Christmastime attractions in Can’t Miss Alabama brighten the holiday season
ASF’s A Christmas Carol is the perfect way for families and friends to make the holidays unforgettable. (Frank C. Williams)
Spend the most wonderful time of the year in Alabama.
‘A Christmas Carol’
Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF) presents Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” adapted and performed by Greta Lambert, streaming digitally through Friday, Dec. 27. This streaming production will transport audiences back to a magical evening in Victorian England to enjoy the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his encounters with Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. While enjoyed by audiences of all ages, “A Christmas Carol” is recommended for children ages 7 and older. Tickets for “A Christmas Carol” are only available for purchase online. For more information, email info@asf.net or call 334-271-5353 on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays from noon until 4 p.m. Over the next few months, ASF will continue to produce online and outdoor events. Those wishing to make a contribution will have the option to include an additional gift with their ticket purchase. “A Christmas Carol” will be available to stream to in-person, virtual and hybrid classrooms free of charge as part of the theater’s SchoolFest student matinee program. Educators interested in streaming the 72-minute production to their classes can request information by completing the form at asf.net/schoolfest-reservation.
Audiences will be mesmerized as Greta Lambert takes on many roles in this heartwarming production. (Frank C. Williams)
Holiday Horse and Carriage Rides
Saddle up for the season by spending an evening under the moonlight in an enchanted horse-drawn carriage at The Wharf in Orange Beach. Trot along through the streets and gaze at the holiday lights and decorations with your loved ones. Have your camera ready for the ride Dec. 13, 20 and 31 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The cost is $25 per carriage ride for up to six adults; lap children are welcome. Cash, credit card, Venmo and CashApp are accepted. Attendees are encouraged to adhere to social distancing and facial covering guidelines. Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the property.
Galaxy of Lights
Galaxy of Lights’ 25th anniversary season is underway through Saturday, Jan. 2, from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. Explore 2.5 miles of magnificent light displays weaving together holiday themes, classic characters and scenes from the natural world. Tickets for Driving Nights can be purchased in advance for any date or upon arrival. For frequently asked questions about Galaxy tickets, please email info@hsvbg.org. Celebrate the anniversary by sharing your favorite memories of the event. The Huntsville Botanical Gardens is at 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.
Magical Nights: Vulcan’s Holiday Experience
Enjoy a 15-minute lively array of dancing lights choreographed to delightful holiday music Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 17-23 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. There will be games for people of all ages, special guest appearances, music and a picturesque view of the “Magic City” for the socially distanced event. The Anvil and Museum have extended hours until 9 p.m. Food, wine and beer will be available for purchase. This is a limited, socially distanced event with timed tickets issued in one-hour blocks. Vulcan Park & Museum recommends purchasing tickets online to ensure availability. A select number of tickets will be available on-site.
Each hour, beginning at 5:30 p.m., guests will enjoy a 15-minute lively array of dancing lights choreographed to delightful holiday music. (contributed)
CahaBAZAAR Holiday Market
Browse more than 70 vendors and enjoy food trucks, live music and a free hot chocolate bar Saturday, Dec. 12, from noon until 5 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Company. Santa will be joining the fun from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Follow this link for the complete schedule. Wear your mask unless seated in designated areas and be patient approaching vendors. Every vendor will have hand sanitizer available. Contactless forms of payment will be accepted, including Venmo, PayPal and others when possible. Cahaba Brewing Company is at 4500 5th Ave. S.
Woodlawn Street Market
Woodlawn Street Market’s last market of the year will feature 50 vendors selling hand-crafted holiday gifts and food Sunday, Dec. 13, from noon to 4 p.m. Woodlawn Street Market will follow a COVID-19 safety plan for tent setup and foot traffic flow to ensure all vendors and visitors stay safely spaced. Masks will be required for everyone, and team members are assigned to check for compliance at each entrance as well as throughout the market. The virtual market will continue to run between in-person markets. Shoppers can buy from both new and longtime vendors at woodlawnstreetmarket.com, with new vendors added monthly. Online or in-person purchases made from Woodlawn Street Market vendors also qualify for REV Birmingham’s Great Receipt Race, a text-to-play shop local initiative that runs through Dec. 31. Each receipt submitted is a chance to win $100 in gift cards each week. Text RACE to 267-TEXTREV (267-839-8738) to get started. A product of the partnership between REV Birmingham and Woodlawn Business Association, Woodlawn Street Market usually takes place on 55th Place in downtown Woodlawn every other month beginning in April. Shoppers can browse local makers as well as a few brick-and-mortar Woodlawn businesses that line the physical market space at woodlawnstreetmarket.com. Follow Woodlawn Street Market on Facebook and Instagram for updates throughout and between market seasons. For questions, contact Rebekah Fox at woodlawnstreetmarket@gmail.com.
Holiday Show at OWA
Las Vegas’ longest-running and most-awarded tribute show is ready to celebrate the holidays. The all-new A Merry Country Christmas at OWA Theater will pay tribute to country music royalty, including Shania Twain, Martina McBride, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire and Elvis Presley through Sunday, Jan. 3. For the big finale, the Legends band brings musical memories to life with a tribute to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Christmas Eve in Sarajevo” (“Carol of the Bells”). The entire cast will join the band to perform “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” Corrie Sachs returns by popular demand to ask “Why Haven’t I Heard From You” during her portrayal of Reba McEntire and once again serves as the host of the evening. Stacey Whitton is “Gonna Getcha Good” with her performance as Shania Twain, and will transform to return as Martina McBride, proving that “Independence Day” is good any time of year. Garth Brooks promises that the holiday show “Ain’t Going Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up)” as Shawn Gerhard returns to the OWA Theater stage, and Elvis is back in the building, as Leo Days will have a “Blue Christmas” without you this holiday season. The theater has developed robust safety measures for all areas focusing on the health and safety of audience members, staff and cast. For ticket information and more, go to owa.com.
Frosty Fest Virtual
A2Z Hope Foundation presents the inaugural Frosty Fest 2020 featuring the Broadway star of “Legally Blonde,” Laura Bell Bundy. Enjoy a cookie baking and fire pit chat with Bundy as she sings her favorite holiday tunes. Learn how to create the perfect holiday cocktail with a mixologist and play a few rounds of family-friendly trivia. Kids will have the opportunity to chat with Santa. Throughout the event, there will be many opportunities to donate to the A2Z Hope Foundation and support the fight against domestic violence. You may also donate here. The virtual event is Saturday, Dec. 12, from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Register and get your tickets here.
Glow Wild: An Animal Lantern Celebration
Get ready for the Birmingham Zoo’s new larger-than-life illuminated experience, Glow Wild: An Animal Lantern Celebration. The celebration is underway through Monday, Jan. 18, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. It’s open MLK Day but closed Christmas and Christmas Eve. Guests will be captivated by lantern creations of wildlife from around the world. Watch the zoo come alive with hundreds of animal shapes, including pandas, elephants, cheetahs and polar bears. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page for health and safety protocols. Tickets are on sale at birminghamzoo/glowwild.
