Countdown to Christmas with Can’t Miss Alabama for the best in holiday entertainment
Christmas at the Cave is underway through Dec. 21 at DeSoto Caverns in Childersburg. (Contributed)
Spread good cheer, sing carols and rock around the tree.
Happy holidays!
Christmas at the Cave
Complete your Christmas at the cave, where you will get a visit from Saint Nick, enjoy sing-a-longs, hear stories, see twinkling lights and munch on tasty holiday treats. There will be quests and characters around every corner, Streetmosphere performances, lip sync contests and dance parties. During the event, Destiny Express will offer unlimited rides through the park. All ages will enjoy the family fun through Saturday, Dec. 21, at DeSoto Caverns in Childersburg. For the full lineup, follow this link.
Home for the Holidays
Experience an unforgettable holiday evening with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO) Red Diamond SuperPOPS! and guest artists Caleb Clark, Dolores Hydock and Three on a String. Sing along with timeless classics Saturday at 7 p.m. at UAB Alys Stephens Center. Chris Confessore will be the conductor. For tickets and more information go to alabamasymphony.org.
Ice Skating at Railroad Park
Ice skating at Railroad Park is open through Tuesday, Jan. 5. The 50-foot-by-80-foot rink will be open seven days a week except for Christmas Day. Coast down the 100-foot-long ice slide added this year with the Birmingham cityscape as the backdrop. Red Diamond coffee and tea, homemade hot chocolate and meals will be available for purchase at the Boxcar Café. Visit www.railroadpark.org/iceskating for ticket information and season passes. For details, inbox info@railroadpark.org or call 205-521-9933.
Fall Artist Market in Prattville
Last minute Christmas shopping will be a pleasure as the Prattauga Art Guild holds its final Fall Artist Market at the Prattville Creative Art Center and Gallery. Choose from a variety of original paintings, drawings and photographs, clay pieces, recycled art, note cards, Christmas cards and ornaments, fine art prints, children’s books and cook books. The Art Center and Gallery will be open through Dec. 22. To make an appointment, call 334-595-0851.
A Tuna Christmas
Join in the holiday fun at this hilarious sequel to “Greater Tuna.” It’s Christmas in the third-smallest town in Texas. Radio station OKKK news personalities Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie report on various Yuletide activities, including the hot competition in the annual lawn-display contest. The performance contains adult language. Tickets are online. Performances are Dec. 20-22 at the Oxford Performing Arts Center.
Magic of Lights
Vulcan will light up the sky with an array of dancing lights choreographed to holiday music. There will be special performances from Santa V, the Alabama School of Fine Arts and Ramsay High School. Family activities include reindeer games and complimentary hot chocolate. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Children 4 and younger are admitted free. The annual light show is open through Dec. 23 at Vulcan Park and Museum.
Holiday Spectacular
Red Mountain Theatre will make the holiday season merry and bright at its annual Holiday Spectacular. Conservatory students and local artists will perform and sing your favorite holiday tunes through Sunday, Dec. 22. The show will feature Kristen Campbell, Kendall Johnson, Jacob Alexander and Mylesha Duff. Keith Cromwell is the director. Free parking is available on the street in front of the theater and the Park Rite deck, or at Fourth Avenue North and 19th Street. Paid parking is available in front of the building on 19th Street. The RMTC is at 301 19th St. North in Birmingham. Tickets start at $19.
The Nutcracker
Capture the spirit of “The Nutcracker” Dec. 20-22. The Alabama Ballet is one of only eight companies in the world licensed by The Balanchine Trust to perform the holiday masterpiece. Tchaikovsky’s beloved melodies transport the young and young at heart to a magical world where mischievous mice besiege a battalion of toy soldiers and an onstage blizzard leads to an enchanted Land of Sweets. Purchase tickets here. The venue is at the Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center at Samford.
Holiday Art Crawl at The Village
Find gifts for others and yourself at the Holiday Art Crawl through Christmas Eve. Find works of art by local makers and handmade goods at Brookwood Village pop-up shops. Admission is free.
ZooLight Safari
It’s a magical holiday season at the Birmingham Zoo’s 26th annual ZooLight Safari with a tree lighting, photos with Santa, a Singing Santa Show, holiday games, rides and more. Special guests include Birmingham Children’s Theater and Alabama Ballet Dancers. Celebrate the season Dec. 13-23 and Dec. 26-30. Depending on the weather, dates and times are subject to change. Admission is $10 and ride tickets are $3.50. Parking is free. Purchase tickets at zoolightsafari.com.
Let it Snow and Festival of Trees
The Hardin Center presents the Let it Snow exhibit through Friday, Jan. 31, at the Imagination Place Children’s Museum in Gadsden. Children from toddlers through the third grade can play in a pit of nontoxic polymer that feels like snow. The children will enjoy snow slides and play in an ice rink. The Hardin Center is closed on Christmas. For field trip information, call 256-543-2787 or visit the website. The hours for the exhibits are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 256-543-2787, ext. 31 or email hollyguinn@culturalarts.org. The Mary G. Hardin Center is at 501 Broad St.
Photos with Santa at The Wharf
Make this a memorable holiday season by getting a photo with Santa. Mr. Kringle has checked his list — twice, actually — so make sure you are on your best behavior with visions of sugarplums when you snap a frame-worthy picture. Saint Nick is available Dec. 23-24 at The Wharf in Orange Beach.
Alabama Theatre
A variety of Christmas classics will be playing at the Alabama Theatre through Saturday, Dec. 28. Moviegoers will see everything from “Home Alone” to “Miracle on 34th Street” (1994) to “White Christmas” to “Die Hard.” Doors open 90 minutes before showtime. Sing along with the Mighty Wurlitzer before each movie. Buy tickets at alabamatheatre.com/events.
Christmas at OWA
Make your Christmas season more exciting with a visit to The North Pole Dec. 21-22. Check out the holiday festivities at visitowa.com.
