Holiday happenings come to a head

The holiday season has reached its peak, and the next two weekends will be packed with a slew of gift markets, themed theater productions and concerts, parties, parades and other merriment. If you have time, this weekend will also offer a fashion show, a euchre tournament, Michigan State University basketball games, a family-friendly magic show and much more. 

For Friday evening’s live music, we have a seven-band metal show headlined by Heartsick at Grewal Hall beginning at 5:30; the Capital City Ringers handbell chorus’ holiday concert at East Lansing’s Eastminster Presbyterian Church and party band Roadside Attraction at UrbanBeat, both at 7; the Meridian Community Band’s holiday concert at Mason’s First Church of the Nazarene and husband-and-wife folk duo Robin and Linda Williams at East Lansing’s University Lutheran Church, both at 7:30; singer-songwriters Rory Nevins at Beggar’s Banquet and Ellie Youngs at the Peanut Barrel, both at 8; and pop band JP & the Energy at Mash Bar and indie-rock trio LVRS with goth-rock band the Blank at the Avenue, both at 9. Saturday evening, we have vocalist Heather Lake Bays’ Christmas cabaret at UrbanBeat at 7, the jazzy Phil Denny & Friends Christmas Collective at Grewal Hall at 7:30 and the MSU Symphony Orchestra and Choirs’ holiday show at the Wharton Center at 8. Ending the weekend on Sunday is the Spirit of Michigan a cappella chorus’ Christmas concert at Holt’s Church of the Nazarene at 2 p.m.; a Lansing Symphony Orchestra violin and viola duo at the First Presbyterian Church of Lansing, a Christmas candlelight concert at the Grand Ledge Opera House, the MSU jazz orchestras with Grammy-winning bassist John Clayton at the Fairchild Theatre and choral group Riverbend Voices’ winter concert at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, all at 3 p.m.; the Lansing Community College Rock Band at the Avenue and Red Cedar Spirits’ weekly Sunday Jazz show, both at 6 p.m.; and Mac’s Bar’s weekly Harmony Sundays DJ show at 9 p.m.

The Arts Council of Greater Lansing will host an opening reception 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at its office in Old Town for Lansing artist Elyse Gambino’s new exhibition, “The Future is Fiber.” Gambino will be in attendance, and snacks and wine will be served.

Other displays on view this weekend include the Mid-Michigan Art Guild’s fall art show at the Neighborhood Empowerment Center, which is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; the Michigan Made Holiday Exhibition and Market at the Lansing Art Gallery, which is open 3 to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; "The Searching Eye: Images of Mid-Century Detroit” at the Library of Michigan, which is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; zentangle-inspired art by local artist Dorothy Hughes Engelman at the Okemos Library, which is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday; paintings by Okemos artist Juanita Baldwin at EagleMonk Pub, which is open 3 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday; "Eye Witness,” “Complex Dreams,” “Diasporic Collage: Puerto Rico and the Survival of a People,” “Freedom in the Automation Age” and “Seeing in 360 Degrees: The Zaha Hadid Design Collection” at the Broad Art Museum, which is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday; and “Light Through the Darkness” at the Art Williamston gallery, which is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday

Artists and enthusiasts might also enjoy REACH Studio Art Center’s A Night So Silent Night gala, running 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Featuring light appetizers, music and an art-filled silent auction, the event aims to raise funds for REACH to continue offering free and sliding-scale-fee arts programs for all ages and abilities.

If you’d like to get creative yourself, the Broad will host its monthly Family Day 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, offering the opportunity to make collages inspired by the “Diasporic Collage” exhibit, as well as a coffee koozie craft and free Strange Matter coffee 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday for MSU students.

Audio Air Force will stage its annual holiday show 7 p.m. Friday at East Lansing’s Hannah Community Center, performing two classic radio shows from the 1940s and a few original audio plays. Additionally, Owosso’s Lebowsky Center for Performing Arts kicks off its 10^th annual “Holiday at Lebowsky” show this weekend, with opening performances 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, and “A Very Williamston Christmas” continues 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Williamston Theatre. 

Other holiday happenings this weekend, beyond the ones featured in our notable holiday events guide from this week’s issue, include a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus at Shaheen Chevrolet 4 to 6 p.m. Friday; the Southwest Action Group’s Holiday in the Square 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at Pleasant Grove Town Square, featuring hot cocoa, a fire pit, s’mores, caroling and a tree-lighting ceremony; East Lansing’s Winter Fest 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hannah Community Center, featuring a winter farmers and craft market, live music, ventriloquism, ice carving, bounce houses, art activities and more; a Christmas party 5 p.m. to midnight Saturday at MP Social in the Stadium District, offering a special holiday drink menu and a white elephant gift exchange; an opportunity to carol around downtown Lansing with Weavers of the Web 7 to 9 p.m. Friday; and the Meridian Historical Village’s Christmas in the Village 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, featuring live music by the Renaissance Singers, strolling carolers, visits with Santa, a tree-lighting ceremony, building tours and more.

If you haven’t finished your holiday shopping yet, there will be plenty of opportunities this weekend, including Okemos Community Church’s Attic Treasures Sale 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; the Garden Club of Greater Lansing’s holiday greens market 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, offering freshly made wreaths, centerpieces, boxwood trees and more; the South Lansing Farmers Market’s holiday market 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Pleasant View Magnet School; MSU’s winter arts and crafts show 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the MSU Union; a Native American holiday art market 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Meridian Township’s Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center; and a holiday market noon to 7 p.m. Saturday at Lansing Shuffle, featuring music by local DJs Ozay Moore and DJ Moonhop, live screen printing and holiday-themed cocktails.

Both of MSU’s basketball teams will hit the Breslin Center court this weekend, with the men taking on the University of Nebraska at noon Saturday and the women facing off against DePaul University 2 p.m. Sunday. 

Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing’s monthly euchre tournament begins 7 p.m. Friday, with an optional potluck at 6:30 p.m.

Get up and moving this weekend with a Latin dance party 8 p.m. to midnight Friday and an Afro rave 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, both at Lansing Shuffle.

Nationally touring illusionist Bill Blagg will bring his “Family Magic” show, a blend of comedy, audience participation and magic, to the Wharton Center 1:30 and 4 p.m. Saturday.

Finally, MSU student-run fashion collective NCROWD Magazine will hold its fall/winter 2024 fashion show 7 p.m. Sunday at the Lansing Center. Themed around diversity and innovation, it will feature the work of young, emerging designers from across Michigan.

Whatever you choose to do, I wish you the best of weekends.

(Have an event? Be sure to list it free at lansingcitypulse.com/calendar. Think it’s worth at least a short story? Send a news release to nicole@lansingcitypulse.com for consideration.)