| Livermore History Center | Highway Garage Open |
| Museum on Main St | |
| Pleasanton Farmer's Market | |
| Niles Canyon Railway | Ravenswood Docent Tours |
| Livermore Amateur Radio Klub Meeting |
Firehouse Arts Center
Thurs-Fri
Join Creatures of Impulse as they fill you with Holiday Cheer! Your suggestions will inspire holiday themed games, scenes and audience interactions in the first act. The audience will then vote for which short scene Creatures of Impulse will make into an entire improvised 'play' in the second act. This is the holiday show you will be talking about for a long time!
Sponsor:
Location: Firehouse Arts Center - 4444 Railroad Ave, Pleasanton
Times: 7:30pm
Admission: Adult: $8.00; Child: $5.00
More info: www.firehousearts.org
At the Bankhead Theater
Friday
The Bankhead Theatre will once again resound with the greatest of all holiday treats. The Pacific Chamber Symphony will excite us again with a special performance of Handel's Messiah. The concert will feature a chorus made up of outstanding local soloists and chorus members.
Handel's Messiah is one of the monumental works in all of musical literature. It is probably the most widely performed religious work in the world. It was an instant success when it was first performed in 1742. It was written in just 24 days.
In 1741, Handel was broke, tired, and discouraged. Two unrelated events converged to change all that. First, Handel's wealthy friend, Charles Jensen, gave Handel a libretto that he had written based on the bible and the book of common prayer, and asked him to provide a musical setting. Second, Handel received a commission from a Dublin charity to compose a work for a benefit performance. Handel combined these two commissions, and the result was The Messiah.
On August 22, he started work on the piece, never leaving his house, and barely pausing to eat or sleep. A little over three weeks later, one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of music was complete.
The work was first performed at a charitable event in Dublin on April 13, 1742, with Handel himself conducting from the keyboard. It was an immediate success. It raised 400 pounds and freed 142 men from debtor's prison.
Today, The Messiah is often performed in large halls, with a large chorus and a large orchestra. The original chorus and orchestra, although large by contemporary standards, were of more moderate size. The Pacific Chamber Symphony's interpretation adheres more closely to the earlier performances, and contains many elements from the original Dublin presentation. This approach allows for more subtlety and attention to detail.
In any version, however, The Messiah is an inspired and inspiring work of
art that rarely fails to elicit reverence and joy.
Sponsor:
Pacific
Chamber Symphony
Location: Bankhead Theater -
LVPAC web
site - eLivermore Bankhead Theater page
Times: 8:00pm
Admission: $39/$34/$29. $7.00 students
Tickets:
Bankhead Theater Box Office info -
LVPAC Online Ordering page
More info:
Pacific
Chamber Symphony,
Saturday-Sunday
Livermore Valley Wine Country celebrates the season with a weekend full of holiday cheer!
Holidays in the Vineyards is an annual wine country tradition where wineries showcase their tasting rooms with arts and craft vendors, holiday music, special wines, and more.
Guests are encouraged to bring toys to their favorite wineries. All toys will be donated to the Toys for Tots Foundation after the event, directly benefitting children in need thoughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. For more on the Toys for Tots program, visit http://www.toysfortots.org/
We look forward to ringing in the Holiday Season with you in Livermore
Valley Wine Country.
This is not a ticketed event, however Tasting Fees may apply and vary by
winery.
Sponsor:
Livermore Valley Winegrowers
Association
Location: Participating Valley Wineries
Times: Noon to 5pm
Admission: Free. Tasting Fees may apply and vary by winery.
More info:
Livermore Valley Winegrowers
Association or (925) 447-9463
Click above for photos
Saturday
Kick off the holiday shopping season downtown and enjoy free horse drawn carriage rides throughout the downtown, holiday performances at the Flag Pole Plaza and SNOW in Lizzie Fountain!
Sponsor: Livermore Downtown Association
Location: Downtown Livermore
Times: noon to 4:00pm
Admission: Free
More info: Livermore Downtown Association, (925) 373-1795
Saturday
The 2010 Downtown Livermore Holiday Sights & Sounds Parade will feature local marching bands, music, light displays, and of course SANTA CLAUS!!! Tree lighting to follow parade.
This year's Grand Marshall is See's Candies! See's Candies has been working with Livermore Downtown Inc. for more than 15 years, raising much needed funds for the Revitalization efforts of Downtown Livermore. Having the California tradition of See's Candies available to our community is a huge convenience allowing them to focus their holiday shopping towards retailers in their downtown. This year we are thrilled to be partnering with the Main Street Designs Christmas Store in locating our fundraiser there. This will allow our candies to be available at expanded Retail hours.
• Parade will start at 6pm and usually lasts approximately an hour.
