December calendar: Boise, Treasure Valley have safe ways to light up the holidays

Well, 2020 is on its way out! And I think I speak for everyone when I say that its demise cannot come soon enough.

But before we put this year behind us, we can celebrate all month in anticipation for a fresh start with joyous festivities that happened to survive the pandemic.

The Winter Garden aGlow is still a go this holiday season, but has modified to a timed ticketing format to allow for social distancing. Families can still enjoy the annual tradition of wandering through the dazzling grounds of the Idaho Botanical Garden, but will have to purchase tickets in advance as they will not be available at the door.

New this year is the Idaho Bright Lights Festival. The Ford Idaho Center’s Horse Park and Sports Center will be converted into a wintery market with a light display courtesy of Silver Bells Lighting. In addition to music, food and drinks, each weekend will feature a special event.

And for those who wish to spend December all cozy in their home, the Morrison Center is offering some festive virtual entertainment.

Jim Brickman will bring his live concert experience up close and personal by blending yuletide memories and holiday carols with his own hit songs during a virtual concert on Dec. 17. And the Hip Hop Nutcracker, a remixed and reimagined version of the classic described as “a holiday mash-up for the entire family,” will livestream on Dec. 12.

Obviously, the New Year’s Eve party scene will look different this year, so however you choose to ring in 2021, stay safe.

Virtual cheers to all!

Festivals/Fairs

Christmas in Color: 5:30 to 10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, Dec. 1 through Jan. 2 (closed Christmas day), Expo Idaho, 5610 N. Glenwood St., Garden City. Safe, drive-thru Christmas light extravaganza where guests are immersed in LED tunnels and surrounded by dancing lights sharply synchronized to music as they wind through light displays fully animated and in sync to holiday favorites. A portion of proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish. $30 per vehicle. To reserve a time slot, go to christmasincolor.net/boise.

Winter Wonderland Creek Lights: On nightly at dusk, through Jan. 10, Indian Creek Plaza, 120 S. Kimball, Caldwell. indiancreekplaza.com/winter-wonderland-festival.

Winter Garden aGlow: Limited one-hour timed ticketing blocks available every thirty minutes from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays, Dec. 2-27, Idaho Botanical Garden, 2355 N. Penitentiary Road, Boise. Twinkling wonderland with snacks and warm drinks from local vendors, a holiday express model train display, more. $15 general, $12 IBG members, free for ages 3 and younger. Tickets must be purchased in advance; not available at the gate. 208-343-8649, idahobotanicalgarden.org.

Idaho Bright Lights Festival: 5 to 10 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, Dec. 3-5, 10-12, 17-19; and Thursday-Friday, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, Ford Idaho Center Horse Park, 16200 N. Idaho Center Blvd., Nampa. Winter market with a light display, scavenger hunts, music, warm and cold beverages, food, photo ops, more. $12 general, $10 seniors and military, $8 children 4-12. ICTickets. Each weekend features unique festivities:

▪ Dec. 3-5: Craft and Chocolate Affaire (Dec. 4-5)

▪ Dec. 10-12: couple’s weekend with Friday wine and painting with The Angry Easel ($50)

▪ Dec. 17-19: visit with Santa

▪ Dec. 31-Jan. 1: NYE party and New Year’s Day finale

City Santa: The tradition of visiting Santa at D.L. Evans Bank will be virtual instead of in person for 2020. Families can sign up for a time slot to visit with Santa on Zoom. Fifteen-minute time slots are available from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 5, 12 and 19. There will be a community sing along on Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. in which Santa will lead participants in holiday carols. Participants must register in advance and time slots will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is currently open at downtownboise.org. Zoom calls are free with a suggested donation to benefit the Women’s and Children’s Alliance. Donations can also be made via text code WCASANTA to 269-89.

Films

Lunafest Boise: Collection of seven short films by and about women via online streaming. Proceeds benefit Soroptimist Int’l of Boise’s service projects, which work to improve the lives of women and girls. A Vimeo streaming link and password will be sent to all attendees on the morning of Dec. 3 and will be valid for 24 hours (10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, through 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 4). Attendees can watch the films anytime on their own during this period. $18 at lunafest.org/screenings/virtual-screening-boise-id-120320.

Food and Drink

Empty Bowls: The tradition will continue, but move online this year. The public is encouraged to go online and a buy a bowl at empty-bowls-idaho.square.site. The store is open now through Friday, Dec. 11. Choose from hundreds of hand-painted and artisan created bowls starting at $10. Your purchase includes: a uniquely crafted bowl, an Albertsons reusable shopping bag, $5 Albertsons gift card and a coupon to a local restaurant for soup. Bowls purchased must be picked up at The Idaho Foodbank located in Meridian. See website for pickup details and hours. All proceeds go directly back into the community to help Idahoans facing food insecurity. More info at idahofoodbank.org/event/empty-bowls/.

Music

Fired-Up Benefit Tour: 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, Boise Bible College, 8695 W. Marigold St., Building B; and 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, True Hope Youth Center (The HUB), 1408 W. State St., Boise. Featuring Dany Gray, RandyB Funk, Kurtis Hoppie, Nedy, Sethamphetamine, Vito OT. Benefit for Boise Rescue Mission. $10 at the door, $20 per family. Info: mcfunk48@gmail.com.

