Moxham Renaissance will present “Homespun Christmas” from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Russell House Community Center, 538 Park Ave. in the Moxham section of Johnstown.

In addition to trees decorated in a homey style, there will be refreshments, a basket auction, children’s crafts, Santa, a train display, country store, baked goods, poinsettias and carriage rides.

Admission is free.

Information: 536-1555.

Immigrant traditions

“Immigrant Christmas Traditions” will be presented by Johnstown Area Heritage Association at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday and Dec. 15 and 26 at the Wagner-Ritter House & Garden, 418 Broad St. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

Traditional family Christmas activities will be offered at Heritage Discovery Center before the tours begin.

This year, Swedish, Carpatho-Russian and German Protestant traditions from the late 19th and early 20th centuries will be spotlighted.

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children for JAHA members and $12 for adults and $7 for children for nonmembers.

Reservations: 539-1889.

Holiday concert

“Celebrate the Holidays” will be presented by Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and Chorus at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, Richland Township.

The concert will feature the Hansel and Gretel Overture, “Sleigh Ride,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” “Handel’s Royal Fireworks” and selections from Handel’s “Messiah.”

Johnstown Symphony Chorus will perform “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” Johnstown Christmas Memories featuring “Hardrock, Coco and Joe,” “Suzy Snowflake” and “Frosty the Snowman” and selections from Handel’s “Messiah.”

Two sing-alongs will feature sacred and secular music, and there will be an early visit from Santa Claus.

Tickets are $30, $35 and $40, for adults and $15 for students.

Information: 269-7200,

535-6738 or www.JohnstownSymphony.org.

Advent musical

“Anticipation and Celebration” will be presented by Robert and Linda Lacovic at 7:30 tonight at the The Grand Halle on Broad Street, 306 Broad St. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

Robert Lacovic will play the 112-year-old pipe organ, and his wife, Linda, will sing and lead the audience in familiar holiday classics.

Tickets, which are $10 for adults, $5 for students and free for preschoolers, will be available at the door.

The recital is sponsored by Friends of The Steeples Project, which will sponsor a door prize and chance off baskets.

Information: 536-7986.

High school plays

“A Christmas Story” will be presented at 7 tonight and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Richland Performing Arts Center, One Academic Ave., Richland Township.

Based on the classic holiday movie, the play follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker growing up in 1940s Indiana in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

Tickets are $9 for adults and $8 for students and seniors.

Information: 269-0300 or www.richlandpac.com.

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Bishop Carroll Catholic High School will stage “Carrollopolis Cabaret” at 7 p.m. today and Saturday in the cafetorium. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.

The drama club will present three original plays. The first is about a proposal with a special heirloom ring that goes missing. The second is about reflecting on life and the third is a series of Saturday Night Live-type skits.

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“Virgil’s Family Reunion” will be presented by Northern Cambria High School Drama Club at 7 tonight and Saturday at Northern Cambria High School auditorium, 813 35th St., Northern Cambria.

The play is set in Lickskillet, the hillbilly haven of the South, where the barbecue heats up with a lover’s spat, a marriage proposal and a threatened home eviction.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for students. Children younger than 4 will be admitted for free.  

Information: 948-5481.

Brassy Christmas

River City Brass Band will present “Christmas Brasstacular” at 3 p.m. Sunday at Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, Richland Township.

School choirs from the region will join the band to celebrate the festive season.

Tickets are $22 and $24.  

Information: 269-7200, (800) 846-2787 or www.upjarts.org.

Trumpeter at church

World-famous trumpeter Chiz Rider will give a Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Memorial Baptist Church, 210 Vine St., downtown Johnstown.

Doors will open 6, and a love offering will be received.

Sounds of the season

Polish Heritage Choir will perform from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center, 411 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

Following the choir’s traditional Christmas songs, “Soprano & Piano” will be presented by Kathy Bumbernick and Evonne Yanzetich-Homway, with special guest Lisa Olshefski on violin.

Admission is free.

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“Song and Stories of Christmas” will be presented by Michael James Facciani from Waterloo, Iowa, at 7 tonight at Trinity Lutheran Church, 600 Ash St., Johnstown.

Cookie circuit

The region’s first Joy of Cookies Tour will be presented Saturday in downtown Johnstown and Cambria City.

During the free, self-guided event, each participating venue will offer a different holiday cookie for sampling, along with maps featuring information on all the cookie-tour stops.

Downtown locations will be LaPorta Flower Shop, 342 Washington St.; Blaine Boring Chocolates, 123 Market St.; George’s Song Shop, 128 Market St.; Points of Fire Goldsmith, 132 Market St.; New Life Transformations, 126 Walnut St.; and A Piece of Cake Bakery, 139 Franklin St.

Locations in Cambria City and Brownstown will be William L. Aurendt Auto Sales, 99 Roosevelt Blvd.; Heritage House Inn Bed and Breakfast, 916 Broad St.; Venue of Merging Arts, 307 Chestnut St.; Art Works in Johnstown, 413 Third Ave.; Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center, 411 Third Ave.; Cambria City Flowers, 314 Sixth Ave.; Heritage Discovery Center, 201 Sixth Ave.; The Grand Halle on Broad Street,  306 Broad St.; and Riek’s Country Store, 213 Habicht St.

Participants need only visit one of the participating locations to pick up a map and begin the tour.

Santa morning

Breakfast with Santa will be held from 8:30 to 11 Saturday in the cafeteria at Bishop McCort Catholic High School, 25 Osborne St., Johnstown.

L’Education en Vogue, a student-led club, is sponsoring the breakfast, which will include scrambled eggs, pancakes and hash browns.

The breakfast helps raise funds to send to impoverished youth worldwide as well as those in Cambria County.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $7.50 for children. Children younger than 3 will be admitted free.

Information: 536-8991.

First night

The annual First Night of Christmas will be held at 6:30 tonight at Laurel Arts, 214 S. Harrison Ave., Somerset.

The event will feature the lighting of a Christmas tree, an appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Claus, children’s Christmas crafts and free hot chocolate, hot dogs and cookies.

Information: 443-2433.

Gift exchange

The Second Sunday Antique Boutique will feature “Gifts Galore!” from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center, 411 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

The boutique will feature jewelry, fine linens, historical Johnstown photos, antique ornaments, scarves, vintage prints, crystal and china.

Information: 536-5399.

Book bargains

Friends of the Cambria County Library’s Inclined To Read Bookstore will feature  holiday, religious, vintage and coffee table books this month at the library, 248 Main St. in downtown Johnstown.

Coffee table books are $2, hardbacks are $1 and paperbacks are 25 cents each or 5 for $1.  

Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.

Information: 536-5131.

Worthy causes

A Band Extravaganza to benefit the victims of the Coleman Avenue fire in the Moxham section of Johnstown will be held Saturday at Ace’s, 316 Chestnut  St. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

Doors will open at 8 p.m., with bands starting at 9 and ending at 1 a.m.

The bands, Hopscotch With Landmines, Paragon 1, Itch and Who’s Your Daddy, are donating their time and talents.

The event is being put together by Second Chance Fire Recovery Services, which is seeking to obtain nonprofit status.

Monetary donations can be sent to Bonnie Foust, 549 Forest Ave., Johnstown, Pa. 15902, or Adam Jeske, 321 Gray Ave., Johnstown, Pa. 15901.

All donations must be made out to Second Chance Fire Recovery Services.

Those who wish to donate also may stop at any Somerset Trust location.

The donation for the Band Extravaganza is $10 at the door.

All proceeds after minor expenses will go to the families.

There will be refreshments and a cash bar.

Firemen will be admitted free with their department’s identification.

Information: 536-4176.

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Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center, 411 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown, will be collecting canned goods at several events this month as part of Arts Coalition of the Alleghenies’ Pantry Project.

Donation opportunities are Sunday and Dec. 14 at Bottle Works, 411 Third Ave., Johnstown.

Before the goods are donated, a Bottle Works artist will create a sculpture with the donations on Dec. 14.

Drop-off donations also will be accepted at Bottle Works from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

Information: 536-5399.

Art adventure

A community event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Art Works in Johnstown, 413 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

An artisan shopping experience at the AW Gallery Shoppe will include live music, food and artist demonstrations.

Children can talk with Santa and make a holiday craft.

Artist and musician Mark Ed will entertain from 1 to 3 p.m.

Others who will be present are author Paul LaViolette, artist Alberto Puskaric, painter Alan Rauch and potter Kathy Sarsfield.

Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Information: 535-2020.

Beautiful beads

The 55-Plus Classic Corner will offer a workshop on making beaded earrings from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday at  Cambria County Library, 248 Main St. in downtown Johnstown.

There is a $3 fee for supplies, and the workshop is limited to 12 participants.  

Information: 536-5131, extension 211.

