Press & Sun: Mark your calendars

December 3, 2009



Mark your calendars for holiday performances, exhibits and festivities

The holiday season is in full swing with plays, parades and special displays. Here is a roundup of upcoming events to help you plan. Check out other events in the Good Times calendar.

Concerts

* "Andy Cooney's A Classic Irish Christmas" concert will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Boulevard United Methodist Church, 113 Grand Blvd., Binghamton. Cooney, an Irish-American musician, will be joined by George Casey, soprano Emma Kate Tobia, the Darrah Carr Dance Troupe and musical director Brian "Bugs" Moran with Irish America's Finest Musicians. For tickets or information, call 238-1222 or 727-2262, or e-mail sconners@ binghamton.edu.

* The Binghamton Theater Organ Society will perform its third annual Christmas show, "The Snowman in My Window," at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at The Forum, 236 Washington St., Binghamton. Featured is organist Richard Van Auken. For more information, call 724-6062.

* The sixth annual Choruses for CHOW concert will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial Church, Main Street, Johnson City. For tickets, visit the Broome County Council of Churches office, 3 Otseningo St. Binghamton, or call 724-9130, ext. 331.

Dance

* The Rafael Grigorian Ballet Theatre will perform "The Russian Nutcracker" at 2 p.m. Sunday at The Forum, 236 Washington St., Binghamton. The show will be directed by dancer and choreographer Rafael Grigorian and will feature Boston Ballet soloists Lia Cirio and Sabi Varga. Call 778-1369.

* The Endicott Performing Arts Center, 102 Washington Ave., Endicott, will present "The Nutcracker" at 8 p.m. Dec. 11-12 and 3 p.m. Dec. 13. For details, go to endicottarts. com.


Festivals/displays

* Vestal's Christmas Tree Lighting & Family Sing-A-Long will be held from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Memorial Park Gazebo at Four Corners in Vestal. Santa will arrive at 7:30 p.m.

* Otsiningo Park's ninth annual Hometown Lights Festival, a drive-through display, will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. daily through Dec. 27. Admission proceeds benefit the Southern Tier Independence Center.

* The Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park will turn into a Winter Wonderland on Dec. 12, with ice sculptures, carolers, storytellers, games, crafts and an appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Claus. For more information, go to www.ross parkzoo.com.

Museums/exhibits

* The Discovery Center of the Southern Tier, 60 Morgan Road, Binghamton, will sponsor a fundraiser, Breakfast with Santa, from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at Applebee's, 842 Upper Front St., Binghamton. Call 773-8661 or go to thediscoverycenter. org. The center also is featuring a toy exhibit, The Santa Workshop, through Jan. 10.

* The Roberson Museum, 30 Front St., Binghamton, will offer special events Saturday: tours of the mansion every half hour from noon to 4:30 p.m.; the Talking Hands program from 1 to 1:30 p.m. in Sears Harkness Hall; Vestal Community Chorus from 2 to 3 p.m. For more information, go to roberson.org or call 772-0660.

Parades

* Endicott's annual holiday parade and tree-lighting starts at 4 p.m. Saturday on Washington Avenue. The parade ends at Park Avenue. Refreshments will be served in the visitors center following the tree-lighting.

* Johnson City's hourlong parade begins at 7 p.m. today at Your Home Public Library, 107 Main St., and ends at the Johnson City Senior Center. Following the parade, a reception for the public will be held at Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church, 308 Main St., next to Wilson Hospital.

Stage shows

* "An EPAC Christmas," a variety show set to music, will be presented for its sixth year at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Endicott Performing Arts Center, 102 Washington Ave., Endicott. Visit endicottarts.com for more details.

Owego events

* "A Christmas Story": The Ti-Ahwaga Community Players will present the holiday classic at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, 9 p.m. Dec. 11-12 and 2 p.m. Dec. 13 at Ti-Ahwaga Performing Arts Center, 42 Delphine St. in Owego. Call 687-2130 or visit tiahwaga.com for ticket prices.

* Owego home tour, auction: The fundraiser for the Tioga County Council on the Arts features tours from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, starting at the Owego Elks Lodge, 223 Front St., which is the site of the 8:30 p.m. auction included with tours. Call 687-0785 or visit tiogaartscouncil. org for details.

* Lights on the River Festival will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and will feature festivities, food and entertainment. The fireworks will begin at 8 p.m. at Draper Park. For a full schedule, visit lightsontheriver.com.

* The Tioga County Historical Society Museum's O'Tannenbaum Holiday Showcase and Auction will continue through Dec. 18 at the museum, 110 Front St., Owego. It features holiday trees, wreaths, baskets and other crafts. For more information, call 687-2957 or visit tiogahistory.org