December 2017 events

Bell County Museum
Dance Theatre of Harlem: Forty Years of Firsts
Through Feb. 3
Tuesday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission is free.
The Dance Theatre of Harlem has been creating beautiful work for over 40 years. This special exhibit features over 20 costumes and accessories, set pieces, photographs, tour posters, and four staged ballets iconic to the company: “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Creole Giselle,” “Dougla” and “Firebird.” Dispelling the belief that ballet could not be performed by those of African descent, Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem in 1969. It has since grown into a multicultural dance institution.
201 N. Main St., Belton
Call 254-933-5243 for more information.

Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum
Requiem for Steam: The Railroad Photographs of David Plowden
Through Dec. 9
“Requiem for Steam: The Railroad Photographs of David Plowden,” on loan from the Center for Railroad Photography and Art in Madison, Wisconsin, features 30 meticulously crafted black and white photographs all taken by Plowden who is widely acknowledged as one of America’s great landscape and industrial photographers. “Requiem for Steam” is his tribute to the end of the steam era on railroads.
315 W. Avenue B, Temple
Call 254-298-5172 or visit www.rrhm.org for more information.

First Fridays
Stay Out Late Downtown
5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
First Friday of every month historic downtown Temple is transformed into a giant party.
Join us for street music and performances, great drinks, amazing food and after hours shopping. First Friday offers something special for everyone. Come explore downtown Temple.
Main Street
Call 254-298-5378 for more information.

Belton Senior Center
Country Western Dance
Dec. 7, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Old Friends Band
Dec. 21, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., (Christmas Dance) Good Ol’ Boys Band
Participants are encouraged to bring a snack dish to share.
Potluck Supper
Dec. 18, 5:30 p.m. Quinton Locklin performs.
842 Mitchell St., Belton
For more information, call 254-939-1170.

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

BELTON
Christmas on the Chisholm Trail
Dec. 2, noon to 7 p.m.
Parade starts at 6 p.m.
A Christmas celebration filled with family fun, festive music, food, vendors, Santa Claus and a Christmas parade in downtown Belton. Kids can enjoy carnival games, visit with first responders and hop onto a fire truck, and meet with Santa Claus at the Courthouse. Parade rain date is Dec. 9.
Call 254-9333-5860 or visit www.beltontexas.gov for more information.

COPPERAS COVE
Tree Lighting Ceremony
Dec. 1, 5 to 9 p.m.
Get in the spirit of the Christmas season at the Copperas Cove tree lighting ceremony. Take your picture with Santa, enter the Snow Globe Competition and enjoy music as you take in the ambiance.
City Park Complex
1206 W. Avenue B, Copperas Cove

2017 Copperas Cove Christmas Parade “Christmas at Whoville” and Krist Kindl Markt
Dec. 1, 4 to 10 p.m.
Dec. 2, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Dec. 2, 3 p.m., parade
Dec. 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce puts the market on every year in the area of Avenue E and Main Street, with room for more than 100 arts and crafts and food vendors. Krist Kindl Markt is a festival that generates the Christmas spirit for the greater community. Enjoy Christmas decorations, Christmas lights, performances from school groups, a Christmas parade and other holiday festivities.
Call the chamber at 254-547-7571 for more information.

FORT HOOD
Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area
21st Annual Nature in Lights
Through Jan. 7, 5:30 to 11 p.m.
Open Thursday through Sunday through Dec. 10, then nightly Dec. 14-24.
With Nature in Lights, the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation turns BLORA into a winter wonderland for kids and kids at heart. This event is open to the public and visitors can drive through the 800 plus-acre park nightly and enjoy five and one half miles of illuminated displays, many computer animated, and ranging in size from a single strand to scenes spanning 40 feet by 300-feet wide, as well as architectural and foliage lighting.
Guests can shop for gifts, take photographs with Santa, concessions will be available at Santa’s Village, located in the park’s enclosed and heated Live Oak pavilion. Visitors can also stop at Santa’s Depot, located at BLORA’s Marina parking lot, and hop aboard the train for a ride through an exclusive trail of lights, enjoy concessions under the stars, ride a pony, shop for glow-in-the-dark toys, or just stretch their legs on a playground before the ride home.
Tickets for the trail of lights may be purchased the night of visit at the park’s main gates. Train and pony ride tickets can be bought at Santa’s Depot.
Rates follow:
$15/car, mini-van and pick-up
$30/15-passenger van, limo or RV
$50 /24-passenger van
$75/47-plus passenger bus
Train: $5 adults; $3 children 11 and under (lap children ride free)
Pony: $5
Come early and receive a commemorative ornament on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, while supplies last!
For more information, directions and weather related status call the Park Reservation Office at 254-287-2523; for directions visit www.hoodmwr.com.directions/htm.

