News
Christmas cookie sale
Grand Valley United Methodist Church of Parachute, 132 Parachute Avenue, will host its annual Christmas Cookie Sale on Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. New this year will be a “Candyland” table bearing a variety of homemade candies. There will also be a craft table with items that make nice Christmas gifts. The table will include a “Special Tree” with handmade hats, mittens, scarves and headbands.
Carbondale Lunch with Santa
There will be a catered lunch and visit by Santa Claus for preschool-aged children, at the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12.After lunch, Santa will read a story take Christmas requests from youngsters. The event is for children ages 1-6 years. Cost is $5, and pre-registration is required by calling 704-4190.
Christmas in New Castle
Come join us for the 12th annual Christmas in New Castle Market Place on Saturday, Dec. 5, at the New Castle Rec Center from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.There will be a large gift selection from local artists and crafters, plus a silent auction by the Friends of the Library, and the annual cookie sale fundraiser sponsored by Ladies of the Congregational Church of the Valley. The Coal Ridge High School cheer squad will offer gift wrapping and will be serving lunch from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., as a fundraiser.
Holiday open house
The Frontier Historical Society Museum will host its annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 4 to 7 p.m. The Museum is located at 1001 Colorado Avenue in Glenwood Springs. Join us for appetizers, desserts and warm drinks while you tour the museum, which will be decorated for the holidays. See the special holiday trees decorated by Real Deals, Four Mile Creek Bed & Breakfast and Glenwood's Downtown Market. Browse the museum store for holiday gifts. Admission is free so stop by during downtown Glenwood's Grand Holiday. For more information, call 945-4448.
Carbondale letters to Santa
Local children may write a letter or draw a picture and address it to Santa at the North Pole. Drop off for Santa's mailbox is at the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center through Dec. 18.Make sure to sign your name and address, so Santa can write back. For more information, call the CRCC at (970) 704-4190.
Basalt Tree Lighting is Saturday
Basalt will ring in the holidays with its traditional Tree Lighting celebration, from 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5 in Lions Park, downtown.Stroll through a luminary downtown Basalt, visit with Santa, take a horse drawn wagon ride up Midland Avenue, grab a bowl of BLT's Chili with a slice of Midland Baking Company's bread, write a letter to Santa at Express Yourself's table, and decorate a holiday cookie at Wyly Community Art Center.
The Boy Scouts will also have a fire pit, while the Basalt High School Choir and Jayne Gottlieb's dancers perform.
Mayor Leroy Duroux will light the tree in Lions Park around 5:15 p.m. Best decorated business contests start on Saturday night as well. Call the Basalt Chamber at 927-4031, e-mail info@basaltchamber.com, or visit the calendar of events at www.basaltchamber.com for more information.
Light Up Carbondale/First Friday
The Carbondale Recreation Department, along with Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities, invites children and adults of all ages to light up downtown Carbondale and welcome Santa, from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4.At 5:15 p.m., the Crystal River Elementary School choir will escort Santa Claus from the CCAH Gallery to 4th and Main. The lights on all the trees on Main Street will come on when Santa reaches the 4th Street Plaza, where there will be carolers and free hot chocolate and cookies.
The event is free to the public. Call 704-4190 for more information.
Carbondale also hosts its monthly First Friday celebration the same night, featuring art gallery openings and artist receptions throughout town.
The CCAH Gallery at 645 Main St., hosts the exhibit Craft 2 Wear, featuring hand-made clothing for the holidays and all occasions.
Christmas dinner packages
WingNuts Bar and Grill, along with Pathways of Rifle, will be providing Christmas Ham Dinner packages for families in the Rifle area. If you, or someone you know, would benefit from this dinner this Holiday season, please contact Pathways at (970) 625-5761.Sign up by Dec. 15, as limited dinners are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Delivery will be available, if needed, in the Rifle area.
For more information contact Pathways at (970) 625-5761.
Boutique and bake sale
The Glenwood Springs Eagle's Lodge Ladies Auxiliary is having its annual Christmas Boutique and Bake Sale on Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be at the Glenwood Eagles Lodge located at 312 Seventh Street in Glenwood Springs.Vendors can contact Moe at (970) 618-3780 for booth rentals. Cost for table rentals is $10. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Glenwood Springs Scholarship Fund.