Farmers Market

BFM Winter Market Drive-Thru: Pickup hours are 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays, Dec. 5, 12 and 19. Order distribution will take place using the same drive-thru method used this summer. Orders will be filled inside the warehouse and brought outside for pick up at the Payette Brewing warehouse, 733 S. Pioneer St., Boise. Customers will reserve a pickup time, then order from the online store, which is open Tuesday at 7 a.m. until Wednesday at 11:30 p.m. theboisefarmersmarket.com/bfmdrivethru.

Daily Calendar

Dec. 1

Alyssa Grace Proffitt: Performing at the Discovery Center of Idaho on Tuesday, Dec. 1, for Giving Tuesday. The performance will begin at 7 p.m. and will be available for viewing virtually live on the Discovery Center’s Facebook page. Alyssa will be performing original songs from her first EP entitled “Breathe,” as well as some cover songs.

Dec. 5

Eagle Country Christmas: 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, Heritage Park, 185 E. State St., Eagle. Free kids’ activities (in a heated tent), cookies and hot cocoa, market, holiday music, carriage rides, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, tree lighting (5:30 p.m.), more. 208-489-8763.

Live from the West Side: Women of Broadway: Livestream concert featuring critically acclaimed actress and singer Vanessa Williams at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. Streamed live from New York’s Shubert Virtual Studios, the show will feature a mix of Broadway showtunes, pop songs, and personal stories from her life. You can even submit questions in advance for her to answer during the show. Tickets include access to the livestream performance, plus an additional 72 hours of on-demand viewing of a video recording of the livestream, available beginning one hour after each live broadcast ends. $30 at morrisoncenter.com/events/detail/live-from-the-west-side-women-of-broadway-vanessa-williams.

Dec. 12

Christmas Classic Fun Run: Noon Saturday, Dec. 12, Centennial Golf Course, 2600 Centennial Drive, Nampa. Participants will choose between a 5k or 10K distance. Due to COVID-19, races will be ran in heats and there will be no post-race activities. Awards will be announced on social media following the event. $25 entry, $30 after Dec. 4. nampaparksandrecreation.org/325/Christmas-Classic-Fun-Run.

Boise Little Theater Christmas Cab Cab: Streaming two variety shows on Saturday, Dec. 12: “The Nice List” airs at 6 p.m. and “The Naughty List” at 8 p.m. on the theater’s Facebook page. Any donations given during BLT’s Christmas Cab Cab “The Nice List” show will be split with Operation Grateful Hearts, which provides aid to military families of the Treasure Valley. boiselittletheater.org.

Hip Hop Nutcracker: Recorded live at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the Hip Hop Nutcracker is a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music. Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, this evening-length production is performed by a cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, who opens the show with a short set. Livestream at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. $20 general, $50 VIP, at morrisoncenter.com/events/detail/hip-hop-nutcracker.

Dec. 13

Northwest Nazarene University’s NOEL: Featuring performances from NNU’s top ensembles including the Northwesterners, Jazz Revival, Jazz Renaissance, Bella Voce, Concert Band and the 100-member University Choir and Orchestra. Once tickets are purchased, a code will be provided to allow for the concert to be streamed via VIMEO anytime between Dec. 13 and Jan. 13. $10 per household. nnu.edu/noel.

Dec. 17

Jim Brickman “Comfort & Joy at Home 2020” Virtual Tour: Grammy-nominated songwriter and piano sensation Jim Brickman will blend yuletide memories and holiday carols with his own hit songs such as, “The Gift,” “Sending You A Little Christmas,” “Angel Eyes” and “If You Believe.” Portion of each ticket benefits the Morrison Center. Livestream at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17. $40, $75 and $125 at jimbrickman.com/boise.

Dec. 21

Idaho Community Christmas Sing-Along: Gather in parking lots and tune your radio to Magic 97.9 FM to sing along to traditional Christmas carols in a “drive-in movie” fashion. The concept is simple. For instance, faith leaders can invite their congregation to gather, in their cars, in the church parking lots. Local groups, clubs or neighborhood communities can invite their members, family and neighbors to meet in their respective parking lot. The program will start at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21. Many of the state’s leaders will offer holiday messages between songs. Program, music, and lyrics will be available on the Idaho Community Christmas Sing-Along Facebook page and Magic 97.9 FM Facebook page with downloadable lyric sheets at magic979boise.com. Large locations will be identified and promoted by media partners, including the Ford Idaho Center where Magic 97.9 will broadcast live. If you would like to be a promoter of a parking lot location, contact Diane Bevan or Tonn Petersen at IdahoChristmasCarols@gmail.com.

Dec. 26

Blues Addicts: 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26, Sapphire Room, The Riverside Hotel, 2900 W. Chinden Blvd., Boise. $20 general, $25 preferred. eventbrite.com.

Dec. 27

Stef & the Groove: 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 27, Sapphire Room, The Riverside Hotel, 2900 W. Chinden Blvd., Boise. Formerly called the Blues Groove. $20 general, $25 preferred. eventbrite.com.

This story was originally published November 29, 2020 at 7:30 AM.