Kindergarten Faire Thursday Night

The Associated Students Children's Center Child Development Laboratory at California State University, Chico are sponsoring a free Kindergarten faire, open to the public. Representatives from area kindergartens, including alternative, traditional, and private programs, will be present to offer information and answer questions about their educational programs.

Location is on the CSU Chico Campus, in the Bell Memorial Union.
Time: 5:30pm
Contact Person: Stephanie Williams 898-5865

Upcoming Youth Workshops from GreenDot Designer's Lounge

This is from our partner, GreenDot Designer's Lounge:

"There is still time to register for our holiday sessions. We have Holiday Stitchin' Mini-Camp, a Recycled Scarf-making workshop, our popular "Sew Cute" Chirstmas tree ornament class, and MORE!

Pre-registration is highly reccommended so get in on these creative and fun activities now!
Call now to get additional details on all our youth offerings."

For more information, please call 345-1664.

Cinderella to be performed this December!

"Join Chico Community Ballet as they bring the classic fairy tale Cinderella to life on stage at Laxson Auditorium. This performance will feature everything we have come to expect from a Chico Community Ballet production; comical stepsisters, magical fairies, and dancing mice, all brought to life by the talented ballet students who live in our area. This showcase of beautiful music, colorful sets, entrancing costumes, and delightful dancing is perfect for a family holiday outing. This fantastic production will feature 27 children from grades 2 though 12, all of whom attend schools around the Chico area, as well as two Chico State students dancing lead roles.

Also performing in this production will be four members from the Memphis, Tennessee, New Ballet Ensemble & School. This company has been invited to join Chico Community Ballet for this production and to share its philosophy as well as doing some community outreach programs. For those who would like to meet these talented dancers in their costumes, there will be an autograph party on Saturday, Dec. 15 immediately following the 2 p.m. performance. This is your chance to get your family's picture taken with the characters from Cinderella! Don't miss the magical world of fairies, prince charming, dancing mice, enchanted pumpkins, glass slippers and more! Celebrate the holidays with a performance of Cinderella!

WHO: Friends of the Chico Community Ballet and Chico Performances present
WHAT: The classic fairytale ballet, Cinderella
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 14 through Sunday, Dec. 16
TIME: Friday, Dec. 14 & Saturday, Dec.15 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 15 & Sunday, Dec. 16 at 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: in Laxson Auditorium at California State University, Chico

COST/TICKETS: Premium $23, Adult $18, Senior $16, Student/Child $14
For more information on purchasing tickets go to www.chicoperformances.com or call 898-6333."

Submitted by Chico Performances.

Downtown Chico Hosts Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

Becky Watner of the Downtown Chico Business Association sent me this today:

"The spectacular City Plaza will glow with the joy of Christmas at the annual Community Tree Lighting scheduled for Friday, December 7th beginning at 6pm. The event takes place rain or shine.

A display of holiday cheer is planned for the Tree Lighting – making it one of Chico's favorite traditions year after year. The Yule Logs will provide entertainment before the ceremony begins – their original style is always a crowd pleaser. Once the ceremony is underway a musical program featuring the Sound of the Foothills and the Children's Choir of Chico will delight onlookers.

City of Chico Mayor Andy Holcombe will address the crowd and just in time to light the tree Santa Claus will arrive aboard Chico Fire Department's antique engine. Following the ceremony Santa will visit youngsters, making his list of all the good boys and girls.

The Community Tree Lighting is produced by the Downtown Chico Business Association and funded in part by the City of Chico. Generous sponsors include: KNVN-TV24, KHSL-TV12, 95.7 KALF, 93.9 KFM, Club 96.7, and 107 The Point.

This holiday season remember to Shop Outside the Box! Shop Downtown Chico! With more than 200 unique retail stores and restaurants, Downtown Chico has what you need this holiday season…and more!

For more info, please contact Becky Watner, at 345-6500."

Let Your Children Do The Shopping!

Thank you, Megan, of the Chico Mother's Club, for sending this reminder my way:

"Every year Chico Nursery School has shopping days for children. Bring your kids and let them shop for holiday gifts for the whole family. They get to choose from a wide variety of handmade items. Personal shoppers will assist your child in selecting gifts. Each gift costs $2.00 and is individually wrapped. While the kids shop you can participate in the silent auction and bake sale.

Shopping days are this Friday and Saturday. Friday, November 30 from 2pm-7pm and Saturday, December 1 from 9am-2pm. Chico Nursery School is located at 1190 E. 1st Avenue.

For those that don't know about Chico Nursery School, it is a parent participation preschool. There are two programs, a Tuesday-Thursday program for 3 and 4-year-olds, and a Monday-Wednesday- Friday program for 4 and 5-year-olds. Each day, they offer a variety of different fun activities: creative art,
music, storytelling, dramatic play, cognitive games and outdoor play. Each activity is presented and supervised by an adult. Children are free to choose their own activities. There are currently openings in the two classes so come by and check it out at the shopping days or call the director Jessi Wood at 891-1723.

Hope to see many of you and your little ones at shopping days.
-Megan"

Get your tickets to "Glorious Sounds of the Season"

I was just sent this from the Chico State School of the Arts Publicity Office:

"CSU, Chico's Department of Music and the School of the Arts get the holiday season off to a resounding start with the annual Glorious Sounds of the Season concert. Proceeds from the series of concerts go towards music scholarships for CSU, Chico students. Presented December 7 and 8 at 7:30 p.m. and December 9 at 2 p.m. in Harlen Adams Theatre, Glorious Sounds of the Season has become a Chico-area holiday tradition. Sold-out performances have become the norm the past several years.

"We strongly suggest that anyone wanting to attend one of the concerts should buy their tickets in advance," said concert coordinator David Scholz. "It is likely that tickets may not be available at the door, and we would hate to have to turn anyone away."

The Glorious Sounds of the Season concerts employ many areas of the Music Department and includes student, faculty, and community performers. "This is a unique concert in that the audience will hear such a wide variety of musical performances all in one night," said Scholz. "In addition to pieces presented by individual ensembles as well as soloists, there will be sections of the concerts where concert-goers will hear all of the performers at once. And of course there will be opportunities for the audience to perform themselves on several classic holiday tunes where the audience members are encouraged to sing along."

Works being performed span the entire holiday season music spectrum. "There will be a wide variety of styles and types of music performed," said Scholz. "There should be something for everyone attending the concert to enjoy, whether it be traditional or contemporary, vocal or instrumental, classical, popular, or multi-cultural."

As in the past, Glorious Sounds of the Season! will "move seamlessly from ensemble to ensemble, piece to piece," according to Scholz. The numerous ensembles will set up on different parts of the stage and performance hall and music will sporadically bounce around the Harlen Adams Theatre, literally surrounding the audience in a real-life surround sound.

"This is a different type of concert experience than people are used to," said Scholz. "We are asking the audience to hold their applause until the very end of the concert so that the music takes center stage for the duration of the event."

Tickets, at $20 for all seats, are available in advance in Chico at the University Box Office (898-6333) and Terrace Pharmacy, and in Paradise at the House of Color; add $2 for tickets purchased at the door. For disability-related accommodations, please call 898-4325."

"Amahl And the Night Visitors" comes to Chico

This was sent to me by Susan Tevis, Conductor of the Children's Choir of Chico:

"Rejoice in the simple story of the crippled boy Amahl and his devoted mother who live in poverty among the shepherds. Then one starlight night, some strangers appear at their door: Three Kings who are following their star. Feel your heart and spirit soar with every note of Gian Carlo Menotti's modern classic opera!

Buy your tickets now for the performances on Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m., at Faith Lutheran Church. Tickets are $10 each.

The evening performances will also include scenes from other Menotti Operas, including The Old Maid and the Thief, The Medium, and the Consul, as performed by students of l Gwen Curatilo. Comments about Menotti by Dr. Steven Schwartz (Opera Attic), and dancing by members of the Chico Community Ballet Company will create a magical evening for all!

A Children's Matinee performance of just Amahl and the Night Visitors is on Saturday, December 1, 2:00 p.m., at Faith Lutheran Church. Tickets for this performance are $5, and adults must be accompanied by children!

Tickets for all performances can be purchased at The Music Connection, Zucchini and Vine, or the Children's Choir of Chico Office at 295 E. Washington Avenue. Please call 342-2775 for more information."

Scholastic Book Fair and Story Corner

This just in from Valley Oaks Children's Services:

"A Scholastic Book Fair will be held at Montessori Elementary School of Chico, 3105 Esplanade (south of Eaton Rd.) on November 10, 2007. Books for all ages. Story corner and photos with a book character. Craft project. Everyone is welcome. Co-sponsored by Valley Oak Children's Services."

See our calendar for more info: www.growingupchico.com/events.html.

Upcoming Holiday Fairs

Jenni Merrell sent this to me about a whole pack of holiday fairs coming up in the Chico area. Thanks, Jenni!

"HOLIDAY FAIRES! Like I said, it’s that time of year and I’ll be at a variety of holiday fairs where you can see the products for yourself. I hope you can join me!

Saturday & Sunday, November 3rd & 4th from 10 am – 4 pm
211 Foothill Road – Paradise
Salmon Smokers, handmade children’s clothes, Tupperware, BeautiControl, greeting cards, natural wax candles, jewelry and more! Directions: take Princeton off of Skyway (south of Neal Rd.). Turn Right on Pacific Drive. Pacific turns to left and becomes Foothill.

Saturday, November 10th from 10 am – 4 pm
Chico Women’s Club
Too many vendors to list! Handmade items as well as home party consultants. There is a raffle with tons of local merchant donations benefiting Wings of Eagles. Truly one-stop shopping!

Thursday, November 14th from 7 – 8:30 pm
Market Café, Chico
Support members of the Chico Mothers’ Club showcasing their home business - Tupperware, handmade children’s clothes, designer cakes and more!

Friday, November 30th from 2 – 6 pm
King’s Christian School
This fundraiser for King’s Christian School will have a huge variety of vendors to choose from.

Jenni Merrell, Discovery Toys Sterling Consultant 530-321-2498"

Candy Exchange Nov. 1st and 2nd

Thank you, Lucia Navarro-Imsdahl, for sending in this great alternative to the mounds of Halloween candy in our kid's buckets:

"Dr. Lisa Willett will be holding a "CANDY EXCHANGE" on Thursday and Friday November 1st and 2nd from 2:30 until 5:00pm. Take your Halloween
candy to her office and receive prizes in "exchange" for your candy. Some of the prizes include free skating passes, free movie tickets and free games of bowling. The child who brings in the most candy will win a special prize.

All candy "exchanged" will be delivered to the Red Cross to be distributed to our troops domestically and abroad.

Dr. Willett's office is located at 2485 Notre Dame Blvd Suite 350, in the Skypark Plaza shopping center off the Skyway. Her office is right
next door to Raley's. If you have any questions please call her office at 343-5455.

Special thank you to Cal- Skate, AMF bowling, Papa Murphy's, Tinseltown, Pita Pit, and Hula's for their generous donations."