Friday
Heavenly Voices
WHAT: Christmas Festival: The Spotless Rose
WHEN: 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Basilica of St. Mary
The National Lutheran Choir uses its Christmas show to play with the space offered by the Basilica of St. Mary, and with audience expectations of choral performances. This year promises to be as playful as ever. The singers will move out of the choir loft to surround and mingle with the audience as they sing pieces drawn from the canon of religious choral tradition, as well as new pieces. Tickets and more info at National Lutheran Choir.
A Little Perspective
WHAT: Bell Social
WHEN: 7 p.m.
WHERE: Bell Museum of Natural History
Astrophysics may involve a lot of numbers, but there’s a lot of poetry, too: Fingers of God and the End of Greatness are two complex concepts with beautiful names. Observational astrophysicist Dr. Larry Rudnick will be at the Bell Social to chat with the curious about big concepts, including the “biggest things in the universe.” If his talk is too heavy, sneak off to the food truck for a burger and brew, listen to the band Communist Daughter, look at new work by Bell Museum artist-in-residence Sreekishen Nair, or experience the vastness of the universe at the ExploraDome planetarium. Tickets and info at Bell Museum.
Saturday
Christmas Traditions
WHAT: Union Depot Bake Sale
WHEN: 10 a.m.
WHERE: Union Depot
”‹This event will bring together the top Twin Cities bakeries for holiday confectionery and candy shopping. Special performances and baking demonstrations are lined up until 5 p.m., and admission for adults is only $5. You can also get a preview of Lowertown Pop, a new pop-up market featuring local artisans, brewers, bakers, street performers, and more. For the schedule of events and more information, visit Union Depot.
Black Tie, White Lace
WHAT: Liquor & Lace—A Winter Evening Fashion Show
WHEN: 7 p.m.
WHERE: Norseman Distillery
An evening of flowing drinks and high fashion: Enjoy a fashion-week-inspired showing by local designers Atmosfere and Showroom, lingerie inspired by classic Hollywood pin-ups by Flirt Boutique, and male models in kilts by Croft Celtic. Celebrity bartenders will be serving drinks for charity from the open bar all night, and hor d’oeuvres will be served. The afterparty is right in the distillery, where a DJ will be playing music as soon as the show is over. Tickets and more info at Eventful.
Sunday
Sunday Brunch
WHAT: Santa Brunch Buffet
”‹WHEN: 10 a.m.
WHERE: Kendall’s Tavern and Chophouse
Kendall’s in Coon Rapids has barely been open for a month, and it’s worth checking out to be one of the first to try their tavern-inspired dishes. While they offer brunch every Sunday, the menu for this special holiday event includes mimosas and sauteed chicken in addition to classic brunch fare like French toast and eggs Benedict. Santa will be on hand for photos with the kids. More info at Eventful.
Ghosts of Christmas
WHAT: The Turn of the Screw
”‹WHEN: 2 p.m.
WHERE: Ames Center
We’ve forgotten in recent decades in America, but Christmas was for hundreds of years a time for scary stories. (A Christmas Carol is a ghost story, after all.) Chameleon Theatre Company is performing a stage adaptation of the Henry James novel, which has seen multiple opera, ballet, film, and television adaptations. Expect a unique and polished execution of the story from Chameleon. Their past productions include another classic British ghost novel (2011’s The Woman in Black) and they are known in the Twin Cities for their sparse black box stagings, which could be used to great effect in telling this shadowy, deeply psychological story. Tickets at TicketMaster.
