Manatee & Sarasota Counties, Florida Holiday Events

The Nutcracker Tea Party

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2008 Time:1:30 PM to 3:00 PM Place: Bradenton Country Club address:4646 9th Ave. West  Bradenton, FL 34209  The Dance Theatre of Bradenton invites the young and young at heart to revel in this ballet experience which includes a mini-performance of The Nutcracker, tea sandwiches, sweets and much more.

contact Barb Myers 941 345-7495 cost:16.00 child/adult

The Nutcracker Ballet

Date: Saturday, December 13, 2008 Time:7:00 to 9:00 PM Place: Neel Performing Arts Center Address: 5840 26th Street West  Bradenton, FL 34207  The Dance Theatre of Bradenton presents the holiday classic The Nutcracker Ballet. Two performancesDec 13th at 7:00PMDec 14th at 2:00 PMticket prices $15 children under 13 $20 adultscontact Barb Myers 941 345-7495 or purchase on line atwww.allisonsdancecentre.com/nutcrackerwww.allisonsdancecentre.com/nutcrackercost:$15 child $20 adult

MCC Annual Holiday Ceramics Sale

Date: Thursday, Dec 4, 2008 8:00am to 8:30pm Place: Manatee Community College Bradenton, Bradenton, FL

One-of-a-kind ceramics made by Manatee Community College students and faculty will be for sale from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 4, and 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, 2008In: rooms 147/148, bldg 14, At: MCC Bradenton, 5840 26th St. W.Phone: (941) 752-5251Age Suitability: All Ages Directions to MCC Bradenton are available at www.mccfl.edu/maps. For more information about the annual ceramics sale, call (941) 752-5251.

Night at the Museum: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Date: Saturday, December 06, 2008Hours: 4 pm - 9 pmPlace: The South Florida Museum, 201 10th St W, Bradenton

Celebrate the holidays and join us for the Tim Burton classic The Nightmare Before Christmas in the Planetarium at 4:15, followed by fun activities for the whole family. Enjoy planetarium shows all evening: Live Star Talk at 7 pm, Extreme Planets at 7:30, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at 8:15. Manatee presentations in the Aquarium at 5:00 and 6:30. Admission is half price after 4 pm, members always free. Food is available for a nominal price.

Location And Directions: The South Florida Museum 201 10th St West Bradenton, FLContact Information:   The South Florida MuseumPhone: (941) 746-4131

Annual Holiday Figure Skating Show

Date: Saturday, December 06, 2008Hours: 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm

Want to get into the Holiday Mood? Are you longing for a “White Christmas”? Join us for the Annual Holiday Figure Skating Show hosted by The Southwest Florida Figure Skating Club and Ellenton Ice & Sports Complex. Let Jack Frost nip at your nose and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate while you enjoy the festivities! This year’s show theme is “Winter Icescapes & Holiday Dreams”. The show features skaters from Ellenton Ice’s Learn to Skate program, Tropical Spice on Ice (our Adult Synchronized Skating Team), skaters from our Junior & Intermediate Skate Schools, as well as our National/International Competitors who are currently representing the United States in Figure Skating as they train with our World & Olympic Coaching Staff. It’s an event not to be missed! So let our skaters dazzle you with their triple axels, incredible lifts and spectacular combinations!

Tickets: $15.00 for Adults $12.00 for Seniors and Children 10 & Under

Purchase Tickets at: www.swffsc.org or at www.ellentonice.com (also now on sale at Ellenton Ice & Sports Complex - front lobby desk)

Location And Directions:Ellenton Ice & Sports Complex5309 29th St. E., Ellenton, 34222

Contact Information:   Ellenton Ice & Sports ComplexPhone: (941) 723-3663

A Night Before Christmas Its Snowing in GT Bray Park!!Date: Saturday, December 06, 2008Hours: 4 pm - 7:30 pm