• Parade route is First Street from M Street to McLeod St.
• Lighting of "Bruce Sprucetree" will be at the corner of First Street &
South Livermore Avenue.
• Parking & Handicapped Parking are available at the FREE Livermore Valley
Center Parking Garage, 2350 Railroad Avenue.
• No Dogs or Animals allowed inside the event enclosure.
Sponsor: Livermore Downtown Association
Location: Downtown Livermore
Times: Parade from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, Tree lighting following the
parade
Admission: Free
More info:
Livermore Downtown
Association or
(925) 373-1795
Saturday
The City of Pleasanton will once again host the Annual Hometown Holiday Celebration to be held on Saturday, December 4, 2010 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. along Main Street in downtown Pleasanton. The centerpiece of this free event is a festive community-based parade followed by the lighting of a holiday tree in front of the Museum on Main.
The parade always kicks off with one of Pleasanton’s award-winning high school marching bands from either Amador Valley High School or Foothill High School. The band is followed by dozens of holiday inspired entries including Pleasanton’s own Balloon Platoon, the Pleasanton City Council, hundreds of Cub Scouts and Brownies, local car clubs and dog clubs, and much more.
Main Street will close to vehicular traffic at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday,
December 4. Parade viewers are encouraged to shop and dine in historic
Downtown Pleasanton after staking out their viewing turf.
Sponsors: Downtown Association & City of Pleasanton Parks and Community
Services
Location: Main Street, Pleasanton
Times: 5:00pm to 9:00pm
More info: Pleasanton
Events,
Pleasanton Downtown Association.
At the Bankhead Theater
Saturday
Fans of Beethoven's music are sure to get their fill of the classical composer's music when the Livermore-Amador Symphony opens its 48th season with "Three Cheers For Beethoven!" on Saturday, December 4, 2010, at 8pm at the Bankhead Theater in downtown Livermore.
The all-Beethoven program features three inspiring works: Egmont Overture, Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano and the ever-popular Symphony No. 5, most recognized by its famous first four notes, providing a powerful finale for the performance.
While Beethoven's "Fifth" is sure to please, and the Egmont Overture will tell an emotional story of a martyr's death, the "Triple Concerto" will offer audiences the unusual opportunity to hear three instrumental soloists - violin, cello and piano - play together in a rarely performed Beethoven composition.
Prelude talk A pre-concert talk by Dr. Arthur Barnes, LAS Music Director,
and the soloists, Dr. Anthony Doheny, Stephen Harrison, and Marilyn
Thompson, begins at 7 pm.
Sponsor: Livermore
Amador
Symphony
Location: Bankhead Theater -
LVPAC web
site - eLivermore Bankhead Theater page
Time: Prelude talk from 7 to 7:30pm. Symphony concerts begin
at 8:00pm
Admission: $28/$22. Senior (62 and above):
$26/$20 Youth (high school & younger): $10 Season tickets
also available.
Tickets:
Bankhead Theater Box Office.
More info:
Livermore-Amador
Symphony (925) 373-6824, or
Bankhead Theater
Sat, Sun
New carols. Old carols. Carols you know by heart. Carols that give comfort and carols that spread joy. That is exactly what audiences will hear, and sing along with, when the Valley Concert Chorale performs its annual holiday concerts. This year's performances titled "Carols of Comfort and Joy" which includes the ever-popular audience sing-a-long of traditional carols, will offer audiences a variety of carols including carols from around the world.
"'Carols of Comfort and Joy' will be a very unique holiday experience for audiences," says John Emory Bush, the Chorale's artistic director. "We'll take a trip around the world and sing carols from several countries arranged by some of the world's finest carol composers and writers."
This portion of the performance represents a wide range of choral traditions and styles - from a powerful arrangement of an fifth century Armenian hymn, a carol in the style of Nigerian art music, an ancient Latvian folk song, and a Canadian Christmas carol that dates from 1643.
"Each carol has its own style of capturing the spirituality and message of the season- the mystery of Christmas, which is common among all the countries," explains Bush.
Adding to the holiday spirit of the performances will be familiar and traditional carols such as 'The Twelve Days of Christmas,' and those with familiar holiday melodies including a lullaby and a good old wassail song.
Food Drive to Benefit Open Heart Kitchen The Chorale will host a food drive at both "Carols of Comfort and Joy" performances on Dec. 4 and 5. Donated items will go directly to the Tri-Valley's own Open Heart Kitchen which feeds hundreds of families each year.
"We encourage everyone who attends the performances to bring a
non-perishable item to put in the donation barrels," says Norma Foss, VCC
Treasurer and food drive coordinator. "It's the Chorale's way of spreading
some comfort and joy to families in need who live in our community."
Sponsor:
Valley Concert
Chorale
Location: Saturday: Asbury United Methodist Church, 4743
East Ave, Livermore
Sunday: Trinity Lutheran Church 1225 Hopyard
Rd, Pleasanton
Times: Saturday, Dec 12: 8:00pm. Sunday, Dec 13, 3:00pm
Admission: $20.00 advance, $25 at the door. High school and college
students, $10. Children 14 and under are free. Tickets at
Valley Concert
Chorale website.
More info:
Valley Concert
Chorale; 925 866-4003
Sunday
Holiday Treasures from Around the World.
Livermore School of Dance is kicking off the holiday season with a
celebration of cultures through dance! We will be performing "Holiday
Treasures From Around The World" Sunday, December 5, 2010 at the Bankhead
Theater in Livermore. Show times are 1:00pm and 5:00pm. Enjoy an evening of
diversified dance from around the world including holiday, classical, and
contemporary styles of dance and music. This is a holiday event for all ages
with special performances by Pauline Mata (SYTYCD-2009) and other local
dance companies. Directed by Liz Roberts, performances will include jazz,
tap, hip hop and lyrical/contemporary styles of dance.
Sponsor:
Livermore School of Dance
Location: Bankhead Theater -
LVPAC web
site - eLivermore Bankhead Theater page
Times: 1:00pm and 5:00pm
Admission: $18/$20/$26
More info:
Livermore School of Dance -
Livermore
Valley Performing Arts
Center - eLivermore.com theater page
Click photo for
2010 photos
Tuesday
The beacon on the top of Mt. Diablo had been used until December 7, 1941. With the attack on Pearl Harbor, the beacon was turned off so as to not guide Japanese planes on night missions. After the war, there was no longer a need for the beacon, so it has not been used since.
In 1964 the beacon was repaired, and it has been lit once a year, on the evening of December 7th, in honor those who were at Pearl Harbor that day. The beacon is turned off in the morning on the 8th. There is a short ceremony in the summit building with several survivors talking about their experience. Note that space is very limited for the ceremony, and generally only family and press are able to fit in the room.
eLivermore.com attended that ceremony in 2010.
Sponsor: Mt. Diablo chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
Location: Summit at Mt Diablo. Beacon can easily be seen in the Livermore Valley.
Times: Ceremony starts around 3:30pm. Beacon is lit around 4:30pm.
More info:
At the Bankhead Theater
Tuesday
Taylor Eigsti
Taylor Eigsti has been recognized world-wide for his innovative, intense
improvisation, and his unique electrifying rhythmic touch. His concerts have
included the integration of electronic effects with acoustic grand piano, to
rave reviews at venues such as the Hollywood Bowl and the Montreal Jazz
Festival. Taylor’s past few years have been exciting ones building on the
momentum of releasing one of the most talked about jazz records "Lucky To Be
Me," getting featured on the cover of both "Jazziz" and "Keyboard Magazine,"
and nominated for two Grammy awards for best instrumental composition and
best instrumental jazz solo.
Sponsor:
Livermore
Valley Performing Arts
Center
Location: Bankhead Theater -
LVPAC web
site - eLivermore Bankhead Theater page
Times: 7:30pm
Admission: $40/$29/$18. Students (17 & under): $12
Tickets:
Bankhead Theater Box Office
More info:
Livermore
Valley Performing Arts
Center -
www.tayjazz.com - eLivermore.com theater page
Dec 17,18,19
Fri-Sat-Sun
The traditional tale takes on all the fun of a holiday panto, complete with plenty of singing, dancing and Shakespearean plot twists. Please note this production will be performed at the Amador Theater,1155 Santa Rita Road in Pleasanton.
Sponsor:
Location: Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Road, Pleasanton
Times: Fri 10/8: 7:30pm; Sat 10/9: 11:00am & 7:30pm; Sun 10/10: 2:00pm
Fri 10/15: 7:30pm; Sat 10/16: 2:00pm & 7:30pm; Sun 10/17: 2:00pm
Admission: Adult: $18/$15/$10 Child: $12/$9/$6 Senior: $12/$9/$6
More info: www.firehousearts.org
At the Bankhead Theater
Sat-Sun
Dec 17, 18, 19
Fri,
Sat, Sun
Highlighting the 30th annual full-length production of the Tchaikovsky's holiday classic The Nutcracker will be Taeko drummers and a large Chinese Dragon who will perform during the Chinese segment of the ballet. Public performances will be accompanied the Livermore-Amador Symphony pit orchestra. The Cantabella Children's Chorus and Harmony Fusion will add vocal entertainment to selected performances.
