To celebrate the opening weekend of its newest exhibition, Digging for Dinosaurs, the Bruce Museum presents Dinosaur Family Day from 1 to 4 pm on Sun., Dec. 14. The event features fun, educational activities for the entire family including gallery hunts through the exhibition and special crafts workshops where visitors of all ages can make their own balloon-a-saurases. A special children’s theater performance takes place at 3 pm with the Marshmallow Masquers, whose specialty is interactive children’s mystery theater. The troupe will present the interactive family show “The Mystery of the Fabulous Fossil Find!” in which Detective Sam Case and Poochie, his half-man, half-dog sidekick, unearth an old bone that may be a valuable fossil. Although mysterious strangers are very interested in the find, Sam Case tries to return the fossil to its rightful owner.
All activities are suitable for ages 5 years and free with museum admission. TThe museum is located at 1 Museum Drive in Greenwich, CT. For information call (203) 869-0376.
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Great music and free food will ring in the holidays at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts when the concert hall teams up with The Bronx Tourism Council to present an all Bronx production of the timeless holiday classic Handel’s Messiah followed by A Taste Of The Bronx Food Show And Tastings, free food by leading Bronx restaurants. The unique production of The Messiah features The Bronx Opera Chorus, The Orchestra of the Bronx and a diverse group of community members from the Bronx reading the text. This performance takes place on Sun., Dec. 14, at 3 pm at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard W. on the campus of Lehman College. Tickets are $20, $15 and $10, and any seat for children 12 and under is only $10, and ticketholders are admitted free To A Taste Of The Bronx Food Show And Tastings following the concert. For tickets call (718) 960-8833.
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Westchester Ballet Company will perform The Nutcracker ballet at the Westchester County Center on Dec. 19, 20 and 21.
Eleven year old Bronx resident, Sarah Colgan is dancing as a Toy Soldier and as an Angel in this year’s production.
Performances will take place on Fri., Dec. 19, 10 am; Sat., Dec. 20, 12:30 and 4:30 pm, and Sun., Dec. 21, 2 pm. Advance ticket prices are $18 for adults, $12 for children (age 2 through 10) and seniors (ages 60-plus); all tickets are $22 on the day of the performance. Pick up tickets at the County Center box office, open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm or purchase them through Ticketmaster by calling (845) 454-3388.
For more information about The Nutcracker, call (914) 995-4050.
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The Bronx Opera Company presents favorite excerpts from classic operas and also performs — with audience sing-along — traditional seasonal carols and Holiday favorites, in a special program, at St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site in Mt. Vernon, NY, on Sat., Dec. 13, at 2 pm.
The site is open from noon to 4 pm, and tours of the historic church and museum are offered before and after the opera. Parking and admission are free, with complimentary refreshments.
For further information call (914) 667-4116.
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Three of Lehman College’s jazz ensembles will perform together in a free concert on Sun., Dec. 14, at 2 pm in the Studio Theatre. The Jazz Brass, Saxophone Ensemble, and Student Jazz Combo will perform contemporary arrangements for small to mid-sized jazz ensembles. The public is invited to attend.
For more information call the Lehman Music Department at (718) 960-8247.
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The Bronx River Art Center (BRAC), located in the heart of the Bronx at 1087 East Tremont Avenue (near Boston Rd at Farms Square) presents its 2008 Student Exhibition and Benefit Sale, opening with a Holiday Party on December 12, from 4 to 7 pm. The event will feature presentations of awards and certificates, screenings of student films, refreshments, games and activities for all ages in our ode to a “Winter Wonderland”.
This exhibition is free and open to the public. Art work will be available for viewing and purchasing through Dec. 20. Student designed and printed tee-shirts, scented sachets and other BRAC products are also available and are perfect for holiday gift giving!
For more information call (718) 589-5819.
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Actors Conservatory Theatre will present The Adventures of the Christmas Elf on Dec. 13 at 10 am, 1 and 4 pm and Dec. 14 at 2 and 5 pm at Bryn Mawr Hall I Yonkers. All tickets are $12 for reserved seats. Photos with Santa following the performance will be available. For more information call (914) 391-6558.
Lisa Fitzgerald and Kristina Ryes from the Bronx will be staring in the play.
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Lehman Center for the Performing Arts presents the returnof an American musical treasure, guitarist and composer Jose Feliciano performing a holiday concert of his hits in English and Spanish on Sat., Dec. 13, at 8 pm. With an instantly recognizable tenor voice, heard on nearly 70 albums.
The center is at Lehman College, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West. Tickets can be purchased by calling (718) 960-8833.
