What's Hot Around Town This Weekend? Too Much!
The weather may be chilly, but the upside of December is unfolding all weekend in metro Detroit. That's right, Christmas events are here! So, grab a glass of nog, bundle up the family, call friends and check our list of what's hot around town this weekend to make your plans. -- Christy Strawser
DSO Neighborhood Concerts
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is hosting the inaugural season of the Neighborhood Concert Series on December 11. It's a four-concert, subscription based series in six metro Detroit venues in Beverly Hills, Bloomfield Hills, Dearborn, Grosse Pointe, West Bloomfield Township and Southfield. It's part of an initiative to build deep relationships throughout southeast Michigan.
Tickets are $25 per concert. The first concert is at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Seligman Performing Arts Center in Beverly Hills.
Magic of Birmingham
Two thousand lucky shoppers will take home gifts during Birmingham's annual Magic of Birmingham event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, December 10 throughout downtown Birmingham. Adding to the beauty of the downtown area decorated for the holidays, the crowd-drawing magical event offers discounted merchandise at participating stores and live carolers at storefronts.
At noon a Kid's Holiday Parade starts at the Birmingham Historical Museum and Park, at Maple and Southfield Road. Children will make a magical wand, explore a model train exhibit and receive food and snack coupons. At 1 p.m. the children will begin their musical march to the Santa House.
Each Saturday in the month, one grand gift will be awarded. On December 10 one lucky shopper will receive a diamond necklace from Astrein's Creative Jewelers; another lucky shopper will receive two airline tickets for anywhere in the continental U.S. from Departure Travel on December 17.
For more information and to view a list of participating stores, visit http://www.enjoybirmingham.com/, Enjoy Birmingham NOW on Facebook or call the Birmingham Principal Shopping District at 248-530-1200.
Get Wicked
Enjoy Broadway in Detroit when the musical "Wicked" begins its run this weekend at the Detroit Opera House. The blockbuster show continues through December 31. Get tickets here.
Breakfast with Santa at the Detroit Zoo
Join Old St. Nick for a buffet-style waffle breakfast at the Detroit Zoo. The annual Breakfast with Santa will be held in the Zoo's Wildlife Interpretive Gallery on December 10 and 17, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Seating is limited and advance reservations are necessary. Call 248-541-5717 and press 3 for ticket information. www.detroitzoo.org
Mannheim Steamroller
With 20 million Christmas records sold, Mannheim Steamroller is right up there with eggnog and Rudolph. But the show is no quiet fireside moment. This sizzling performance mixes big sounds, brash confidence, spectacular ingenuity, lavish multi-media images, spectacular ingenuity, lavish multi-media images, synchronized lighting and special effects.
Shows happen at 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Fox Theatre. Get tickets here.
Michigan Harp Ensemble: Angelaires Again!
Have brunch with Bach when five harpists perform a musical memoir of one of the most famous harp ensembles ever created, the Angelaires. Listen to the Michigan group plays a historical tribute to the Angelaires, performing music written expressly for them when they toured in the 1950s, while you munch.
The show happens at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, December 11. Get tickets here.
Great Russian Nutcracker
The Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker will make its annual return to the Fox Theatre at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11. This holiday performance premieres alternating pairs of award-winning principal dancers as Masha (aka Clara) and the Nutcracker Prince as well as a corps of 30 plus impeccably trained Russian dancers, most of whom have not performed in the US. Moscow Ballet's beloved Christmas story received critical acclaim in 2010.
Set to Tchaikovsky's famous score, this production features 200 lavish costumes, larger-than-life Russian puppets and nine hand-painted backdrops that are embellished with 3-D effects – a must see for the whole family. Get tickets here.
Jingle Bell Rock
Eddie Money, Lou Gramm and Mickey Thomas will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, December 11 at Sound Board at Motor City Casino. Tickets are only $10. The concert is sponsored by 104.3 WOMC. Get tickets here.
Holiday Nights
Greenfield Village celebrates America's premier holiday celebration, where you can step into a Christmas card from the past 6:30 to 11 p.m. December 9-10, 16-23 and 26-27.
Enjoy candlelit paths, live entertainment, costumed presenters, horse-drawn wagon and Model T rides, delightful holiday shops, Santa and live reindeer, ice skating, a spectacular fireworks display and more. Get tickets here.
Dickens Festival
The Annual Dickens Festival happens all weekend in Holly with live music, games, puppet shows, shopping and giveaways, a parade of lights, a tree lighting, and Santa. Merry Old England comes alive in downtown Holly.
The event includes the "Run like the Dickens race," a 5K run/walk, 10K run and Tiny Tim trot, Saturday morning. Tiny Tim kicks it off at 10:50 a.m., the races are staggered from there. After the race, enjoy the Expo and listen to holiday carols sung by Holly High School Choir. Savor hot food and homemade treats. Get information here.
