Arts and leisure briefs: Afton prepares for 'Village Holiday'

Afton will be transformed into a winter wonderland for its annual "Village Holiday" event on Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6.

Both days will include free horse-and-wagon rides, strolling carolers, a holiday shopping boutique featuring handmade gifts and décor from local artisans, and a vintage holiday model train with complimentary refreshments at the Afton Museum.

Friday's events start at 5 p.m., when the village of Afton will be lit with festive lights and torches, followed by the 6 p.m. tree lighting ceremony with carolers, city officials, Santa and other guests. Free glow sticks will be distributed to those attending.

There will be shopping with special discounts and complimentary treats and beverages at village businesses.

Saturday's events will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They include breakfast and photos with Santa, plus frame decorating at the Historic Afton House Inn; a kids' stocking giveaway at Sail Away Café, the Afton House or Selma's to use for collecting free treats and toys at Afton shops and restaurants; photos with princesses Elsa and Anna at Donae Cotton photography (11:45 to 1:30 p.m.), followed by family holiday photos and more.

Baglio's of Afton will hold its Holiday Style Show at Afton House Inn at 1 p.m. For reservations, call 651-436-1506.

The Afton Area Business Association will also be collecting food and clothes for charities. "Love Your Melon" at Afton House Inn will donate hats to a child battling cancer; the Afton/Lakeland Girl Scouts Mitten Tree, in front of Baglio's, will collect warm hats, coats, mittens and scarves for Valley Outreach; and Valley Outreach Food Shelf will take donations of nonperishable food.

For more information on Village Holiday, visit www.aftonholiday.com/.

Santa Claus will visit Oakdale on Dec. 11, and travel through the city on a fire truck.

He'll head south on Hadley Avenue, making his first stop at 41st Street around 6 p.m., then appear at Eberle Park, Stillwater Boulevard and City Hall, and finally arrive at Hadley Lane about 7:20 p.m.

The fire truck will be recognizable by its twinkling lights, the city said.

Art galleries can be found throughout the Twin Cities, but only one can be found in Oakdale — the Discovery Center, 4444 Hadley Avenue.

The Discovery Center Art Gallery is currently seeking artists interested in displaying their work in 2015. Interested artists may find an Artist's Interest Form at www.oakdalefun.com or at the Discovery Center.

Questions may be directed to Deb Ramsey at 651-747-3860.

Tickets are on sale for "A Christmas Carol: The Musical," with six performances running Dec. 5-14 at The Loft Stage at East Ridge High School, 4200 Pioneer Dr.

The musical, designed for audiences of all ages, originated on Broadway and is an adaptation of Charles Dickens's popular story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a prosperous curmudgeon who believes personal wealth is more valuable than the happiness and comfort of others, and then undergoes a transformation.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $12 students/children (active military free; group rates available). They can be ordered at www.merrillartscenter.org, or by calling 651-200-4610.

Elementary school students will sing carols before each performance.

The Artists of Woodbury also will be holding an art exhibit and sale featuring local artists from 6 to 9 p.m. before and after the Dec. 6 performance. The show is free and open to the public.

Santa will take a break from making toys and is inviting kids to decorate cookies, make a snowman ornament and take pictures.

The event takes place at 9 a.m. on Dec. 6 at Central Park, 8595 Central Park Pl., Woodbury. Cost is $6 per child, and preregistration through the Woodbury Parks and Recreation Department is required at register.parksreconline.com/. Bring your own camera.

The new outdoor ice rink at Bielenberg Sports Center will open 9 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30, and a grand opening celebration marking the event will start at 5 p.m.

Former Minnesota Wild player Wes Walz will light the sports center tree, and the East Ridge High School Carolers will set the mood for outdoor skating under the stars from 5 to 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Ice skates will be available for rental, and skate sharpening and concessions will be available for purchase.

Generally, the outdoor rink will be open daily between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., except when other activities are scheduled to use the ice. There will be no charge for open skating on the outdoor rink. Users can check the outdoor rink open skating schedule at www.bielenbergsportscenter.com/.

For more information, visit www.bielenbergsportscenter.com or call BSC at 651-714-3740.

"Dancing with Sugarplums: A Nutcracker Suite of Classical and Contemporary Dance" will be performed at 3 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the Stillwater Senior High School, 5701 Stillwater Blvd. N., Stillwater.

The East Metro Symphony Orchestra, in collaboration with the Woodbury Dance Center, is presenting the fresh take on Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, a holiday favorite.

The Nutcracker ballet features the sumptuous music of Tchaikovsky and the fanciful story of a family's festive Christmas Eve party, special gifts, and extraordinary dreams, all told through ballet dancing.

For the first time, the dance center and orchestra will present a Nutcracker featuring not only classical ballet, but contemporary, tap, and other styles of dance as well. Dancers will be accompanied on stage by the full orchestra.

Admission to this holiday event is $10 for adults, $6 for seniors, and those 18 and under are free. Presale tickets are available beginning Nov. 26 at the dance center's front desk, 380 Rivertown Dr., #1100 (www.woodburydance.com), or through orchestra members.

Following the performance, an informal reception with cookies will provide an opportunity to meet the musicians and dancers.

A pancake breakfast fundraiser for Friends in Need Food Shelf, including a chance to win a ride on the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train, will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Dec. 7 at St. Rita's Catholic Church, 8694 80th St. S., Cottage Grove.

Tickets will be available at the door: $7 for adults, $4 for children ages 4-10, and free for children 3 and under. The menu includes pancakes with sausage, eggs, milk or coffee. All proceeds benefit the food shelf serving Cottage Grove, Grey Cloud Island, Newport and St. Paul Park.

Jim Anderson