Holiday Happenings! Places To Go & Things To Do
Events through January 14,
compiled by Karyn Lunde, December 15, 2011, page 25.....

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15
Lasagna Dinner, 6 p.m., Champlain Valley Union High School, Hinesburg. CVU’s Lucien Lambert chapter of the National Honor Society will host a lasagna dinner to benefit the Connor B. Turnbaugh Foundation, which provides financial support to Vermont families with a child diagnosed with cancer. $8 per person.
CCS Band and Chorus Winter Concert, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m., Charlotte Central School multi-purpose room. Free admission.
Night Fires, 8 p.m., Town Hall Theater, Middlebury. Theatre Group, Ltd.’s much-loved winter solstice celebration will be performed December 15-17 (shows at 8 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 4 p.m.). The story is told through astonishing and wild-hearted music from Finland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Russia, Siberia, the Altai Mountains, with a bit of K.D. Lang thrown in. Tickets: Adult $20; Senior $18; Student $15. 802-382-9222 or townhalltheater.org.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16
Holiday Artist Market, noon-6 p.m., Contois Auditorium, City Hall, Burlington. Enjoy a truly unique local holiday shopping experience! Free admission. Info: 865-7166 or burlingtoncityarts.org.
VYO Concert “And On Earth, Peace,” 7:30 p.m., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Middlebury College. The VYO Chorus and the Vermont Youth Concert Chorale present their Winter Concert program, with Jeffrey Buettner, conductor, and Annemieke Spoelstra, accompanist. Tickets: Adults $8; Seniors $6; Students $5 at 802-443-6433 or boxoffice@middlebury.edu. Info: 655-5030 or vyo.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17
Holiday Artist Market, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Contois Auditorium, City Hall, Burlington. Enjoy a truly unique local holiday shopping experience! Free admission. Info: 865-7166 or burlingtoncityarts.org.
Book Signing with Peter Miller, 1-4 p.m., Frog Hollow Vermont State Craft Center, 85 Church Street, Burlington. The author of eight books, Peter is known for his iconic black and white photographs of native Vermonters and country scenes. Free and open to the public. Info: 863-6458 or froghollow.org.
The Nutcracker, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. shows, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington. Vermont Ballet Theater is returning for its seventh season with its luxurious production of this holiday classic, featuring many young performers from Charlotte. Tickets: $33/$28/$21 (students, seniors and children under 12 receive a 10% discount.), 802-86-FLYNN or flynntix.org. Info: vbts.org.
VYO Concert, “And On Earth, Peace,” 7:30 p.m. Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael’s College. The VYO Chorus and the Vermont Youth Concert Chorale present their Winter Concert program, with Jeffrey Buettner, conductor, and Annemieke Spoelstra, accompanist. Tickets: Adults/Seniors $12; Students $7 at 802-86-FLYNN or flynntix.org. Info: 655-5030 or vyo.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18
The Nutcracker, 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. shows, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington. Vermont Ballet Theater is returning for its seventh season with their luxurious production of this holiday classic, featuring many young performers from Charlotte. Tickets: $33/$28/$21 (students, seniors and children under 12 receive a 10% discount.), 802-86-FLYNN or flynntix.org. Info: vbts.org.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19
Charlotte Grange #398 Meeting, 7 p.m., Grange Hall, Spear St. Enjoy the Holiday Cookie Swap. Info: 734-9416.
Flynn Show Choir Winter Concerts, 8:30 p.m. (Monday and Tuesday performances), FlynnSpace, Burlington. Adult and teen choir perform selections from Hair, Sweet Charity, Spring Awakening, Next to Normal, as well as some holiday favorites to warm the spirit. Tickets: Adult $15; Student $10 at flynncenter.org or 802-86-FLYNN.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20
Happy Hanukkah!
Menorah Lighting, 5 p.m., UVM Green, South Prospect and Main Streets, Burlington. Celebrate the official start of Chanukah with the giant menorah lighting, latkes and donuts and a special gift for every child. Info: chabadvt.org.
Special Planning Commission Meeting, 6 p.m. Planning Commission will meet at the Town Hall to discuss the proposed Charlotte Solar project on Hinesburg Road. See article on page 1.
CCS Budget Meeting, 6:30 p.m. in the CCS library. The School Board will discuss FY2012 budget issues including fees charged for community use of facilities. See CCS BoardsCorner article on page 7.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21
Donate Toys for Kids, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Final day to drop off toys at CVU for the Toys for Kids drive. See letter on page 3.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23
CCS and CVU Holiday Break. No school December 23 through January 2 for CVU and through January 3 for CCS.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25
Merry Christmas!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31
First Night Burlington, noon to midnight, events throughout Burlington. A New Year’s Eve Festival of the Arts. Performances including Charlotters: The Very Merry Theater presents A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream, the 40s Musical at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the Edmunds School Gym. Vermont Youth Orchestra plays on Flynn’s Main Stage at 1 p.m. Prydein, a blood boiling Celtic band featuring CCS band teacher Andy Smith, rocks in the New Year at 11 p.m. in Contois Auditorium. Visit firstnightburlington.com for information about buttons and tickets, artists and activites, schedules, venues and parking.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 1
Happy New Year!
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, 3 p.m., Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael’s College. Performance by the Green Mountain Mahler Festival Orchestra and Chorus. A benefit for the VNA of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties. Tickets: Adults $25; Senior(62+) $20; Students $10 at 802-86-FLYNN or flynntix.org. Info: vtmahler.org.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 3
No School CCS. Staff Inservice.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5
CVU Art Night, 6–7:30 p.m., Champlain Valley Union HS, Hinesburg. The third annual Celebrate the Arts Night will feature over 450 pieces of visual art created by students currently enrolled in CVU art courses along with demonstrations, music and refreshments. Free and open to the public. Info: contact abowker@cvuhs.org. See page 27 for more information.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7
Bird Monitoring Walk, 8-10 a.m., Green Mt. Audubon Center, Huntington. Learn to identify bird species and gather information to be entered into the Vermont e-bird database. Meet at Office Building. Donations appreciated. Info: 434-3068 or vt.audubon.org.
Twelfth Night Celebration, 6:30 p.m., St. Michael’s College Chapel, Colchester. Enjoy the music of the Essex Children’s Choir. The resounding message of peace will ring through a collaboration of artistry in choral literature, music, dance, and prose. Donations are requested. Info: 863-9161 or essexchildrenschoirofvermont.org.

Saturday, january 14
Tour de Store at Spear’s Corner Store, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., samples all day, wine and beer tasting 1-5 p.m.