12.9

Ozomatli & Crown City Rockers will perform at The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave. in Santa Cruz. The show is for ages 21 and over. Tickets are $21 in advance and $24 at the door. Doors open at 7:30pm and the show starts at 8:30pm. Info: (831) 423-1338 www.catalystclub.com.

A Talk with Bob Freimark Enjoy wine, cheese and conversation with local artist Bob Freimark at 7pm. Info: www.BobFreimark.com.

Ceramics Sale Gavilan College will display and sell the work of students and faculty of ceramics. From 6:30pm to 9pm on Dec. 9 in the ceramics room, Art 101 at the main campus; and from 10am to noon on Dec. 12 in Art 101. Proceeds will benefit Gavilan Art Guild. Info: (408) 848-4833.

friday

12.10

Holiday Lights Experience 12 nights of holiday cheer at Bonfante Gardens Holiday Lights. The theme park will offer thousands of twinkling lights, a decadent feast complete with toy soldier serenades, Santa's Workshop, community entertainment, themed rides and more. Through Dec. 19 from 4pm to 9pm. Info: www.bonfantegardens.com.

Festival of Trees Come experience the Second Annual Festival of Trees at Del Monte Center, benefiting First Night Monterey. From Dec. 10-12, the Festival of Trees will be decked with 30 decorated trees and will hold a holiday bazaar filled with wreaths, holiday sprays, ornaments, refreshments and weekend-long entertainment by local musical and performing arts groups. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Hours of entrance are 10am to 6pm. Info: (831) 373-4778 or go to www.FirstNightMonterey.org.

Holiday Lights Train Ride a holiday train through Victorian Santa Cruz on Dec. 10-12 and 17-19 as you sip hot spiced cider, listen to carolers and travel to a meeting with Santa Claus. Reservations required. Info: www.telesails.com/html/holiday_lights.html or call 1-888-25-EVENT.

Sugar Plum Fairy In this deliciously warped Christmas story, actor/author/commentator Sandra Tsing Loh (of NPR's "The Loh Life"and the San Jose Rep hit Aliens in America) takes a trip down memory lane to recall a 1970s San Fernando Valley childhood rife with dashed dreams, sibling rivalry and adolescent fantasies of stardom. Info: Runs through Jan. 2. 8pm Price range: $11-$52. Info www.sjrep.com.

La Virgen del Tepeyac El Teatro Campesino presents La Virgen Del Tepeyac through Dec. 19, Thursdays through Sundays at 8pm and Sundays at 4pm. The play dramatizes the four apparitions of Our Lady Of Guadalupe with vibrant music and Aztec dance. Tickets are $30 for preferred seating, $20 for adults, $16 for students and seniors and $12 for kids. Info: (831) 623-2512.

saturday

12.11

Candlelight Sing-along The San Juan Bautista Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the 18th annual candlelight sing-along beginning at 6:30pm at the front door of Mission San Juan Bautista. The group will proceed through the city singing Christmas carols. Candles and songbooks will be provided. The Merchant's Association will cook a full take-out chicken dinner for $12.50 per person. Call to indicate how many dinners will be needed. Info: (831) 623-2454.

Christmas Open House Stop by B&R Farms to sample tasty treats at the farm's open house Dec. 11 and Dec. 18 from 10am to 2pm. 5280 Fairview Road in Hollister. Info: ( 831) 637-9168.

Lecture, Egyptian Temples Ancient Egyptian temples are visually familiar, but what did they actually do in them? Learn about ancient temple rituals, spells, and festivals in this lecture. The event will be from 3-4:30pm at the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose. Lectures are $10 each for Friends of the Museum and $10 for their first guest; $20 per lecture and $5 for students with I.D. Info: (408) 947.3665

Steve Kimock will perform at The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave. in Santa Cruz. The show is for ages 21 and over. Tickets are $21 in advance and $24 at the door. Doors open at 8:30pm and the show starts at 9:30pm. Info: (831) 423-1338 www.catalystclub.com.

Snow Cat Dmitri Matheny WinterFest "The Snow Cat" will be held at 1pm at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz. Adults are $10/$12. Children under 10 are $5/$7. Info:www.kuumbwajazz.org.