HARKER HEIGHTS
14th Annual Frost Fest and
7th Annual Holiday Farmers Market
Dec. 8, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Kick off the Christmas holiday season with free hot chocolate and cookies, a visit from Santa, snow, Holiday Farmers Market and more. At this year’s Frost Fest visitors can shop for those unique holiday gifts at the Holiday Farmers Market, play in the snow, and listen to Christmas music. Crafters can get involved by entering the Wreath Decorating Contest. The public will view and vote for their favorite entry at Frost Fest. The Harker Heights Fire Department will have a drop off area for new, unwrapped toys for the Santa Pal program.
Market Heights Shopping Center
201 E. Central Texas Expressway
Call 254-953-5465 or email nbroemer@ci.harker-heights.tx.us for more information.

KILLEEN
Holiday Under the Stars and Tree Lighting
Dec. 1, 6 p.m.; tree lighting 7 p.m.
8 p.m., Movie
Dec. 2, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Free
Santa Claus is headed south from the North Pole to Killeen. The community is invited to join him as he lights the holiday tree at Holiday Under the Stars. After the tree lighting kids can take pictures with Santa. Other activities include live entertainment, cupcake decorating, arts and crafts. At 8 p.m., watch a family-friendly holiday movie on the big screen under the stars, so bring blankets to cuddle up for the festive film.

Breakfast with Santa
Dec. 2, 8 to 10 a.m.
Kids and kids at heart can enjoy a full pancake breakfast for $5 then share wish lists and take photos with Santa at the annual Breakfast in Toyland.
Killeen Community Center
2201 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd.
Call 501-8880 for more information.

First United Methodist Church
Walk through Bethlehem
Dec. 2, 6 to 8 p.m.
The Living Nativity
Dec, 3, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 9, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Dec, 10, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Take a Walk through Bethlehem on the night before Christ was born. There will be 11 stations to visit including a Jewish home, Synagogue, Potter’s Shop, Market, and an empty manger. On Dec. 3, 9, and 10, witness the birth of Jesus Christ at the Living Nativity.
3501 East Elms Road, Killeen
Call 254-634-6363 for more information.

Letters to Santa
Now through Dec. 15
Santa’s Helpers are collecting letters from boys and girls in Killeen. Just drop your child’s letter in the box at the Community Center or Family Recreation Center. Killeen’s elves will make sure it gets to the North Pole.
Letters should be addressed to: Santa Claus c/o The North Pole. Don’t forget to include your return address so Santa can write back!

Killeen Community Center
2201 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd.
Call 501-8880 for more information.

Family Recreation Center
1700 E. Stan Schlueter
Call 501-6390 for more information.

Jingle Bell Dash
Dec. 2, 8 a.m.
Go to KilleenTexas.gov/Centex to register or for more information on this and upcoming Cen-Tex Series races. The series offers more than a dozen races throughout the year. Resolve to compete in 2018.
Killeen Community Center
2201 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd.
Call 501-8880 for more information.

55th Annual Killeen Christmas Parade
The Magic of Christmas
Dec. 10, 4:30 p.m.
Historic Downtown Killeen comes to life with floats, costumes and talents. The parade route begins at Avenue D and College Street then turns on Gray Street, Sprott Avenue, Second Street and ends on Avenue B. A route map is available online. Spectators should come early to secure the best spots for parking and viewing this Killeen tradition.
Call Volunteer Services at 254-501-7878 for more information.

10th Annual Feast of Sharing
Dec. 12, 4 to 8 p.m.
The City of Killeen and H-E-B invite the community to a Feast of Sharing.
This event is free and open to everyone. Enjoy a delicious holiday meal, live entertainment, and fun activities.
Killeen Convention and Conference Center
3601 S. W.S. Young Drive, Killeen
Volunteers and participants are welcome. Call Volunteer Services at 254-501-7878 for more information.

LAMPASAS
Christmas on the Creek
Through Jan. 2
Join us for our fifth Christmas on the Creek at W.M. Brook Park. Stroll or drive to enjoy the thousands of lights draped from trees, the pedestrian suspension bridge and the historical hostess house. Our displays have been newly designed for the 12 Days of Christmas. Visit Santa’s village where kids can move their names from the naughty to nice list, see Santa’s workshop and home.
On Dec. 9, there will be music, hot chocolate and food and beverage for purchase from food trucks.
W.M. Brook Park
310 U.S. Highway 281, Lampasas
Visit www.facebook.com/LampasasChristmas/ for updated information.

Carol of Lights, Lampasas
Lighted Christmas Parade
Dec. 2, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Parade 6:30 p.m.
Admission $1 to enter Courthouse
Some fees for grown-up activities
Everything is free for children.
Carol of Lights is an all-day Christmas event that kicks off in the Lampasas County Courthouse filled with boutique vendors. Santa Claus will be on hand to visit with children, and Mrs. Claus will read stories and has gifts for the youngsters.
The Lighted Christmas Parade will have a lot of floats. Watch for Santa, Mrs. Claus and an elf in the grand finale of the parade.
Courthouse admission benefits the Town and Country Study Club Scholarship Fund.
Courthouse Square
409 S Pecan St., Lampasas
Visit www.visionlampasas.com, or visit them on Facebook for more information.

SALADO
25th annual performance of A Christmas Carol at Table Rock
Dec. 1, 2 and Dec. 8, 9
Concessions open at 6:30 p.m.
Show begins 7 p.m.
$10 adults, $5 Students, $3 children 12 and younger
Adapted for the stage by Harry Sweet, Dickens’ Yuletide play will put you in the right holiday spirit.
Tickets sold at the gate before each show. Tickets also available in advance at www.tablerock.org. For group tickets (20 or more), call 254-947-9205.

Salado Tour of Homes
Dec. 1, 5 to 8 p.m.
Dec. 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dec. 3, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: $20
On the tour this year is St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, Salado Methodist Church, The Salado Masonic Lodge, Lively home, Seiler Home, Starcher Home & Baines House Museum. Tickets can be purchased at the Salado Visitor Center at 423 S. Main and at each tour location during tour hours.
Go to www.saladohistoricalsociety.com for more information.

TEMPLE
Temple Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
Annual Santa Fest Holiday Market
Dec. 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free admission
Get in the spirit of the season and enjoy arts & crafts vendors, food trucks, and great deals from local merchants. Admission to the market is free; however, merchandise and food are purchased on your own.
Frank W. Mayborn Civic & Convention Center
3303 N. Third St., Temple
Call Sennett Farias at 254-298-5900, or email sfarias@templetx.gov for more information.

71st Annual Temple Christmas Parade
“Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree”
Dec. 4
6:15 p.m. Tree Lighting
6:30 p.m. Christmas Parade
Beginning at the intersection of East Adams Avenue and Eighth Street, the parade proceeds west along Adams Avenue, in front of the Municipal Building, up to North 23rd Street before turning north and disbanding at Temple High School. Bands, floats, decorated automobiles and walking groups are all part of the fun. Special awards will be given to entries that best depict the Christmas Spirit and theme.
Call 254-298-5440 for information.

Get Fit Temple presents the 17th Annual Schlotzsky’s Jingle Bun Run
Dec. 9
9 a.m. 5K
10:30 a.m. 1K Family Fun Run
West Temple Park
121 Montpark Road, Temple
Call 254-298-5582 for information.

Bend of the River Christmas
Dec. 16, 3 to 8 p.m.
$6 advance, $8 at door
Children 2 and under are free
Enjoy arts and crafts, a snow slide, caroling, riding a mechanical reindeer, and wagon rides. All activities are included in the ticket price. All sales are final. No refunds.
Call 254-298-5774 or visit www.templeparks.com to purchase tickets or for more information.

Texas Country Gentlemen Chorus
Christmas Concert
Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m.
$15 adults, $10 students and seniors 65+
A singing Santa Claus may appear at this year’s Christmas concert presented by the Texas Country Gentlemen Chorus. Special guest is “Vocal Point,” an auditioned group of 18 music students from Temple College and Texas A&M Central Texas directed by Dr. Sara Harris Baker. From the Chorus, the award winning quartet “hmmm” will also appear. Proceeds help to support the Music Program at Temple College and the Central Texas Charity, Wreaths for Vets.
Tickets may be purchased online at cacarts.org, from a Chorus member, or at the Cultural Activities Center.
3011 N. Third St., Temple
Call 254-773-9926 for information.

Email upcoming events to editor@texappealmag.com.