Holiday calendar

DEC. 10

On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens will become the official judging and viewing site for the eighth annual Winter Park Boat Parade & Festival of Lights including a water ski show on Lake Virginia near Rollins College at 4 p.m. This free event will begin at dusk and parking fees will apply. For more information, please call 407-647-6294.

Bach Festival Society of Winter Park presents “A Classic Christmas” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at Knowles Memorial Chapel. This anticipated annual tradition features music arranged specifically for the Bach Choir and Orchestra, paired with selections from Tchaikovsky's “Nutcracker Suite.” Tickets range from $20 to $50. Visit www.BachFestivalFlorida.org.

Maitland Public Library proudly presents the second Annual Winter Wonderland on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Call 407-647-7700 or visit MaitlandPublicLibrary.com.

Join New Hope for Kids on Saturday, Dec. 10, for the ninth annual Holiday Bicycle Ride where hundreds of bicycle riders cruise through nine miles of brightly lit Winter Park and Casselberry neighborhoods. Registration and festivities begin at 4 p.m. with the ride starting promptly at 6 p.m. Anyone 10 years and older may ride solo. Cost is $10 in advance/$12 night of the event and includes music and refreshments. For more information, visit www.newhopeforkids.org or call 407-331-3059 extension 10.

DEC. 11

A visit by Santa and musical performances by Orlando-area singers Jacqueline Jones and Kathy Puzzo with music by Michael Kramer and Michael Lamy highlight the Steinway Society of Central Florida’s holiday concert and piano gifting Sunday, Dec. 11, at 2:30 p.m. at Steinway Piano Galleries at the Renaissance Center, 303 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs. Hosts are Bob Frier, news anchor of FOX 35, and Society founders Gary and Kathy Grimes. The event is free to the public; call 407-339-3771 for more information.

Join the choirs of Winter Park and Sweetwater First Baptist churches for “The Gift of Christmas” on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 6:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 1021 N. New York Ave. Call 407-644-3061.

A free Christmas concert is 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at Orangewood Presbyterian Church,

1300 W. Maitland Blvd., Maitland. Enjoy a holiday concert featuring Lori Smith, classically trained musician and contemporary violinist. The nursery is provided for ages 4 and younger. Visit www.orangewood.org/ChristmasEvents.

It’s Tinsel Tapestry time! The Maitland Symphony Orchestra, under the sponsorship of The Performing Arts of Maitland, will present a sparkling concert on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church of Maitland. Program highlights will feature music from the beloved “Nutcracker Suite” of Tchaikovsky, Leroy Anderson favorites, “Deck the Halls” from the Mannheim Steamroller collection, familiar Christmas melodies from Irving Berlin, and a medley of festive Hanukkah folk tunes. The concert is free and is a celebration in music for all ages.

DEC. 17

Maitland residents should be on the look out for Santa Claus. The Maitland police will be escorting Santa though the city’s street on Saturday, Dec. 17. For more details and times in your neighborhood, visit www.itsmymaitland.com

Enjoy the rich sounds of Christmas as tuba, euphonium, sousaphone and baritone players of all ages gather to perform a free concert from the main stage in Central Park beginning at 1 p.m., on Saturday, Dec. 17. Winter Park’s 16th annual Merry Tuba Christmas has become a must see on the holiday list of things to do. For more information, please call 407-599-3463.

DEC. 24

The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art will hold a free Christmas Eve Open House on Saturday, Dec. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please call 407-645-5311.

DEC. 25

Chabad of Greater Orlando will present Hanukkah on the Park on Sunday, Dec. 25, at 5 p.m. in Central Park. The evening will include singing performances, live music, dancers, face painting, jugglers and food. For more information, please call 407-644-2500.

DEC. 29

To wrap up the holiday season with a bright red bow on top, the city of Winter Park will proudly host the fifth annual Champs Sports Bowl Parade of Bands on Thursday, Dec. 29, at 11 a.m. As a prelude to the Champs Sports Bowl game on Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m. at the Florida Citrus Bowl, school bands from the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big East championship teams will march through downtown Winter Park and perform a “Bandastic Game Day Preview” in Central Park. For more information, please call 407-599-3463.

ONGOING

In celebration of the holiday season, the Orlando Magic will host four holiday basketball camps at the Jewish Community Center Maitland campus and the RDV Sportsplex Athletic Club from Dec. 19–23 and Dec. 26–30. The camps, which run from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. daily, are open to youth of all skill levels ages 7–16. To register or for more information, visit www.OrlandoMagicCamps.com or call 216-378-0932.

The Breakthrough Theatre of Winter Park presents the holiday play, "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" from Dec. 9-19. This beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. Call 407-920-4034. The Breakthrough Theatre is located at 419A W. Fairbanks Ave. in Winter Park.

The city of Winter Park is preparing to welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus to the city on the evenings of Monday, Dec. 12, through Monday, Dec. 19. Young and young-at-heart will have the chance to mingle with Old St. Nick himself as he rides his sleigh through Winter Park neighborhoods. “On Dasher, on Dancer and Donner and Blitzen!” Visit cityofwinterpark.org for a full schedule.

Orlando Fashion Square welcomes back Santa Claus for visits and pictures with children this holiday season. Santa photos will be taken daily through Saturday, Dec. 24. Also, Fido and Fluffy can sit with St. Nick on Pet Nights from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Dec. 19.

The season begins with Winter in the Park ice-skating rink in Central Park West Meadow from Friday, Nov. 18, through Sunday, Jan. 8. The rink will be open Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. Call 407-599-3203.