Rifle Annual Community Christmas Concert
Choirs from up and down the valley will be performing a free Christmas concert on Sunday, Dec. 13. The concert begins at 7 p.m., and will be at St. Mary Catholic Church located at Seventh Street and Birch Street in Rifle.This year's participants include The Awakening Chorus from Grand Valley United Methodist Church, the St. Mary Sanctuary Choir from St. Mary Catholic Church in Rifle, and choirs from the Rifle Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. There will also be a performance from the Mertensia Handbell Choir, sponsored by the Carbondale United Methodist Church.
For information call 625-2333.
Messiah performances
The Aspen Choral Society presents one of the Roaring Fork Valley's longest-running holiday season traditions, with its performances of Handel's Messiah, at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 8 and 9 at the Glenwood Springs United Methodist Church, and Dec. 11 and 12 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aspen.This is the concert's 32nd year under the direction of Ray Vincent Adams. The performance combines choir members from throughout the Roaring Fork Valley totaling more than 75 singers, and accompanied by the Choral Society Orchestra.
Numerous soloists from the valley and from New York will perform the vocal arias within the piece.
A $10 donation is requested at the door. For more information, call Ray Adams at 925-3685.
Holiday art show
The Whimsical Women of the West annual Holiday Show takes place Friday, Dec. 4 4:30–8 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 5, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., 432 N. 8th St., Carbondale.Local artists are represented in the show, featuring folk art, jewelry, vintage collectibles, baked and preserved goods, pottery, photography and more. A percentage of sales will benefit the Carbondale Bread Oven Project.
Mountain Madrigal Singers
The Mountain Madrigal Singers present their holiday concerts, “All Voices Sing Hallelu,” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, Sunday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 19, at the First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs.A special program for seniors and the disabled will be presented at 1 p.m. this Sunday, Dec. 6, also at the Methodist church.
Gingerbread house decorating workshop
Alpine Christian Academy will host its fourth annual holiday Gingerbread House Decorating Workshop on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Children (and adults) will have the opportunity to express their creativity as they decorate their own gingerbread houses; $20 donation for one house, $30 for two, including all decorating supplies and refreshments.All proceeds benefit the academy scholarship fund. Call 927-9106 to reserve a space. Walk-in participants are welcome. Alpine Christian Academy is located at 20449 Highway 82 across from the Willits subdivision.
Art Guild Christmas party
The Glenwood Springs Art Guild will be holding their annual Christmas Party on Dec. 8, at the Elks Lodge, 51939 Hwy. 6 & 24, Glenwood Springs. Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m., with dinner following at 7 p.m. There will be a dinner buffet, consisting of roasted pork and turkey, a salad bar and dessert. Cash bar is available. Artists desiring to be involved in the gift exchange should bring a small wrapped piece of original art work for exchange. Non-artists should bring a wrapped gift valued at $15 - $20. Cost for the dinner party is $20, and can be sent by Dec. 5 to GSAG Christmas Party, PO Box 64, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602. Questions can be directed to Pat Winters at 945-7345. Join the fun, join the Guild!
Sounds of Praise
Sounds of Praise community choir is now practicing songs for Christmas and also looking for places to perform. Practices are 5:30-7 p.m., on Wednesday evenings at the First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs located at 824 Cooper Ave. If you love to sing, come and join us. For more info call Laura at 945-0818.
Glenwood Springs Holiday Greeting Cards
The 2009 Annual Limited Edition Holiday Greeting Card is now available through the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association. This print of a painting by Cynthia Thomas was the winner of the 2008 Holiday Greeting Card contest at the 46th Annual Fall Art Festival. Thomas' painting, entitled “Whitewater Cowboy,” is the title of the 2009 greeting and note card.
The cost of this exclusive card is $15 per package of 12. Imprinting and bulk rates are available, and some older edition cards are available at a discount.
To purchase your cards with an optional personalized message and logo, contact the chamber at 945-6589. Proceeds from the sale of greeting and note cards fund the chamber's patronage of the Annual Fall Art Festival.
Christmas Bazaar of New Castle
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, the second annual Christmas Bazaar of New Castle will be held at the New Castle Senior Community Center, 201 Castle Valley Blvd. Members of the New Castle Senior Housing “Pins and Needles” group will have handcrafted Christmas and other items for sale. Affordable gifts from local seniors.For more information about this sale, contact resident Sandy Bunts at 984-2088