All aboard

The Christmastown Railroad will be on display through Jan. 1 in the community room of Arbutus Park Manor, 207 Ottawa Street in Richland Township.

The model train exhibit was put together by enthusiasts Ron Reinbold and Win Garland.

The railroad can be viewed from 1 to 3 p.m. today; 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday; 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday; 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 14, 15, 17 and 19; noon to 2 p.m. Dec. 22; 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 23; and 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 25, 27, 29 and Jan. 1.

The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Information: 262-2156.

Book signing

Local authors Jim and Suzanne Gindlesperger will discuss their newest book, “So You Think You Know Antietam,” and conduct a book signing at 2 p.m. Saturday at Books-A-Million in The Galleria, 500 Galleria Drive, Richland Township.

Crafts for yule

The 42nd Holly Bazaar will be held through Dec. 24 at Community Arts Center of Cambria County, 1217 Menoher Blvd., Westmont.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

The arts center will be closed Christmas Day and Dec. 29-31 and Jan. 1-2.

Admission is free.

Information: 255-6515.

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The annual Christmas Craft Shoppe will open through Dec. 19 at Laurel Arts, 214 S. Harrison Ave., Somerset.

The shop gives shoppers an opportunity to purchase unique, handmade local art, including cards, jewelry, pottery and paper cuttings.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Information: 443-2433 or email arts@laurelarts.org.

Bright lights

Holiday Lights on the Lake will be open through Jan. 6 at Lakemont Park, 700 Park Ave., Altoona.

Hours are 6 to 10 nightly.

The cost is $10 for standard passenger vehicle; $20 for commercial van; $25 for school bus; $75 for motorcoach; and $34.95 for unlimited visits passes for standard vehicles only.

Information: (800) 434-8006 or www.lakemontparkfun.com.

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Overly’s Country Christmas will be open through Jan. 1 at Westmoreland Fairgrounds, Greensburg.

Hours are 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

The cost is $10 per vehicle Mondays through Thursdays and $12 per vehicle Fridays through Sundays; $15 per limousine, extended passenger van or minibus.

Information: (724) 423-1400 or www.overlys.com.

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An outdoor Winter Light Garden exhibit will be on display from 5 to 10 nightly through Jan. 6 at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Pittsburgh.

Phipps will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 24 and reopen at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 26.

Entry to the light garden is included in the price of conservatory admission, which is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and students and $9 for children ages 2-18.

Information: phipps.conservatory.org.

Art for sale

The Bedford County Arts Council will host a show and sale by Kevin Kutz through Dec. 30 at Bedford County Center for the Arts at the Anderson House, 137 E. Pitt St., Bedford.

The exhibit includes landscapes and portraits.

Admission is free.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.

Information: 623-1538 or email gallery@artsinbedfordpa.org.



Painted pieces

“Faces and Places” by Butler County artist William Perry will be on display through Dec. 31 at Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center, 411 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

The Johnstown native’s watercolors show the diversity and emotion of faces as well as scenes painted in Italy.

Information: 536-5399.

Regional creations

Southwestern Pennsylvania Council for the Arts’ 17th annual regional juried exhibition will be on display through Feb. 10 at Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley, One Boucher Lane and Route 711 South, Ligonier.

The exhibition will include 73 works from 73 individual artists from the 19 southwestern counties of Pennsylvania, featuring oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, wood, clay and photographs.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 1 to 5 p.m. weekends.

Information: (724) 238-6015 or www.sama-art.org.

Allied’s exhibition

The 80th annual Allied Artists Juried Exhibition will be on display through Jan. 5 at Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Johnstown, Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center on the campus of Pitt-Johnstown, Richland Township.

Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Information: 269-7234 or www.johnstownart.com.

Museum’s offering

“Biennial 2012” will be on display through Jan. 26 at Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Loretto, on the campus of St. Francis University.

The exhibition will feature 131 works from nearly 100 Pennsylvania artists.

Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

Information: 472-3920 or www.sama-art.org.

Variety of media

The annual juried exhibition “Artists in Our Midst” will be on display through Jan. 19 in the Shirley and Fred A. Pechter Gallery at Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Altoona, 1210 Eleventh Ave.

The exhibition will have 77 works created by 27 local and regional artists who are members of Art in Common.

The variety of media will include photography, watercolor, wood, acrylic, oil, clay, fiber arts and mixed media.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

Information: 946-4464 or www.sama-art.org.

Lifelong achievement

“Colleen Browning: Drawings” will be on display through Jan. 12 at Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Altoona, 1210 11th Ave.

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