'Dickens of a Christmas' comes to town

There will be a unified look and theme to downtown New Bern this Christmas season.

The 2008 Christmas Committee of the Downtown Council of the Chamber of Commerce has put together a schedule of events, beginning Nov. 28 under the theme "A Dickens of a Christmas."

Perhaps the most notable addition is the telling of the story of "A Christmas Carol" on 20 very large cards placed in windows throughout the business district. The paintings, which are sponsored and have hand-painted story boards, are the work of artists Janet Francoeur and Carol Tokarski. The two have spent most recent weekends preparing the paintings in Francoeur's studio overlooking the Neuse River.

Special musical and theatrical productions are also on tap, along with downtown shops hosting open house events. (On the Web: www.downtownnewbern.blogspot.com.)

A new sparkle has been added with luminaries through downtown from 5 to 8 p.m. on each Friday, Nov. 28 through Dec. 19.

While the celebration runs from Nov. 28 through Christmas Eve, the activities begin with the arrival of the Christmas tree ship, the Skipjack Ada Mae, at the Galley Stores on East Front Street on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 4 p.m.

The Ada Mae will have a load of fresh-cut Christmas trees that will be sold as a fundraiser for Carolina Coastal Classrooms, a local non-profit environmental education program. The trees will be on sale throughout the holidays.

Santa will have a new location at Bear Plaza on Middle Street. He will be in his house every Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the exception of Saturday, Dec. 6 - the day of the New Bern Christmas Parade - when he will be there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sundays will find Santa greeting children from noon to 4 p.m. He will be there from Thanksgiving through Christmas and will have extra hours on Dec. 22, 23 and 24,

Photos with Santa are available for a small fee, as well as a chance to drop off donations for Toys for Tots and the A Tin for Tiny Tim food drive for Religious Community Services.

The Fezziwig's Party Downtown Evening is scheduled Nov. 28, the first night of open houses by downtown shops: on Pollock Street at Carolina Creations; on Middle Street at The Four C's, Juliette's Boutique, Nauti Paws Boutique & Bakery, The Pepsi Store, One World/Life is Good Shop, SnapDragon Toy Store, the Boathouse, Craven Arts Council and Green; on Craven Street at Mitchell Hardware; the Accidental Artist, and on South Front Street at The Next Chapter Bookstore.

Illumination Trolley Tours will run at 5:30 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 28, Dec. 5, 12 and 19. Reservations are required for the $10 tickets. Call (252) 849-7316 or (800) 849-7316 for information.

Holiday tours begin Nov. 28 at Tryon Palace. The houses are decorated in different periods. The annual Candlelight Tours are Dec. 13 and 20, from 5 to 9 p.m.

A number of activities involving music, theater and Santa are planned Dec. 6.

Breakfast with Santa is scheduled at 9 and 10 a.m. and Lunch with Santa at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the New Bern Sheraton. It is sponsored by the Craven Regional Medical Center Foundation. Call 633-8247 for more information.

The Holiday Pops Concert with the North Carolina Symphony will be held at 2 and 8 p.m. at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center. (On the Web: www.ncsymphony.org.)

The Jaycees Christmas Parade marches through downtown at 4 p.m. and at 6 p.m. The Marine Corps Band performs at Union Point followed by the Decorated Boat Christmas Flotilla at 7 p.m.

Also at 7 p.m. the Jarman Opry Theatre at the Masonic Theatre on Hancock Street features live country music. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For more information call (252) 637-6586.

At 8 p.m., Scrooge is presented at the New Bern Civic Theatre.

On Dec. 7, the Historic Bed and Breakfasts Downtown host an open house with decorations.

The annual New Bern Woman's Club Holly & Ivy Home Tour is Dec. 13 from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 the day of the tour and $100 for 10 tickets in advance. Call (252) 672-9334.

Visitors will see six homes decorated for the holiday season in New Bern's Historic District. A special stop is the "Sugar Plum House," which will feature homemade cookies and cider.

Voci Allegre presents a free 6 p.m. holiday concert Dec. 5 and 6 at First Baptist Church on Middle Street.

This popular annual event, sponsored by the Craven Arts Council & Gallery, encompasses works from one of three large bodies of musical literature - British, world, and American. The American selections, sacred and secular, range from the Colonial era to the present, including Southern Harmony and the works from Sacred Harp, which director Lorraine Hale calls "a seminal publication and rich vein of musical art."

Joining Hale are Brenda Parker Hardee, soprano; Yvonne Templeton, contralto; and Barry Templeton, tenor. Barry Templeton will also accompany several selections.

Christmas theater events include Down East Dance's presentation of the Nutcracker and New Bern Civic Theatre's production of "Scrooge."

The Nutcracker will be performed Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. at the theater on Pollock Street, followed by performances Dec. 13 at 2 and 8 p.m., and Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.

The Peter I. Tchaikovsky ballet will present excerpts from the classic ballet as a bedtime story for Clara, portrayed by Marina Daw and Emma Tanner, as read by her mother, played by Candace Mummert.

Paige Whitley-Bauguess, "Mrs. Silverhaus" and "Mother Ginger" in this production, is the Artistic Director of Atlantic Dance Theatre and the Baroque Arts Project, as well as director of two performing troupes specializing in historical social dance, the Craven Historical Dancers and the New Bern Dancing Assembly.

Tickets for The Nutcracker are $10 for adult, $8 for children for general seating and are available at Down East Dance, New Bern Civic Theatre, and by phone at 633-9622.

Conductor James Ogle returns to New Bern for the 26th performance of George Friderich Handel's Messiah Monday, Dec. 15, at Centenary United Methodist Church on New Street. An open rehearsal is planned for 3 p.m., with a 7:30 p.m. performance.

Tickets will be available Nov. 18 at the Bank of the Arts and Fuller Music. Open rehearsal tickets are $15 and the evening performance is $20.

The Messiah performance here, which began in 1981, features a 130-member chorus from counties in the region including Craven, Pamlico, Jones, Carteret, Beaufort and Wayne.

The orchestra accompanying the singers includes members of the North Carolina Symphony.

The Craven Messiah Chorus was founded by Centenary United Methodist Church, Christ Episcopal Church, First Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church.

Co-directing founders of the Craven Messiah Chorus include B.J. Oglesby, organist at First Baptist Church of New Bern, and Pat K. Rowlett, First Presbyterian Church of New Bern director of music.

For more information, call Rowlett at 637-3270. (On the Web: www.CravenMessiahChorus.org.)