Best Holiday Bets
Here are some of the many community events planned during the Christmas season. Watch for more announcements in the upcoming issues of the Butler Eagle.
FRANKLIN TWP — Anyone craving a Christmas light show this season can find one at the Big Butler Fairgrounds.Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland started in November and runs nightly through Jan. 5. The show opens each night around 6 p.m. and stays open until about 10 p.m. on weeknights and later on weekends.The fairgrounds are at 1127 New Castle Road. Visitors should look for signs pointing toward the light show's entrance.This year's show is called “North Pole” and features a light tunnel for attendees to drive through. Visitors tune their radios to a certain station to hear holiday songs play in tune with the flashing lights.After the light show, a Santa's Village is open nightly. There, visitors can sip hot cocoa and meet Santa himself.Entry for a car holding eight passengers or fewer costs $25 from Sundays through Thursdays or $30 on Fridays and Saturdays. The show is letting visitors pay an extra $20 to see it from an express lane that bypasses the general admission, if it's overly busy.
BUTLER TWP — The Butler County Symphony Orchestra will present its “Holiday Traditions” concert Saturday, featuring Handel's “Messiah, Part 1” and traditional holiday pops.The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Butler Intermediate High School auditorium.For tickets or more information, visit butlersymphony.org or call 724-283-1402.
BUTLER TWP — The Pittsburgh Philharmonic will perform its “Holiday Pops” concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at Butler County Community College.The first half of the concert will feature winter wonderlands in sound from Humperdinck's fairytale “Hansel and Gretel” to the dancing toys in Tchaikovsky's iconic “Nutcracker Suite.” Plenty of caroling is also planned.Tickets available at bc3.edu/succop-theater or by calling 724-284-8505.
SLIPPERY ROCK — The show “Eileen Ivers' A Joyful Christmas” will go on at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the University Union at Slippery Rock University.An original star of “Riverdance,” virtuoso fiddler Ivers weaves traditional Irish songs, beloved American carols and even a “jigging” Bach into this celebration of Christmas through music.Ivers is a Grammy Award winner, Emmy nominee and nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion who has performed with various orchestras, Sting, The Chieftains and many others.Her recording credits include more than 80 contemporary and traditional albums and numerous movie scores. The New York Times called Ivers “The Jimi Hendrix of the violin.”For tickets, visit www.sru.edu/pas or call 724-738-2616.
The Bach Society will give a free choral concert “Tell Me Who This Child Is” on Dec. 6 and 7.Both concerts start at 7:30 p.m., and admission is free.The concert Dec. 6 will be at Center Presbyterian Church in Slippery Rock and Dec. 7 at Tower Presbyterian Church, Grove CityFor more information visit www.bachsocietycommunitychoir.com
PITTSBURGH — Saxonburg native Allison Cahill will appear as Mrs. Fezziwig and Mrs. Dilber in her return to Pittsburgh CLO's “A Musical Christmas Carol,” her fifth season with the show.Cahill has performed with Pittsburgh Public Theater, West Virginia Public, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Playhouse, among others, as well as internationally. She is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and a member of the Actors' Equity Association.The 28th annual production of “A Musical Christmas Carol” will go on Dec. 6 to 22 at the Byham Theater, 101 Sixth St.Tickets are available by calling 412-456-6666 or visiting pittsburghCLO.org.
CRANBERRY TWP — “The Season of Joy” art show is being presented by the Cranberry Artists Network through Dec. 20 in the Back Hall Gallery at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center, 2525 Rochester Road.Visit www.cranberryartistsnetwork.com for more information.
The Butler Art Center will have its Christmas Show and Sale fromDec. 4 to Jan. 4 at the center at 344 S. Main St.The reception for guests and artists is planned for 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6From Dec. 21 until the end of the show are Deal Days.Regular Art Center hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays, except holidays.Admission is free. Call 724-283-6922 or visit ButlerArtCenter.org.
NEW WILMINGTON — The Texas Tenors will present their “Deep in the Heart of Christmas” show at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 in Orr Auditorium at Westminster College.Since appearing on “America's Got Talent” in 2009, The Texas Tenors have gone on to perform more than 1,300 shows around the world. They are three-time Emmy Award winners and #1 Billboard selling artists.These classically-trained tenors return to Celebrity Series for a show of contemporary and traditional Christmas favorites.Tickets are available at www.westminster.edu/celebrity or by calling the box office at 724-946-7354.
