Get On Board the Holiday Train ’Tis the Season for Shopping, Singing and Seeing Santa By Jeff Eason Where has 2004 gone? It seems like just yesterday that the Boston Red Sox were in spring training, still smarting from their seventh-game, extra-innings loss to the despicable New York Yankees in the 2003 American League playoffs. Now, the World Series is over, the Presidential election is over, and we are already at Thanksgiving, picking up speed toward the rest of the holidays. Before it all passes you in a green-and-red-lit blur, here’s a list of some of the holiday events that are coming up in the High Country. Ongoing Events Caldwell Heritage Museum’s “Angels” The main floor display at the Caldwell Heritage Museum is “Angels We Have Heard on High,” a collection of ceramic angels collected by Wilmetta Crisp Crump. The display commemorates the holiday season and will be exhibited through January. The museum also features a gift shop with plenty of holiday items. The Caldwell Heritage Museum is located behind the Davenport A+ School in Lenoir. For more information, call (828) 758-4004. Appalachian Cultural Museum’s 2004 Ornament Nothing says new Christmas tree like a couple of new ornaments to join your beloved collection. The Appalachian Cultural Museum continues its tradition of releasing a new ornament every year with the Holiday 2004 Ornament. This year’s porcelain ornament has been crafted by Collie and Mollie Hooven and will certainly become a treasured family heirloom. The new 2004 ornament costs $14.95 and is available at the Appalachian Cultural Museum in Boone. For more information, call the museum at (828) 262-3117. A meeting with Santa Claus at the Boone Mall. Photo by Jeff Eason. Santa at Boone Mall Santa Claus will be making his yearly pilgrimage to the Boone Mall to get the “411” on who’s been naughty and nice and find out what the kids want for Christmas this year. From November 26 until December 12, Santa will be at the Boone Mall on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Boone Mall will host two “Santa Paws” Thursdays on December 2nd and 9th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Show up with your favorite well-behaved pet for a visit and photo op with Santa! From Friday, December 17 through Friday, December 24, Santa will be at the mall on a daily basis. For more information, call the Boone Mall at (828) 264-7286. 3rd Annual Gingerbread Contest The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts in Boone will host the 3rd Annual Gingerbread Contest sponsored by the Alcohol/Drug Awareness Council. The Turchin Center will collect entries on December 1 & 2 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The entries will be on display December 3-23. For registration forms or more information, contact the Alcohol/Drug Council at (828) 262-5051. Special Events Nov. 27—Blowing Rock Christmas Parade The Annual Blowing Rock Christmas Parade is scheduled for Saturday, November 27 starting at 2 p.m. The parade will feature marching bands, hand-crafted floats, local dignitaries, fire trucks, horses, vintage autos, Santa Claus and much more. A special guest at this year’s parade will be Disney’s Cruella DeVille in a sleigh pulled by Dalmatian reindeer! For more information, contact the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce at (828) 295-7851. Nov. 28—St. Mary of the Hills Choir Advent Festival The Choir of the St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church in Blowing Rock will present an Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, November 28, 2004 at 5 p.m. in the nave of the church, at the corner of Main and Chestnut streets in Blowing Rock. The service is free and open to the public. The choir will perform music from The Truth from Above by Ralph Vaughn Williams, Adam Lay Ybounden by Boris Ord, A Spotless Rose by Herbert Howells, There is a Flower by John Rutter, and Ave Maria by Igor Stravinsky. For more information, call St. Mary of the Hills Church at (828) 295-7323. Nov. 30—ASU’s 13th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration Appalachian State University’s Office of Multicultural Student Development will sponsor the 13th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration at Legends in Boone on Tuesday, November 30th starting at 6:30 p.m. The event will feature student stage presentations, singing, a holiday feast and the famous Healing Force Family. Admission to this fun-filled family oriented event is free and a one-dollar suggested donation will be used to support the Give A Child A Christmas Fund. For more information, call Dejon Banks at (828) 262-6252. Nov. 30—A Chanticleer Christmas The Appalachian State Office of Cultural Affairs and the 2004-05 Performing Arts Series will present the world famous San Francisco choral group Chanticleer at Farthing Auditorium on Tuesday, November 30th at 8 p.m. The group will perform a special holiday concert featuring a selection of sacred hymns and holiday favorites. Hear harmony as you’ve never heard it before! Tickets for the performance are $8 for students, $14 for all seniors and ASU faculty and staff, and $16 for all others. For more information or to order tickets, call the Farthing Auditorium Box Office at (828) 262-4046. The 2004 limited edition Christmas tree ornament now available at the Appalachian Cultural Museum. Photo courtesy of the Appalachian Cultural Museum. Dec. 3—Appalachian Cultural Museum Open House The Appalachian Cultural Museum in Boone will host its 15th Annual Holiday Open House on Friday, Dec. 3rd from Noon to 8 p.m. The event will include holiday refreshments and music by the Suzuki Violin Group, the Songbirds, and the Kosmala Family. The museum will also feature the Holiday Quilt and Seasons art exhibit, featuring the work of the High Country Watermedia Society and the Laurel Mountain Quilt Guild. For more information, contact the museum at (828) 262-3117. Dec. 3—ASU Holiday Concert The Miriam Cannon Hayes School of Music at ASU will present its annual Holiday Scholarship Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 3 in Farthing Auditorium in Boone. Proceeds will benefit the Hayes School of Music Scholarship Fund. The concert will feature holiday classics such as “Deck the Halls,” “Silver Bells,” “Snowland,” Handel’s “Hallelujah” and much more. Performing groups include the Brass Choir, Jazz Vocal Ensemble, Treble Choir, Men’s Glee Club, Flute Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Chamber Singers and the Appalachian Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. Children six and under are admitted free. For more information about this event, call (828) 262-3020 or visit www.music.appstate.edu. Dec. 4—Downtown Boone Christmas Parade The Annual Downtown Boone Christmas Parade will take place on Saturday, Dec. 4th starting at 1 p.m. Watauga County Red Cross director Sonny Sweet will serve as grand marshal and the theme of this year’s parade is “Christmas Tree Country.” For more information, or to register to participate in this year’s parade, call the Downtown Boone Development Association at (828) 262-4532. Dec. 4—Solar Powered Christmas Tree A holiday tree utilizing energy-efficient bulbs powered by the sun will be presented on Dec. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Jones House Community Center in downtown Boone. The event is sponsored by the Appalachian State Solar Energy Society. The event will include live music, refreshments and door prizes from local businesses. Admission is $1. The tree will be lit with a solar-powered photovoltaic system designed by ASU students in the Solar Energy Society. For more information, call Michael Dooraghi at (828) 773-9205. Dec. 4—10th Annual Hearts of Hospitality Ball The Tenth Annual Holiday Ball to benefit the Hospitality House of Boone is scheduled for Saturday, December 4th from 7:30 p.m. to midnight at the Trillium Ballroom at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center. The night will feature dinner, an auction, dancing and live music by the Extraordinaires. Tickets are $75 per person and are on sale now. For more information, call (828) 264-2733. Dec. 4—Johnson City Symphony’s Christmas Concert The Johnson City Symphony Orchestra will present the Christmas concert What a Wonderful Time of the Year on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be held at Freedom Hall in Johnson City. The concert will feature an evening of sacred and secular Yuletide favorites including “Sleigh Ride,” “Christmas Festival,” “White Christmas,” “Joy to the World” and many others. The production will also include a special presentation of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas with narrator Ed Herbert, masters of ceremonies for the event. Tickets for the performance are $17 for adults and $9 for students. For more information, or to make reservations, contact the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra at (423) 926-8742. Dec. 4—Kingsport’s A Symphony of Carols The Symphony of the Mountains will present A Symphony of Carols on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. in Kingsport, Tennessee. Selections will include music from The Nutcracker, a selection of popular carols and the four-movement Christmas Carol Symphony. Tickets are $15 and $19 for adults, and $10 for students and children. For more information, contact the Symphony of the Mountains at (423) 392-8423. Dec. 9—WHS Madrigal Feast The Watauga High School Chorus will hold a Madrigal Feast with full dinner on Thursday, Dec. 9. For more information, call (828) 264-2407. The “Dance of the Flowers” from the 2003 Studio K production of The Nutcracker. Photo by Jeff Eason. Dec. 11 & 12—The Nutcracker Ballet Studio K Youth Ballet of Boone presents the famous Tchaikovsky holiday spectacular The Nutcracker at Farthing Auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. The production features over 200 local dancers, spectacular sets and special professional guest dancers. Dancers from five to fifty-five will thrill audiences with this timeless holiday classic! For ticket information, call Farthing Auditorium at (828) 262-4046. Dec. 11 & 12—LMC’s Candlelight Christmas Concert The Lees-McRae College Department of Performing Arts will present the annual Candlelight Christmas Concert on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 12 at 2 p.m. at the Hayes Auditorium in Banner Elk. The production will feature beautiful choral music, solos, dances, humorous presentations and much more. The 26th Annual Candlelight Christmas Concert is directed by James Taylor. For more information, or to reserve tickets, call the Hayes Auditorium Box Office at (828) 898-8721. Dec. 17-19—The Snow Queen in Asheville Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre will present an original adaptation of The Snow Queen, the classic tale by Danish storyteller Hans Christian Anderson. This special winter ballet production will be presented December 17 and 18 at 8 p.m., and December 19 at 2 p.m. at the BeBe Theatre on Commerce Street in Asheville. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students. For more information, call (828) 254-2621 or visit the website www.acdt.org. Dec. 21-Jan. 2—BRSC’s Appalachian Christmas Homecoming The Blowing Rock Stage Company will present the holiday musical Appalachian Christmas Homecoming December 21 through January 2. The musical is steeped in the rich folklore of the High Country and filled with the sounds of traditional Blue Ridge Mountain music. Follow a young mountain man named Ryan as he returns to the High Country and journeys through Christmases past on his way home to family and friends. Shows are nightly at 7:30 p.m. (except for Dec. 24 & 25) with additional 2 p.m. matinees on Dec. 26, Jan. 1 & 2. For more information, or to reserve tickets, call the BRSC at (828) 295-9168.