A Christmas Carol Gavilan College Theater presents "A Christmas Carol" starring visiting artist Jim Cave as Scrooge. Julianne Crofts Palma directs the play as a spooky Christmas ghost story about the triumph of the Christmas spirit of generosity over greed. Family shows will be Dec. 11 at 7:30pm. Call (408) 846-4973 for more information or visit www.gavilan.edu/theatre.

Crabapples Contra Dance The Crabapples will play at a contra dance at Aromas Community Grange, corner of Rose & Bardue streets in Aromas. Gary Shapiro will teach and call the dance. The evening begins at 7:30pm and ends at 10:30pm. An optional beginner's orientation is available at 7:15pm. $8 at the door. Info: (831) 726-7253.

Leiqin Holiday Concert Appearing with the Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra will be Master Fu Dingyan, who plays the rare leiqin, a traditional Chinese string instrument. From 3 to 5:30pm at the California Theatre in San Jose. Tickets are $15 to $20. Info: (408) 253-5998 or www.fyco.org

Nez Perce Oral History Pat Decker Nipper will talk about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and related Indian legend, the subject of her new book "Love on the Lewis and Clark Trail." From 2 to 3pm at the Gilroy Library, 7387 Rosanna Street in Gilroy. Free to adults and teens, age 15 and up. Info: (408) 842-8208, ext. 3413 or www.santaclaracountylib.org/gilroy/

GIavoices.html

Concert for Kids The Neville Brothers an Shawn Colvin will perform at KFOG's 19th annual Concert for Kids at the Flint Center for Performing Arts in Cupertino. The show begins at 7pm. The concert is a benefit for the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation and Toys for Tots. Concert attendees are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped book or toy for the Marines' Toys for Tots Program. Ticket prices start at $25, and are available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling San Jose (408) 998-TIXS.

Holiday Gift Faire The Spirit of the Holidays Gift Faire takes place at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. Holiday entertainment includes children's shows and local bands. Info: spiritoftheholidays.com or call (707) 861-2035.

sunday

12.12

Pancakes with Santa San Juan School kindergarten teachers and families will play host to the second annual fund raiser from 8am to 11:30am at the San Juan School Cafeteria in San Juan Bautista. Enjoy an-eat breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, orange juice, milk and coffee. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids 10 years and under. Pictures with Santa will be available for $3 each. Info: (831) 623- 4385.

Gavilan Holiday Concert Gavilan College Concert Choir will perform with the South Valley Strings at 7pm at Advent Lutheran Church, 16870 Murphy Avenue in Morgan Hill. The event is free.

mon. tues. wed. thurs.

12.14 Youth Orchestra Concert The South Valley Youth Orchestra will perform free holiday concert at the Gilroy High School theater at 6:30pm. The orchestra features youth from Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Hollister and San Jose. Info: (408) 778-6905.

12.15 The Night Before Christmas The Watsonville Band with conductor Silvester McElroy will perform at 7pm at Rancho San Justo Middle School gym, 1201 Rancho Drive in Hollister. Free.

Wood Alchemist Artist don Jensen will have an artist's reception at Caffee Kaffee Vin on the corner of 2nd and Monterey in Morgan Hill, where his wood art is on display. From 5:30pm to 7:30pm. (408) 778-2995.

12.16 Tree Lighting The Hollister Tree Lighting will take place at 5:30 pm at San Benito Bank, 300 Tres Pinos Road. To dedicate a light, call (831) 333-9023.

Strung Out will perform with Only Crime at The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave. in Santa Cruz. The show is for those ages 16 and over, and tickets are $21 in advance and $24 at the door. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm. Info: (831) 423-1338 or www.catalystclub.com.

Keith Urban Keith Urban will be at HP Pavilion in San Jose at 8pm. Tickets art $35. Info: E-mail events@

hppavilion.com or call (408) 287-9200.

Better Breathing The American Lung Association's Better Breathers Club will meet at St. Louise Hospital, 9400 No Name Uno in Gilroy, from 11:30am to 12:30pm. Info: (408) 998-5864 or www.lungsrus.org.

To get an event into Hot

Ticket, send information to hotticket@svnewspapers.com.

POST A COMMENT

If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate. Here are the full legal terms you agree to by using this comment form.