Sponsors: Valley Dance Theatre with the Livermore Amador Symphony
Location: Bankhead Theater - LVPAC web site - eLivermore Bankhead Theater page
Times: Sat 2:00 & 7:00pm. Sundays 2:00pm. Friday 7:00pm
Admission: $33/$27/$24 Students 17 and younger: $18
More info: Livermore-Amador Symphony
or Valley Dance Theatre or (925) 243-0927
Saturday
Children aged kindergarten through high school will perform choral music, accompanid by dancers and chamber musicians. Repertoire included dance-themed numbers and pieces from African, German, English, Catalan, Hebrew and American Folk Song traditions. Audience participation too.
Sponsor: Cantabella Children's Chorus
Location: Our Savior Lutheran Ministries. 1385 South Livermore Ave, Livermore
Times: 1:30pm (Training and Performing Choirs) and 4:00pm (Performing Choirs)
Admission: Adults: $12.00 ($15 at the door) . Children (10 and under) $8.00 ($10 at the door)
More info: Cantabella Children's Chorus or Bankhead Theater
Firehouse Arts Center
Sat
Celebrate the season with a hit-filled musical tour of Motown with the songs of Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Four Tops and Smokey Robinson. A Bay Area cornerstone, Top Shelf has performed internationally for 20 years, dazzling audiences from San Francisco to Paris with wonderful harmonies and unique live performances. Join the trio for a power-packed holiday journey from the early days of Motown to the classic soul sounds of today.
Sponsor:
Location: Firehouse Arts Center - 4444 Railroad Ave, Pleasanton
Times: 8:00pm
Admission: Adult: $25/$20/$15 Child: $15 Senior: $22
More info: www.firehousearts.org
At the Bankhead Theater
Thursday
A Chanticleer Christmas
This much beloved Bay Area tradition brings the power and mystery, warmth
and intimacy of the season in a welcome encore visit to the Bankhead
Theater. Chanticleer’s unique evening of inspiring and joyful music includes
the world premiere of celebrated Swedish composer Jan Sandstrom’s "And The
Word Became Flesh", as well as the group’s rich interpretations of
traditional holiday music.
Sponsor:
Livermore
Valley Performing Arts
Center
Location: Bankhead Theater -
LVPAC web
site - eLivermore Bankhead Theater page
Times: 7:30pm
Admission: $62/$51/$39. Students (17 & under): $12
Tickets:
Bankhead Theater Box Office
More info:
Livermore
Valley Performing Arts
Center -
www.chanticleer.org/sing - eLivermore.com theater page
At the Bankhead Theater
Friday
Hot Club of San Francisco
The Hot Club of San Francisco comes to the Bankhead stage for a sizzling,
swinging, New Year’s Eve celebration featuring the 1930’s jazz of Django
Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s Hot Club de France. The ensemble borrows
the all-string instrumentation of violin, bass and guitars from the original
Hot Club, but breathes new life into the music with innovative arrangements
of classic tunes and original compositions In addition to this sizzling,
swinging celebration, the evening will feature a complimentary wine,
champagne and dessert reception in the theater lobby immediately following
the performance.
Sponsor:
Livermore
Valley Performing Arts
Center
Location: Bankhead Theater -
LVPAC web
site - eLivermore Bankhead Theater page
Times: 8:00pm
Admission: $75/$65/$55 Students (17 & under): $12
Tickets:
Bankhead Theater Box Office
More info:
Livermore
Valley Performing Arts
Center -
www.hcsf.com - eLivermore.com theater page
Friday
Come join us on Friday, December 31st, for our annual New Year’s Eve Labyrinth Walk. The labyrinths will be available between 8:00 p.m. and midnight. You’re invited to walk the courtyard labyrinth by the light of the Christmas Eve luminaries. Our canvas labyrinth will also be available in the sanctuary, illuminated by dozens of candles and surrounded with beautiful music.
Over 100 people have walked on New Year’s Eve each of the last two years and it’s becoming a family tradition for members of the congregation and community alike. This is an opportunity to say good-bye to the old year and welcome the New Year with peace and intention.
So bundle up and come by on your way to a party, before you settle in for the evening, or be there to see in the New Year itself. For more information or to help with this wonderful event, please call labyrinth facilitator Judy Hughes, 925-485-2524, or the church office, 925-447-2078.
Sponsor: First Presbyterian Church, Livermore
Location: First Presbyterian Church, 4th & L Streets, Livermore
Times: 8:00pm to midnight
Admission: Free
More info: First Presbyterian Church, Livermore, For more information, contact Judy Hughes, labyrinth facilitator, 925-485-2524 or the church office, 925-447-2078.
descrip
Sponsor:
Location:
Times:
Admission:
More info: