SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Li’l Friday is a weekly roundup of events in art, music, theater, comedy, pop-up markets and more.
All events featured were scheduled as of Thursday; however, it’s wise to check in ahead of attending any one. Inclement weather, changes in schedules and unforeseen circumstances may shift for organizers at the last minute.
Thursday, Dec. 5
Celtic Angels Christmas
Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St. • Tickets: $42 – $74
The seasonal magic will come to life at Thalian Hall on Thursday with the Celtic Knight Dancers and the Trinity Band Ensemble.
Two shows are planned for 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. as the group performs Irish favorites and world-class dancing, as well as holiday classics.
Irish Step Dance Director Sarah Costello choreographs the show, while Peter Sheridan (Celtic Thunder) oversees the musical arrangements. Sing-a-longs are mandatory.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
Tis the Season for Singing: A Medley of Christmas and Winter Songs — The Wilmington Choral Society’s Christmas Concert takes place in downtown Wilmington this weekend. The group will perform a medley of Christmas favorites including “The First Noel,” theme from the film “Elf,” and more. The finale will consist of a holiday sing-along of favorites — ”Deck the Halls,” “Jingle Bells,” “O Christmas Tree,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and more. Takes place at the Wilson Center, 703 N. Third St. Tickets: $15-$30.
Jazz at CAM — Cameron Art Museum’s Thursday jazz concert will feature Durham’s Shana Tucker, executive director for Kidznotes, an El Sistema-inspired music-for-social-change. Tucker performs jazz, roots, folk, acoustic pop, and R&B and will perform with internationally renowned vibraphonist, pianist, composer and arranger Christian Tamburr. Tamburr leads the acclaimed Christian Tamburr Quintet, performing regularly at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Newport Jazz Festival and venues internationally. Tickets are $35 for CAM members or $55 otherwise here.
City of Wilmington Tree Lighting — The lights will illuminate on Thursday, Dec. 5, at Riverfront Park, 6 p.m., for the City of Wilmington’s second tree lighting at 10 Cowan St. There will be performances by Roland-Grise Middle School chorus, a reading of “Twas The Night Before Christmas,” light refreshments, and Santa. It’s free to attend.
Friday, Dec. 6
‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’
Cape Fear Community College Wilson Center, 703 Third St. • Tickets: $15
The local community college’s theater department is putting on its holiday tradition, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
The stage adaptation is from Eric Schaeffer, based on the classics created by Charles M. Schulz and the TV special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson. Audiences will watch Charlie Brown search for the true meaning of Christmas as he and his Peanuts gang put on the annual holiday play.
The show starts at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6, at the CFCC Wilson Center and tickets are $15 for ages 12 and over; 12 and under are admitted free. A collection of nonperishable food and household items are welcome upon entry, with donations going to the Good Shepherd Center.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
Merry and Bright: A Holiday of Lights at the Grove — Historic Poplar Grove Plantation is hosting its annual holiday festivities weekends through Dec. 22. The grounds will be decorated with a Christmas lights display and a number of events and activities will also take place, including live music. This weekend it will feature Dear Maribella on Saturday and Folkstone String Duo on Sunday. Admission to the grounds includes: photo opportunities for the family, a USO letter-writing station, vintage carnival games, Santa’s mailbox, Grinch’s junk shop, campfires to roast marshmallows, Christmas movies, food trucks, and concessions. Visits with Santa in the gazebo are until 8:30 p.m. on Thursday and 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Manor House is also open, decorated in traditional Victorian holiday decor. The event runs Thursday and Sunday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here or at the gate; they’re half-priced for kids on Sunday, though Santa isn’t on site on those days.
Holiday Market at the BAC — The Brooklyn Arts Center on Fourth Street kicks off Friday and takes place throughout the full weekend. The market includes one-of-a-kind artisans and craft vendors, selling everything from jewelry to photography, illustrations and paintings to home goods and more. More than 50 vendors will be set up and there will have coffee and cocktails for sale, plus live music to enjoy while shopping. An early bird shopping night for $20 takes place Friday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and includes beverages and light bites. Otherwise it’s $5 on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.; admission tickets are good all weekend long.
The Nutcracker Youth Ballet — The story of Clara’s sweet dreams of escape to the Land of Sugar Plum Fairies with her Nutcracker Prince will come to life this weekend at Thalian Hall. Ballet for Young Audiences, along with dancers from the repertory out of New York City, will put on the ballet, which features 13 dancers, four children and a narrator. It’s choreographed by Harriett Kinter and Edwin Kinter, with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Tickets are $32 here.
Hari Kondabolu — After debuting “Vacation Baby” on YouTube last year, Hari Kondabalu is coming to Dead Crow Comedy Room this weekend for four shows. The Brooklyn comedian has appeared on many light nights shows since 2007 and in 2018 he released his special, “Warn Your Relatives,” revered among multiple Best Of lists. He has released comedy albums “Waiting for 2042” and “Mainstream American Comic,” and currently hosts the Netflix food competition, “Snack vs Chef,” with Megan Stalter. He also was part of the documentary “The Problem with Abu,” based on “The Simpsons” character, currently used in high school and college curricula. “People have called my child a Covid baby, which is inaccurate because he wasn’t conceived during Covid,” he said in “Vacation Baby.” “If you must know, he’s a Ritz-Carlton-Honolulu-vacation baby. … he was conceived as a result of 200,000 Delta Skymiles and four Mai Tais.” Tickets to his show are $20 to $30, available at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
Cape Fear Festival of Trees — From Nov. 22 through Dec. 30, the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher welcomes back Lower Cape Fear LifeCare’s Cape Fear Festival of Trees. Businesses and organizations sponsor more than 50 trees that are decorated in various themes; some honor loved ones who have passed, others embrace the spirit of the holiday. Visitors can also add a name to the Memory Dove Tree to honor and remember loved ones who have passed. The trees are set against the aquatic backdrop and the display is included with aquarium admission. Lower Cape Fear LifeCare receives no proceeds from admission sales, so donations are appreciated, with funds helping the organization provide end-of-life and supportive services to people community-wide. The aquarium is located at Fort Fisher, 900 Loggerhead Road. Festival included with aquarium admission.
Saturday, Dec. 7
Old Wilmington By Candlelight Tour
Latimer House, 126 South Third St. • Tickets: $50
The Lower Cape Fear Historical Society will be celebrating the annual Candlelight Walking Tour.
The holiday event takes place in downtown Wilmington and features historic sites and houses of worship. The tours are self-guided, though each site has a docent who will share history of the structure. All stops are adorned for the holiday season.
Tickets are $50 and the ticket booklet, to be picked up at Latimer House during regular office hours, lists all the stops..
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
Island of Lights Christmas Flotilla — The annual boat parade takes place at Carolina Beach at 6 p.m., featuring twinkling and shining vessels moving from Snow’s Cut Bridge to the Carolina Beach Boat Basin. Participants will be able to text their favorite decorated boats to determine the People’s Choice award. It’s free to attend and is visible at the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin, 401 Marina St.
Belville Annual Christmas Festival — The Town of Belville welcomes residents to join festivities at the Belville Riverwalk from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. for its annual Christmas Festival. There will be gifts for The Holiday Craft Fair and Market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Santa’s Christmas Village will be open with opportunities to meet St. Nick from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Town of Leland Tree Lighting — Santa and Mayor Brenda Bozeman will illuminate the Leland tree at 6 p.m., plus there will be photos with Ol’ Saint Nick, gift list letter-writing opportunities to share with the big man, and treats for sale from Dixieland Kettle Corn food truck across the street at Leland Brewing Company. Parking will be available at Port City Community Church, 187 Old Fayetteville Road, and First Baptist Church of Leland, 517 Village Road NE. A shuttle service will be offered to Town Hall starting at 5:30 p.m. It’s free to attend!
Carolina Beach Holiday Market — The Carolina Beach Park and Recreation Department is hosting a holiday market around Carolina Beach Lake from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 90 artisans and craft-makers will be set up, with specialty foods, garden plantings, soaps, oils and local authors. Santa Claus will make an appearance near the gazebo and Randy McQuay will perform live, plus Cory Howard from Campfireball will tell stories around the fire.
Prohibition Party — End of Days Distillery is celebrating the end of prohibition in North Carolina with a party at 6:30 p.m., winding back the clock to the Roaring Twenties. Prohibition took place from 1920 to 1933 and EOD has brewed Wilmington’s first whiskey since Prohibition with its Survivor’s Cut Whiskey. The party will include exclusive tastings of three unreleased barrels of its American Single Malt, Caribbean Rum Cask Survivor’s Cut Rye and Madeira Wine Cask Survivor’s Cut Bourbon. N. Sea Oyster will also take over the distillery’s Concept Kitchen, where various chefs take over the kitchen container to serve diners (priced separately from tickets to the party). All ticketholders will receive a bottle of EOD’s signed new Survivor’s Cut Whiskey and a special nosing glass. Flapper dresses, three-piece suits and fedoras encouraged to take on the glitz and glam of the era. Tickets are $65.
Battleship Alive! — World War II living history interpreters will be at the Battleship Saturday to showcase life on the shit, including daily duties and drills. The activities are included with Battleship admission and take place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. As the sun sets, the Battleship also comes alive with lights of the holiday season, illuminating nightly through December. Tickets to the Battleship are available here.
Breakfast with Santa — The Carolina Beach Pier is hosting plenty of opportunities for kids to cozy up to ol’ Saint Nick this holiday season. Breakfast with Santa will take place in the pier’s High Tide Lounge, 1800 Carolina Beach Ave. N. Dates include Saturdays, Dec. 7, 14, and 21, 9 a.m. to noon, and Sundays, Dec. 8 and 15, 10 a.m. to noon. Admission is $12 which includes cookies and milk for four people; breakfast is available and priced separately. Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit each table to hear holiday wishes and pose for photos.
Sunday, Dec. 8
Annual Bockfest and Holiday Parade
Cape Fear Spirits and Beer, 139 S. Front St. • Free event, but beer priced separately
Every Sunday, Cape Fear Spirits and Beer hosts Beer Church, which features specialty brews and steins. This week it falls on the same day as the Wilmington Holiday Parade.
The bar is hosting Bockfest — “a centuries-old tradition that involves briefly submerging a very hot knife into your Bock, thus flash caramelizing the beer.” Aromas are released and the malt profile is altered by the technique. Steining will start around 5 p.m. and a steinmeister will be on board, Tammy Hinshaw. The beer list includes: Waterline Doppelbock, Flying Machine Randall’s Doppelbock, and Duck-Rabbit Duck Rabbator Doppelbock.
The City of Wilmington will be having the annual holiday parade at 6 p.m. and CF Spirits and Beer has the best seat along Front Street outside under its awning.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
Toys for Tots Motorcycle Ride — Toys for Tots Motorcycle Ride has become an annual Harley Davidson event that takes place at noon; registration opens at 10 a.m. at the 6620 Market St. store. Donations of a new, unwrapped toy counts as the registration fee. The ride is police-led and afterward, folks return to Shipwreck Harley Davidson for lunch, bike games, and more. Vendors will also be set up.
Holiday Train Expo — Annually, the Cape Fear Model Railroad Society sets up a holiday display in the Dillard’s wing of Independence Mall to showcase the wonderland of the holidays. There will be 12 layouts featuring more than 30 trains, dressed for the season. The expo is open beginning Black Friday, Nov. 29, noon to 5 p.m. The event takes place Nov. 29, Dec. 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28; closed Christmas Eve and Day. Admission is $9 for adults, $7 for children ages 3-12, and free for 3 and under, at Independence Mall, 3500 Oleander Drive.
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