TUSK CALENDAR: Who's playing and what's happening

This week in West Alabama, Dec. 7-13, holiday events continue with Tuscaloosa Community Dancers' "The Nutcracker," Christmas Afloat, return of the Holiday Singalong, and the TSO's "Home for the Holidays," with the Alabama Choir School, UA choirs, and members of the Tuscaloosa County High School choral program..

MUSIC

THURSDAY

Shelton State Christmas concert: The Shelton State Community College music department will present its annual Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Martin campus atrium, featuring the Shelton Singers and the Shelton State Jazz Ensemble. Free and open to the public.

Rocky Mountain High Experience (John Denver tribute artist): 7:30 p.m. Lyric Fine Arts Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N., Birmingham. Tickets, $64 and up, through www.ticketmaster.com. www.lyricbham.com.

FRIDAY

Taylor Hicks: 8 p.m. Lyric Fine Arts Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N., Birmingham. Tickets, $34 and up, through www.ticketmaster.com. www.lyricbham.com.

SATURDAY

Jake Austell: 3-6 p.m., The Venue Tuscaloosa, 6052 Watermelon Road. www.venuetuscaloosa.com/events.

Evan and James Band: 7-9 p.m., Druid City Brewing Co., 700 14th St., Parkview Plaza, Tuscaloosa. www.evanandjames.com.

ASO holiday concert: 7 p.m., BJCC Concert Hall, Birmingham. Alabama Symphony Orchestra joined by Kristi Tingle Higginbotham and Dolores Hydock. Tickets, $12 and up, through www.ticketmaster.com. www.bjcc.org.

Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand: 7:30 p.m., BJCC Theatre, Birmingham. Steel City Men's Chorus holiday show. Tickets, $25 each, through www.ticketmaster.com. www.bjcc.org.

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder: 8 p.m. Lyric Fine Arts Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N., Birmingham. Tickets, $42 and up, through www.ticketmaster.com. www.lyricbham.com.

SUNDAY

Shaun Cassidy: 8 p.m., Lyric Fine Arts Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N., Birmingham. Tickets, $49 an up, through www.ticketmaster.com. www.lyricbham.com.

MONDAY

"Home for the Holidays": 7 p.m., tickets $30 to $40 (students free), Moody Concert Hall, UA campus, concert featuring the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, Alabama Choir School, UA Choral Department and Tuscaloosa Community Dancers. www.tsoonline.org.

LOCAL EVENTS

ONGOING

Holidays on the Plaza: Outdoor ice-skating rink, Government Plaza, 618 21st Ave., downtown Tuscaloosa. Runs through the holiday season, and into the new year. Skating sessions are $15 each, except Tuesday Family Skate Days, when they're $12 each; military $12. Season passes available for $85, good for the whole 2023-24 season. Group rates are also available. Adjacent to the free-to-attend Tinsel Trail, with decorated trees throughout the plaza, as a fundraiser for Tuscaloosa One Place. Schedule, prices and more at www.holidaysontheplaza.com/calendar.

THURSDAY

Open House with Father Christmas: 4 p.m., Carrie Fitts Real Estate, 2111 14th St., downtown Tuscaloosa, Complimentary photos with Father Christmas, letters to Santa for the children, and refreshments and snacks.

December Art Night: 5-8 p.m., free and family-friendly, monthly celebration of art and artists in downtown Northport. Featuring "Creative Giving" by Kentuck studio artists in the Museum Gallery; "Artimals: A Menageried of Local Artists" in the Teer Gallery; and at 6:30 p.m., celebrating Kerry Kennedy's 17 years as a Kentuck studio artist. In 2024, she'll be starting a new venture and setting up a studio in her Tuscaloosa home. There'll also be live music by Evan and James, children's crafts, pop-up shops, open artists' studios, cob oven pizza and more. www.kentuck.org/art-nights.

THURSDAY-SUNDAY

TCD's "The Nutcracker": Tuscaloosa Community Dancers will perform "The Nutcracker," a community tradition since 1971, at the Bama Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave. www.tuscaloosadancers.com. Performances will be at 7 p.m. Thursday-Friday; 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $16 to $30. There's also a "Breakfast with the Nutcracker" scheduled for 8:45 a.m. Saturday at the Battle-Friedman House, 1010 Greensboro Ave., with $15 admission. For more, go to www.tuscaloosadancers.com.

SATURDAY

Michael K. Steinberg book signing and talk: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Ernest and Hadley Booksellers, 1928 Seventh St., Tuscaloosa. Steinberg will be discussing his illustrated book "Searching for Home Waters: A Brook Trout Pilgrimage." This event is part of E&H's sevent anniversary celebratio. Reserve a spot on Eventbrite, through www.buff.ly/3T6QXPW.

Christmas Afloat: 5 p.m. Black Warrior River. Lighted boat parade beginning after dark, with a route between the Woolsey Finnell and Wallace bridges, and back again. Fireworks at the conclusion. Good places for viewing include near the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, the Farmer's Market, the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk and Northport Levee.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Second Annual Santa in the Park: featuring holiday lights, hot chocolate, popcorn and a visit from Santa, 4-7 p.m., Lake Lurleen State Park, 13226 Lake Lurleen Road in Coker. Admission is $5 general, $2 for children. www.facebook.com/events/584324370361297/639712114822522/?active_tab=about.

