Community Events: Add your Events Below
American Festival Pops Orchestra – Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season
12/09/2023 to 12/09/2023
4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030The American Festival Pops Orchestra presents Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season, a cherished tradition and Center for the Arts audience favorite. Gather ‘round for this annual concert that is sure to warm hearts and spread cheer. Now in his second season, Artistic Director and Conductor Peter Wilson welcomes old friends and new to the stage for a festive program of musical favorites, including an uplifting audience singalong of beloved carols. Don’t miss an evening that promises to put everyone—even the “bah humbug” Scrooges—in the holiday spirit! This performance also takes place on Friday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. at our sister venue, the Hylton Center, in Manassas, VA.
Winter Holiday (Christmas and Hanukkah) Farm Festival with Santa Claus!
12/09/2023 to 12/09/2023
16760 Whites Store Road, Boyds, MD 20841Highlights of the festival: Guided tours to meet the sanctuary animals face to face. Hear their stories, interact with them. Meet SANTA CLAUS, in person! Bunny motel tours (have you ever met a chinchilla!?) Your own framed Photo with Santa Claus and the animal of your choice. Winter lights, holiday costumes, and a whole host of reindeer (ok, maybe sheep and goats but close enough!). Gift shop open with beautiful warm weather gear made from our very own animals. Hot cider, cocoa, coffee and fresh baked goods. Vegan hot stews and soups. To help us plan, we ask you to sign up in advance. *Price is by the carload (no limit to how many people inside)!: $15 if paid in advance (by Friday, December 9) or $20 at the gate. This is an animal sanctuary, and so some of our residents have come from less-than-ideal circumstances. Some were picked up as strays, some were seized by animal control in cruelty cases; some are very very old and, having lost their life-long companions, have come here to retire, and some were born with physical impairments. Each and every one is special. They enjoy visitors who are quiet and listen to what they have to say (especially to Santa). Also, please leave your own pets at home.
Jane Franklin Dance at Theatre on the Run
12/09/2023 to 12/10/2023
3700 S Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington VA 22206, Arlington VA, VA 22206Location: Theatre on the Run, Cultural Affairs Building, 3700 S Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington VA 22206. Performance Date/Time: Saturday Dec 9, 2023 @ 7:00 pm, Sunday Dec 10 @ 4 pm. Tickets: $23. Info: https://janefranklin.com/performances. Jane Franklin Dance returns to Theatre on the Run with a collection of dances by 6 choreographers that reflect history, emotion and identity. Dressed Up by Kelsey Rohr flirts with aggression, sensuality, and passion. Inspired by the work of visual artist Donna McCullough from the NVFAA Athenaeum exhibit “Women’s Work” it is danced to “Turkish Lady Face” by The Underscore Orkestra. Ryan Carlough premiers a work for four dancers. In Silent Move-y Jane Franklin Dance's Forty+ Project brings to life a silent movie about transportation. Choreographed by Emily Crews and set to the lively ragtime music of Scott Joplin, the performers explore various ways of traveling through the dance to get to their final destination. Come along for the trip and find out where they end up! Houseless by Jane Franklin is danced to poetry by Bennie Herron. Element is a new work by Christopher Saunders. The three male dancers create a narrative that explores unity and strength and the flip side of softness. Site See - Inspired by the installation by Nina Cooke John for Waterfront Park, choreographer Jane Franklin explores Alexandria’s layered history through movement, dance, and spoken word. “Archaeologists exploring the Alexandria waterfront in 2015 and 2018, in advance of the ongoing redevelopment, discovered the remains of four vessels that were sunk on the Potomac mudflats in the latter part of the 18th-century as part of a process to extend Alexandria's shoreline.” A manifest lists people and commodities on a ship that came or left from the Port of Alexandria in 1792. Words from the ships’ manifest are heard as dancers respond. The six part work includes a segment by Washington DC award winning choreographer Robert J. Priore.
Mariachi Herencia de México: A Mariachi Christmas
12/10/2023 to 12/10/2023
4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030¡Viva el Mariachi! Representing a new generation of mariachi artists, Mariachi Herencia de México is a vibrant group of Mexican American musicians propelling the art and traditions of mariachi music to new heights. For the holidays, the ensemble brings the Latin American tradition of Las Posadas to the Center with songs of the season, such as “Feliz Navidad,” “Los Peces en el Río,” “Ave Maria,” and more! This trailblazing Latin GRAMMY-nominated group has released four highly acclaimed studio albums with chart-topping debuts on both Billboard and iTunes’ Latin Album charts. The ensemble has toured throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, performing in some of the most prestigious performing arts centers across the continent, including The Kennedy Center and Guadalajara’s Teatro Degollado. Add some love, light and mariachi to your holiday this season this year with Mariachi Herencia de México’s joyful music.
National Presbyterian Church Presents Handel’s Messiah, a Free Concert
12/10/2023 to 12/10/2023
4104 Nebraska Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016All are welcome and no reservations are necessary for this masterpiece of music and shared joy! Please join us for this free concert in the National Presbyterian Church Sanctuary at 5:00 pm on Sunday, December 10. Can’t attend in person? View online on our Watch page. More information about this and all our Christmas events here: https://nationalpres.org/christmas/. Contact: Charla Wilkerson cwilkerson@nationalpres.org
GreenSpring’s Annual Holiday Concert: “Making Spirits Bright!”
12/10/2023 to 12/10/2023
503 Stuart Circle , Richmond , VA 23220GreenSpring’s Harp Ensemble and Choristers present “Making Spirits Bright!” at 2:00 pm at St. John’s United Church of Christ, 503 Stuart Circle, Richmond, Virginia 23220. A favorite Richmond holiday tradition, this Grammy-considered harp ensemble, and choir will enthrall concert-goers with their performance of beloved holiday classics. In-person tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, $5 for children. For more information, order tickets online at www.greenspringmusic.org or call 804-837-9355. GreenSpring International Academy of Music works in partnership with area non-profits to promote awareness and raise funds in support of local charities. The proceeds from this concert will benefit Sound Experiences, a music education program for underserved youth.
