more information  call (804) 649-0711, prompt 4.

Maymont Mansion Holiday Tours

Through December 31, 12-5 pm, Maymont Mansion (Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day). Celebrate the season at Maymont and revel in Victorian holiday splendor! Major and Mrs. Dooley’s spectacularly decorated Gilded Age home brings the wonders and festivities of Christmas past to life and is sure to put everyone in the holiday spirit. Beautiful trimmings on the 12-foot Christmas tree, the opulent dining room set for a feast, evergreen decorations and lavish gifts welcome the season in grand Victorian style. In the Below stairs area, preparations are underway to make the Dooleys’ first Christmas in their new home special for their family and friends. Guided tours (upstairs only) available every half-hour; last tour begins at 4:30 pm. $5 suggested admission. For information, call 804-358-7166, ext. 329.

The Historic Beacon Theatre, 401 North Main Street Hopewell,

The Spinners, Thursday December 29, Doors:  6:30 pm, show time 7:30 pm, Tickets:  $37-$52 Advance/$42-$57 Door,  details https://www.facebook.com/TheMightySpinners/.

RTL Paranormal Ghost Hunts, Friday December 30, 2016, Doors:  TBD. Hunts:  5pm-9 pm (All Ages), 9 pm-12 Midnight (Ages 18+), Tickets:  $20 Per Person – 20 Person Limit Per Tour, details http://rtlparanormal.com/.

The Del McCoury Band, Saturday January 14, 2017, Doors:  6:30 pm, show time 7:30 pm, details http://www.delmccouryband.com/.

Box Office:  804-446-3457, Details visit http://thebeacontheatreva.com/schedule-2/ and http://www.myticketstobuy.com/.

Through Dec.  23

A Live Nativity Pageant of the birth of Jesus Christ featuring live animals. The twenty-minute pageant is presented 3 times each evening with live musical performances before and after each pageant provided by local churches and performing arts groups. Krispy Kreme doughnuts and hot chocolate will be sold at a nominal fee to benefit local charities. The Zoo will participate in a Food Drive, collecting non-perishable foods for families in need. Gates will open at 6:15 pm, pageant time are at 7 pm, 7:45 pm & 8:30 pm at the Zoo. It’s free to attend and parking Overflow Parking will be at Grange Hall Elementary school with free shuttle service to the zoo, 8300 Beaver Bridge Road in Moseley. For more information visit http://metrorichmondzoo.com/ or call 804-739-5666.

Richmond Ballet The  Nutcracker 

The Richmond Ballet Presents The Holiday Classic “THE NUTCRACKER” through Dec. 23 at the Carpenter Theatre at Dominion Arts Center with the Richmond Symphony. Redesigned New Costumes, The Nutcracker continues through Dec. 23 at The Carpenter Theatre at Dominion Arts Center Downtown. Tickets start at $20. For details visit http://www.richmondballet.com/.

Dominion GardenFest of Lights

Through January 9, 2017, Nightly 5 – 10 p.m.; closed Dec. 24 & 25; 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, 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. 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

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.

Virginia Repertory Theatre  “A Christmas Story,” The Musical

Through January 1, 2017 at the Historic November Theatre downtown, starring Garet Chester, Duke Lafoon, Brandon McKinney, Andrea Rivette, and Susan Sandord and features Moose and Reba as the Bumpus Hounds, Trained by Tony Honoree, Broadway Animal Trainer, William Berloni, directed by Chase Kniffen, for details visit http://va-rep.org/press.html or call 804-282-2620.

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 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.

Horse & Carriage Rides

Dec.  23, pick up at 10th and East Cary Streets (James Center), Weekdays 7 pm – 10 pm, Saturdays 5 – 9 pm & 5 – 9 pm,  Sunday $10 person, children 4 & under sitting in your lap is free, for details call 804-350-7752.

Pine Camp Arts & Community Center

“Wee Holiday Village” a showing of miniature houses and dioramas with Holiday themes, open through December 30 in the Spotlight Gallery, hours are 10 am – 7 pm, Monday – Friday and 10 am – 2 pm Saturdays. For more details visit www.RichmondGov.com/parks or call 804-646-3677.

Future Events:

Noon Year’s Eve at the Science Museum of Virginia December 31, 2016,  10 am – 1 pm. 2,017 bouncy balls will drop from the Museum’s iconic Rotunda ceiling onto museum guests when the clock strikes noon. The ball drop will be accompanied by ping pong balls and confetti cannons and Guests are welcome to enjoy a juice toast, make noise makers and write their resolutions on a giant banner as they join in this quirky twist on traditional holiday celebrations. Noon Year’s Eve is included with exhibit admission. Tickets are $14 with $1 discounts for ages 4-12 and 60+. For more information visit www.smv.org.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s New Year’s Eve Family Frolic,

Saturday, December 31, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Enjoy Live music, a parade, family activities that include photo opportunities with the Garden Keeper, so bring your cameras, making New Year’s party hats, writing a wish for 2017 and add it to the garden’s “wishing chain and being a part of the “Rolling in the New Year” by rolling down the hill to the Cochrane Rose Garden, an annual Garden tradition. Guests who attend the New Year’s Eve Family Frolic and who are already in the Garden can stay to attend Dominion GardenFest of Lights (5 -10 p.m.) For more information visit http://www.lewisginter.org/event/new-years-eve-family-frolic/