5 things to do this weekend: The Nutcracker, Kwanzaa, 'Unsilent Night' and more

Though there's never a shortage of festivals, markets and other cultural happenings in the Classic City, we've chosen to spotlight these events for the weekend of Dec. 22-24.

Each week, the Banner-Herald will publish a list of five options for things to do in the Athens area. Please note that the events in this list are subject to rescheduling, cancelation or tickets selling out.

The Nutcracker

WHERE: The Classic Center (300 N. Thomas St.)

WHEN: Friday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 23 at 2 p.m. ($32-$42 admission)

DETAILS: Recognized as one of Ukraine's most prestigious classical ballet institutions, The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine is a 55-member troupe of dancers who perform Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's 1892 holiday standard "The Nutcracker" in the U.S. and Canada each year. For tickets, visit classiccenter.com/1577/The-Nutcracker.

Solstice Sisters

WHERE: Hendershot's (237 Prince Ave.)

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. ($20 admission)

DETAILS: Formed in 1994, Solstice Sisters Maggie Hunter, Susan Staley and Anna Hiers harmonize old-time country ballads, traditional folk and 1940s-styled swing in their annual holiday concert. This year's performance will include Mike Harrison on bass and banjo and Andy Carlson (Normaltown Flyers) on fiddle, mandolin and guitar.

Kwanzaa Storytime and Celebration

WHERE: Athens-Clarke County Library (205 Dudley Dr.)

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 23 at 10 a.m. (Free admission)

DETAILS: The Athens-Clarke County Library Children's Department invites guests of all ages to come to learn about and celebrate Kwanzaa, a secular (non-religious) annual celebration of African-American culture that begins on Dec. 26 each year and ends on Jan. 1. The library's educational program will feature stories, songs and more.

Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night

WHERE: Little Kings Shuffle Club (223 W. Hancock Ave.)

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m. (Free admission)

DETAILS: Got a smartphone and a Bluetooth speaker? If so, you can take part in the 13th annual Unsilent Night "boombox parade," a public performance where participants play New York City-based composer Phil Kline's 1992 piece "Unsilent Night" in unison. The parade will start at Little Kings and go through downtown and the UGA quad.

Winter Kickoff

WHERE: Sandy Creek Nature Center (205 Old Commerce Rd.)

WHEN: Friday, Dec. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon ($6-$9; pre-registration required)

DETAILS: Need somewhere to drop off your kids for a couple of hours while you do some last-minute holiday shopping? Sandy Creek has you covered. Kids ages 4 to 12 can enjoy some time outside and explore the facility's nature trails. To pre-register, visit accgovga.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29879.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Five things to do in the Athens area this weekend (Dec. 22-24)