SUNDAY

Holiday Singalong: Caroling in Capitol Park, free and family-friendly, returns after pandemic-driven hiatus. 1-2:30 p.m., with lyrics, song leaders and accompaniment provided. Created in 2003, the Singalong draws from seasonal songs, sacred to secular, "Silent Night" to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Bring chairs, blankets and other comfort materials.

“Amahl and the Night Visitors”: UA Opera Theatre, 3 p.m., free, Bryant-Jordan Hall on the Bryce side of the UA campus.

MONDAY

This Could Be You: Comedy show with open-mic, 8-11 p.m., Black Warrior Brewing Co., 2216 University Blvd., Tuscaloosa. Signup at 7:30. Hosted by Stand-Up Tuscaloosa and Compton Smith.

WEDNESDAY

Comedian Matt Davis: 7 p.m., Druid City Brewing Co. Moon Room, 700 14th St., Parkview Plaza, Tuscaloosa. Davis, a 25-year veteran, has toured the world, and showed comedic short films at the Film Dayton festival, the LYAO comedy festival, and the Cincinnati Film Festival. His latest, a quarter-hour animated short titled "Going Somewhere with Matt Davis," debuted as an official selection of the 2023 25th Anniversary Sidewalk Film Festival. In 2015 he co-produced with local arts scenes more than 100 performances across more than 30 countries. Matt followed this up with two more international tours: Hello Watchlist and BadFamiliar, the latter of which was performed over fifty (50) times at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and toured through Europe, Asia, and Australia. His latest show under development evolves the ideas from his previous international tours, including “dismissing the notion that familiar equals good."

Christmas with C.S. Lewis: 7:30 p.m. Lyric Fine Arts Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N., Birmingham. Featuring Daniel Payne. Tickets, $32 and up, through www.ticketmaster.com. www.lyricbham.com.

UPCOMING

DEC. 14-16: SantaCon 2023. Kickoff event 7 p.m. Dec. 14, drop off toys and other items for Turning Point of West Alabama: unwrapped/unopened toys for ages up to 18, or home and bath supplies for mothers. For more on Turning Point, see www.turningpointservices.org. SantaCon pub crawl will begin at The Houndstooth; lineup TBD. Costumes are required.

DEC. 16: The Alabama Choir School will hold its winter concert at 7 p.m., Moody Concert Hall, UA campus. Featuring a variety of seasonal pieces, including traditional holiday carols, spirituals and songs from around the world, contemporary and popular. The choir consists of children in the first through 12th grades. For ticket information, see www.alachoirschool.org.

DEC. 19: Carol-a-Long with Druid Ukes, 7-8:30 p.m., Druid City Brewing Co., 700 14th St., Parkview Plaza, Tuscaloosa.

DEC. 21-22: Holiday movies at the Bama Theatre. "Dr. Seuss' The Grinch" (2018), rated PG, one hour 25 minutes, 2 p.m. Dec. 21; "The Santa Clause (1994), rated PG, one hour 37 minutes, 7 p.m. Dec. 21; "The Polar Express" (2004), rated G, one hour 40 minutes, 6 p.m. Dec. 22. For the "Santa Clause" showing, patrons can also buy a Golden Ticket, $20 per child, that include a kids' popcorn and drink, and a meet-and-greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus after the movie. Accompanying adults for children with Golden Tickets will only need to purchase a regular admission ticket. For each showing, the doors, box office and Bama Bar and concessions open an hour before screenings. Admission is $10 general, $9 for students and seniors, and $8 for Arts Council members. Season pass punch card tickets will be on sale for $70, good for any 10 films, in any upcoming series. The Bama Theatre is at 600 Greensboro Ave.

APRIL 18, 2024: Riley Green, Tracy Lawrence and Ella Langley, 7:30 p.m. Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater, Tuscaloosa. Tickets through www.ticketmaster.com, and at the Amp box office, 2710 Jack Warner Parkway, for $89.50, $79.50, $59.50, $49.50, and $39.50, plus fees and taxes.

APRIL 26, 2024: Travis Tritt, Chase Matthew, Frank Foster, 7 p.m., Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater, Tuscaloosa. Tickets through www.ticketmaster.com, or at the amp's box office, 2710 Jack Warner Parkway in downtown Tuscaloosa, for $99.50, $79.50, $59.50 and $39.50.

SEPT. 20, 2024: Cody Jinks, the Cadillac Three and Calder Allen, 7 p.m., Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater, Tuscaloosa. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday, through www.ticketmaster.com, or at the venue's box office, 2710 Jack Warner Parkway, for $258, $158, $107.50, $87.50, $67.50, $47.50 and $33, plus taxes and fees. For more see www.mercedesbenzamphitheater.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: TUSK CALENDAR: Who's playing and what's happening