NHS Choir Concert, Fun with Mrs. Claus, First UMC Festival
Hear the Noblesville First UMC Chancel Choir during a Christmas Festival of Music & Art at 6 p.m. Sunday at the church, with a Janus Art Sale, followed by a Christmas concert at 7 p.m., with free admission.
If you love holiday music and performing arts, Santa and Mrs. Claus visits and carriage rides, this weekend and next weekend are both filled with many things to do.
All of the Noblesville High School choirs will perform tonight and Saturday afternoon at the annual Holiday Concert, themed “Cool Yule,” at NHS Auditorium. Santa is on the Square all weekend thanks to the Hamilton County Historical Society. Moffett Craig revives her Mrs. Claus for a special event for kids Saturday morning at Adriene’s Flowers & Gifts in Noblesville. Noblesville First UMC will offer its gift to the community on Sunday evening during a Christmas Festival of Music & Janus Art Sale, followed by a Christmas concert.
Here are 22 holiday things to do this weekend and beyond:
1. All ages can visit the Hamilton County Historical Society’s Santa House with hours 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today and Dec. 15 (virtual), 16 and 23; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Dec. 17, 18; noon to 3 p.m. Sunday; and noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 24.
2. Enjoy Nickel Plate Trail Night Lights with food, music and surprise festivities at 6 p.m. today and Saturday in downtown Fishers.
3. Visit the Christkindlmarkt in Carmel now through Dec. 30, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, with special hours, extended until 10 p.m. Dec. 10, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 19-23 and Dec. 26-30, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 24 at 10 Carter Green in Carmel.
4. The Federal Hill Commons Ice Plaza is open through Jan. 9 in Noblesville. Rink hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 24, and closed Christmas Day. Admission includes skate rental, $13 for ages 13 and older, $11 for ages 12 and younger. Punch passes are available, 10 skate passes for $110; 5 skate passes for $60; skate aid rental $3. Admission and skate rental are good for all day skating. Skate, take a break, shop, grab lunch and come back to skate later the same day for no additional cost.
Moffett Craig revives her Mrs. Claus for a special event for kids Saturday morning at Adriene’s Flowers & Gifts in Noblesville, with pre-registration. Enjoy “Fun with Mrs. Claus” for ages 3-7 at 10 a.m. Saturday with storytime, singing and making a craft.
5. Hear the wonderful sounds of Noblesville High School choirs during the annual Holiday Choir Concert, themed “Cool Yule,” at 7 p.m. today and 2 p.m. Saturday, with choirs performing at both concerts but different auditioned student acts at both concerts, at NHS, with $10 and $15 reserved seating at nhscpo.org
6. Enjoy a holiday walking light tour, with displays and holiday photo opportunities, every evening now throughout the holiday season at Federal Hill Commons in Noblesville. A special Santa mailbox will also be available at the Christmas Cottage.
7. Take a drive through the Magic of Lights: Drive-Through Holiday Lights Experience,” now open nightly at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville.
8. While there’s a waiting list for Reindeer Rides through Dec. 23 on the Nickel Plate Express in Noblesville, there are still some adult Holiday Cheers rides available this season. Take a 75-minute ride with Santa and see Santa’s workshop and cross over Morse Reservoir while singing Christmas carols and sipping hot chocolate, with tickets at nickelplateexpress.com. Also enjoy a night with Santa to support Toys for Tots at 5 p.m. Dec. 15 at Nickel Plate Express.
10. Take a stroll during A Merry Prairie Holiday outdoor lighting display, Fridays through Sundays, through Dec. 18 and Wednesday and Thursday Dec. 21-22 at Conner Prairie in Fishers, featuring thousands of holiday lights, courtesy of Reynolds Farm Equipment, plus visits to Prairietown, food and more for $22 per person or $11 per member. Also, Breakfast with Santa at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Saturdays through Dec. 18, with tickets $19.95-$25.95.
11. Enjoy “Christmas at the Playhouse” at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Basile Westfield Playhouse featuring six original one-act plays, “A Requiem for Shermy-last Minute Shoppers,” “Clara The Christmas Angel,” “Holiday Cards,” “Garland, Gynos and Gurneys” and Traditions,” directed by Nicole Amsler, Kelly Keller and Jen Otterman, with tickets $12-$15 and veterans and military free, at westfieldplayhouse.org.
12. Enjoy Carmel Community Players’ comical collection of stories, songs and vignettes at “Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas,” with director Kate Hinman, today through Dec. 18, with shows at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Thursday, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, at The Cat in Carmel, with $18 tickets, and $16 for ages 62 and older and students, at www.carmelplayers.org
13. Bring your family to Breakfast with Santa at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Sheridan Elementary School. Enjoy breakfast brisket tacos from True Texan BBQ, biscuits and gravy and French toast sticks, and Christmas shop from more than 25 vendors.
14. Enjoy Fun with Mrs. Claus for ages 3-7 at 10 a.m. Saturday at Adrienes Flowers & Gifts in Noblesville, with Santa’s favorite food, cookies and punch, storytime, singing and making a craft. Bring a letter to Santa with your Christmas list to drop in Santa’s mailbox and also canned or nonperishable food item for the First Presbyterian Church’s food pantry next door. Preregistration required for the event by calling (317) 773-6065.
15. Families can reserve a private 15-minute carriage ride, weekends through Dec. 18, through downtown Noblesville for $75 or a carriage ride with Santa for $125. Carriage rides can seat up to six adults and three to five children on adults’ laps (Santa rides seat five adults and three to five children on adults’ laps.
16. Smile for photos with Santa from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Speck’s Pet Supplies in Fishers.
17. Carmel Holiday PorchFest is 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Midtown Plaza in Carmel.
18. Experience a Living Nativity with drive-thru experience with real animals from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Cornerstone Lutheran Church in Fishers.
19. Hear the Noblesville First UMC Chancel Choir during a Christmas Festival of Music & Art at 6 p.m. Sunday at the church, with a Janus Art Sale, followed by a Christmas concert at 7 p.m., with free admission.
20. Hum along as The Attic Theatre presents “Hello Dolly!” musical at 7 p.m. Dec. 14-17 at Ivy Tech with show times at $12 tickets, $8 for ages 4-12, tickets at theattictheatre.com.
21. If you love dance, experience EnPointe Indiana Ballet’s best as the studio presents “An EnPointe Christmas” at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 and 2 p.m. Dec. 17 at Noblesville High School Auditorium, with tickets, at $10, available at enpointe.yapsody.com. The show features 108 dancers and more than 25 dance numbers with a mix of classical and contemporary ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, plus a nine-minute finale to a playful rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
22. Hear Fishers 21-year-old vocalist Peter Fulton perform during Carmel Christkindlmarkt in downtown Carmel at 5 p.m. Dec. 20, 8 p.m. Dec. 21 with Songbook Academy, 2 p.m. Dec. 22, 5 p.m. Dec. 27 and 29 and 8 p.m. Dec. 30, all 45-minute sets.
Contact Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com.
Save the Date in January 2023: The Underdog Theatre presents “The Choices We Make,” an original one-act play written and directed by Clay Howard, a 2022 Noblesville High School graduate, and featuring students, on stage for three performances, at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Jan. 7, at the Noblesville First United Methodist Church in Celebration Hall. Visit underdogtheatre.org