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office will fly Santa Claus in to G.T. Bray Park, for the Manatee County Parks and Recreation Department's annual "A Night Before Christmas" celebration. Santa’s scheduled landing is 4:00 p.m. Be there early, so you don’t miss it.There will be a number of family activities to participate in, face painting, bounce houses, quad power jump, hayrides, coloring mural, cookie crafts, storytelling, and of course visits with Santa. Snow in Florida? Sure…why not?! It’s a magical time of year and Santa decided to bring a little North Pole to G.T. Bray Park. This year we will have 10 tons of snow. Entertainment and food vendors will be on site. Creating Lifelong Memories…It Starts In Parks

Location And Directions:

GT Bray Park5504 33rd Avenue Drive WestBradenton

Contact Information:   Manatee County Parks Dept.Phone: (941) 742-5974

American Craft ShowDate (s): Friday, December 05, 2008 to Sunday, December 07, 2008Hours: Friday & Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday till 4pm

Nearly 200 outstanding artists from across the country will be featured, along with their latest artworks, when the American Craft Show returns to the Sarasota Bradenton International Convention Center Dec. 5 – 7, 2008.This marks the 14th consecutive year that Sarasota has been among a handful of U.S. cities to host one of six illustrious showcases presented by the American Craft Council. Throughout the year, the Council produces similar shows held in Baltimore, Atlanta, St. Paul, San Francisco and Charlotte, N.C. Each gifted artist exhibiting at these events works with a variety of materials, ranging from clay to glass, to best express their creativity and technical mastery.Always a popular event for holiday shoppers, arts enthusiasts and collectors, the annual American Craft Show in Sarasota also incorporates entertainment and demonstrations that celebrate performing as well as visual arts. New for this year is a Green Craft component. Green Craft offers artists an opportunity to express their creativity by incorporating found, recycled, eco-friendly materials and techniques into sometimes whimsical, occasionally functional and always environmentally compatible pieces.

Admission: $8 for a one-day pass; $14 for a two-day pass. Children 12 and under free. Location And Directions: Sarasota Bradenton International Convention Center

8005 15th St. E., Sarasota, FL

Holiday of Light TourDate (s): Monday, December 08, 2008 to Wednesday, December 17, 2008Hours: 6:30p.m. & 8:30 p.m. (2 tours per night)

The Holiday Tour of Lights has become a MUST when you're in the holiday spirits, so get ready to sit back, relax, sip on eggnog, and enjoy what Sarasota's residents have created.SRQ Trolley is famous for the best Holiday Tour of Lights in the area. We've developed a tour of only the best light displays in Sarasota. It's a perfect time to be with your family and enjoy each other's company while letting SRQ Trolley take you around to all the incredible holiday lights. If you're looking to get away from the stress and just enjoy each other's ompany, then let SRQ Trolley take you there!

Location And Directions: Burlington Coat Factory parking lot located on Cattlement Road and Bee

Ridge.Contact Information:   TootiePhone: (941) 538-1414Email: contact@srqtrolley.com

Toys for Tots Christmas Drive

Date: Saturday, December 20, 2008106-5 CTQ will be on-site for a Toys for Tots drive on Dec 20 @ the Lane 2 Plaza on SR 64 and Lakewood Ranch Blvd. One Night Rodeo will be playing at this event and all who bring a new, unwrapped toy or other donation for Toys for Tots will be eligible for prizes from the merchants of Lane 2 Plaza. Location And Directions: Lane 2 Plaza on SR 64 and Lakewood Ranch Blvd

The Nutcracker Ballet Performed by The Dance Theatre of Bradenton

Date (s): Saturday, December 13, 2008 to Sunday, December 14, 2008Hours: 7 pm Saturday, 2 pm Sunday

Dance Theatre of Bradenton performing the holiday Nutcracker BalletTickets $15 child $20 adult

Location And Directions: Neel Preforming Arts Centre Manatee Community College 5840 26th St W Bradenton, FLContact Information:   Barb Myers

Phone: (941) 345-7495

The 22nd Annual Sarasota Christmas Boat Parade of

LightsDate: Saturday, December 13, 2008Hours: Beginning at 6 pm

The best areas for viewing are Bayfront Park, City Island and Centennial Park. The event will be televised live on SNN6 at 7:00 pm as well as rebroadcast several times during the Holiday Season. A cash donation will be made to The Florida Center for Children and Families from the proceeds from this event. Location And Directions: Bayfront Park, City Island and Centennial Park

Holiday Splendor… at The Ringling Museum Date: Thursday Dec. 14, 2006 from 6 to 9 p.m.Place: on the Ringing Museum grounds. Holiday Splendor is an annual Ringling Museum event with holiday music by local school students in the courtyard, hundreds of luminaries and after-hours access to the Ringling estate's venues, including the stunning mansion.Admission is one unwrapped toy per guest or $10 per person without a toy to benefit the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve "Toys for Tots" program in both Manatee and Sarasota Counties.

Breakfast with Santa… at the Ringling Museum of Art

Date: Dec. 9, 2006 from 9 to 11 a.m.Adults bring a wrapped and labeled gift for their child and Santa delivers the surprise. For More Information: 941-359-5700, Ext. 2801

"American Brass Celebrating the Holidays"

Date: Dec. 9, 2006 at 8 p.m. Sarasota POPS orchestra will present "American Brass Celebrating the Holidays“Place: in the Historic Asolo Theater. For more information: 941-359-5700, Ext. 2801

Winter Wonderland

Date: This event is on the 7th of December, 2008 Place: Old Main Street, Downtown Bradenton, Florida The Winter Wonderland is a three day family event. It starts with "The Jingle Bell Run", which is an event where you can either run or walk, for the Arthritis Foundation. Jingle bells are tied to the shoelaces of the people who participate in this event. Can you imagine the sound of hundreds of people running, and walking with bells on their shoes? It’s fun and healthy, and the proceeds from the entry fees go to support the Arthritis Foundation. Registration is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The race is on the Riverwalk, and begins at 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

"Holiday Boat Parade"

Date & Time: 8th of December, 2008 at sunset. "Holiday Boat Parade" takes place on the Manatee River. Boats, floating down the river, decorated with thousands of multi-colored lights. Some of the boats are decorated with whimsical themes, some religious themes, some traditional themes….great family event!

“Bradenton Street Festival"

Date: Dec. 9, 2008 ( time has not been set) Place: Old Main Street, downtown Bradenton

Snow mountains...created with 10 tons of snow, “wintery” area for children to play in. A kids’ craft fair, live entertainment, food, and Santa Claus. For more info call: (941) 708-6200 ext. 288

Canine ChristmasDate: December 6, 2008 10am to 3pm

Admission: Bag of Dog FoodBenefiting: Animal Network Started in 1999 while a bunch of us crazy animal lovers were working to get our dog park up and running. We became aware of the problems within our county and wanted to make a difference. Many of us have rescue animals and we desired a showcase to present what great pets you can get at area shelters. That is why our fashion show is the most popular event of the whole day. It features rescued, adopted and special needs canine supermodels dressed for the cat, I mean dog walk. This portion of the day is at 1:30 PM. The fun starts out earlier though for our Canine Contests. We have a lot of categories such as longest ears, smallest and largest dog, tail wagging and more fun and it is open to all dogs, even store bought and designer dogs. This starts at 11:00 AM. At 12:00 noon we have our hilarious “American Fido” talent show, which is also open to all canine companions. This is four paws up competition and there are so many talented dogs out there, like some of our previous winners, such as bubble biting dogs, siren howling hounds and singing dogs, even dogs that actually do nothing, but still get a round of applause for their effort. Great prizes for the winners. For more information: (941) 238-7810

For Information about Real Estate…For Information about Real Estate…Contact:Contact:

DIRECT: (941) 928-1248EMAIL: info@TheSerenaGroup.com

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