This is not the weekend to complain there’s nothing to do in Emporia.
The calendar for Saturday and Sunday in the Emporia area is packed with activities — bazaars, breakfasts, an evening of opera, a historic homes tour, an art show, a play, free train rides, and more for adults and children.
Santa Claus
Santa Claus will leave the tail end of the toymaking to his elves, as he travels from the North Pole to make several stops in Emporia.
School-aged children and their parents may have breakfast on Saturday with Santa and Mrs. Claus, docents and animals from the David Traylor Zoo of Emporia and the Emporia Main Street Elves.
In-between Santa’s two story-telling times and face-painting, children will be able to tell him about their Christmas wish lists.
Emporia Arts Council will have crafts and art activities, Dolly Madison will furnish juice and doughnuts will be available.
The event will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Emporia Public Library, 110 E. Sixth Ave. There is no charge.
Santa’s last stop will be at the Holiday Lighted Parade scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. in Americus. People who want to enter floats, bands, or other parade entries may call 340-6314 for information.
Entries will be accepted up to the time of the parade.
Food and more
Adults and children have a variety of places to choose from for breakfast, brunch and dinner.
One of the longest-running church brunches and bazaars in the area will be held from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the First Congregational Church. It is organized each year by the Congregational Women’s Fellowship.
For $4, participants may choose from breakfast casseroles, waffles, muffins, coffee cakes, apple fritters, juice, coffee, milk, and more.
Bazaar booths will include baked goods, books, candies, crafts, gifts, jewelry, knickknacks and a “Country Cupboard.”
Pancakes, biscuits, gravy, sausage, juice, coffee and cash are offered at the Reading Lions Club pancake supper from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday in the basement of the United Methodist Church in Reading.
The cost of the meal is by donation, with drawings held for $100, $50 and $20 prizes. Tickets for the drawing will be sold at a suggested donation of $1 each or six for $5. Winners need not be present for the drawing. Proceeds from the meal will be used to provide Christmas treats for children in the community.
Men and women of Sacred Heart Catholic Church will have their annual sale and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday in Parish Hall.
Homemade gifts and religious articles will be sold at the church’s annual Altar Society Arts and Crafts Sale, and the Knights of Columbus will serve a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church will have their second annual Holiday Bazaar from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Garden Room and the parlor of the church, 1508 W. 12th Ave.
The men’s group will serve a sausage gravy and biscuit breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m.
Taste of history
Five historic homes are on the annual Lyon County Historical Society’s Homes Tour this year.
Each will be open from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. The cost is $8 per person in advance, or $10 per person at the door. Tickets may be purchased at Lyon County Historical Museum and Archives, 118 E. Sixth Ave.; Plum Bazaar, 615 Commercial St., or Town Crier, 716 Commercial St.
Homes on the tour this year are: the Fred L. Fleeker House, 1415 Washington St.; Stephen Rich/Reese Hughes house, 902 Market St.; Albert H. Gufler mansion, 612 W. 12th Ave.; the Howe House and Welsh Farmstead, 315 E. Logan Ave.; and H.W. Brinkman, Harrison Parkman, C. Edward Gray house, 917 State St.
Fine arts
Kansas Concert Opera’s performance of “A KCO Christmas” promises to lift holiday spirits with a performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Granada Theatre.
The program, written by Antonia Felix of Emporia, will mimic a live radio show and will feature Christmas vocal music, instrumental solos, and narratives, including a remembrance of Pearl Harbor.
The Flint Hills Brass Quintet of Emporia will be among the performers, as will 14-year-old violin virtuoso Jonathan Dawson. Laura Lorson of Kansas Public Radio will be mistress of ceremonies. Soloists include Joseph Mahowald, soprano Andrea Garritano, mezzo-soprano Meghan Dieter, and bass-baritone Stanford Felix.
Works by local artists will be highlighted at the Fifth Annual Artist’s Open House at Plumb Place, 224 E. Sixth Ave., from 5 to 9 p.m. tonight and 2 to 9 p.m. on Saturday.
Artwork that will be shown and offered for sale will include paintings, glasswork, fiber art, drawings, ceramics, iron sculptures, photography, jewelry and stained glass.
A silent auction is planned, with all proceeds going to Plumb Place.
The event is open to the public at no cost and refreshments will be provided.
For those interested in taking in a play, Emporia State University offers a production of “Rabbit Hole,” by David Lindsay-Abaire, 2007 Pulitzer Prize winner.
Performances will be at 7 p.m. tonight and Saturday in the Karl C. Bruder Theater on campus.
The play centers on the mourning of the accidental death of a small child and the turns in the family’s lives and life of the young man who ran over the boy. A New York Times reviewer cautioned playgoers to bring life jackets because of the weeping the play provoked among the audience.
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
Have Fun, BUT don't make any loud noise because KELLEY will be watching for those of you who are to loud, He will probably call 911 on you.
December 5, 2008 at 4:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )