Saturday, Dec. 11
CATCH A CAROL: “Inspecting Carol” at Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd. in Oak Harbor and will be onstage for three weekends through Dec. 18. Everything that could go possibly wrong does as a fictitious theater company struggles to mount their annual production of the holiday classic. Bad theater has never been this much fun before. Tickets are $12. Groups of 10 or more receive a $1 discount on each ticket. Show times are 7:30 p.m. for Thursday nights, 8 p.m., for Friday and Saturday nights, and 2:30 p.m., for the Sunday matinee. Call 679-2237 or e-mail at playhous@whidbey.net.
HOLIDAY TEA: Enjoy an elegant afternoon tea, with entertainment, set in a winter wonderland. The Holiday Tea will be held today from noon to 2 p.m., at Oak Harbor Senior Center. Tickets are $10 at the front desk.
VILLAGE OPENS: Christmas Village, Soroptimist’s annual gift to the community,opens today at Blue Fox Drive-in. An old-fashioned Christmas Village, complete with trains and villagers, provides entertainment while children are waiting to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Santa. Local choirs and musical groups provide music, and everything is free. Parents can bring their own cameras, or Photo Elves will provide a Polaroid photo at cost. Frosty and the Bear greet the children, hot cider and candy canes are provided, and Santa and Mrs. Santa answer requests. It will run through Dec. 23, but will be closed Monday through Thursday, Dec. 13, 14, 15, and 16, then reopens Dec. 17. It won’t be open Christmas Eve. Weekend hours are 2 to 8 p.m.; weekdays, 5 to 8 p.m.
Holiday HOMES: Island County Historical Society Museum‘s Holiday Home Tour has become a Whidbey Island tradition. The tour, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., includes two historic homes, three residences of recent construction and an historic schoolhouse. This is a self-guided tour, with docents at each stop to discuss aspects of each structure. Tickets are $15 per person 13 and over, $7.50 for children 6-12, and free for those five and under. Tickets are available today at Island County Museum, Alexander and Front streets, Coupeville.
PUPPY PICTURES: Head to Bayview today. WAIF and FETCH present pet pictures from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., WAIF and FETCH! welcome Santa to Bayview Market for pcitures with canines. Sorry, felines are not invited. Purchasing a copy of WAIF/FETCH!’s Culinary Tails – Recipes & Whimsy from Whidbey Island for $19.95 plus tax entitles people to go home with a free 4×6, framed photo card of Santa and their dog or dog family. Only those dogs whose people have purchased a cookbook will be entitled to the free photo. So don’t disappoint best canine friends, take them to Santa and leave with a cookbook, a photo to treasure for years to come and the knowledge of what exactly to get a dog for the holiday. Bayview Market is located off Highway 525 at Bayview Road in Langley.
FINAL NIGHT: Whidbey Children’s Theater presents the final three shows of ‘Twas the night” at The Clyde Theater, First Street, Langley. Shows start at 7 p.m. tonight and at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 12. $10 for reserved seating; $8 adults; $6 under 12 and over 65, for general admission. Call (360) 221-8707 This wacky and hilarious musical play is fun entertainment for the whole family. Based on the familiar Christmas poem, the show features dancing mice, comical cats and chorus line of reindeer — not to mention a Santa Claus. Carolers sing the famous poem as the perfect family has an exciting Christmas Eve. Santa will be available for photos following each performance.
Sunday, Dec. 12
HOLIDAY CONCERT: Oak Harbor Community Choir, Oak Harbor Chamber Chorale and Celebrate Kids! Community Chorus raise their voices in their third annual holiday concerts twice on Whidbey Island. These concerts will be a blast of classical Christmas tunes featuring songs and carols from Great Britain, Germany, Poland and the United States. The concert is at 7 p.m., enjoy the songs at Oak Harbor First United Methodist Church, 1050 SE Ireland St. Suggested donation is $5.
FAMILY CHRISTMAS: All-Island Community Band presents a family Christmas concert at 4 p.m., at Oak Harbor High School. Join the band for an afternoon of music and fun. Kids can meet Santa and everyone will enjoy carols and apple cider.
Monday, Dec. 13
NAVY BAND: Navy Region Northwest Band and Vocal Group presents their 2004 holiday concert series. The band will perform traditional and contemporary pieces that will appeal to all age groups. “A Holiday Gift of Music” is free and open to the public. In Oak Harbor, the musical group will be at Oak Harbor High School’s Parker Hall at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 13.
Saturday, Dec. 18
CHRISTMAS MUSICAL: Glad Tidings and Company present “G.T. and the Halo Express,” a musical portrayal of the first Christmas Dec. 18 and 19. Donations of non-perishable foods requested to benefit Central Whidbey’s food bank. Performances are at 7 p.m., Dec. 18, Coupeville Performing Arts Center on South Main Street; and 7 p.m., Dec. 19 at Whidbey Evangelical Free Church, Highway 525 in Greenbank. Call Phil Stevenson, 678-4167.
Monday, Dec. 20
CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS: Dec. 20 and 21, Whidbey Playhouse presents The Celebration of Christmas. Curtains go up at 7:30 p.m, each night. The production is the conclusion of four holiday theater workshops. Activities Include: Santa’s Frosty Follies; C’est Noel; The Visitation of Ebi and Weizer Scrooge and Forever Christmas Seats are $5 per person and are reserved as space is limited. Call 679-2237 or go to www.whidbeyplayhouse.com..
