Best Bets: A weekend of holiday fun

Published 10:30 am Thursday, December 3, 2015

Need some Christmas present ideas this year? Looking for some great music this weekend? Hoping to celebrate the holidays in Austin? This weekend has all of that, complete with a book sale, Christmas celebrations, some great music choices and more. The cold can’t keep you down!

1. Holiday Book Fair

3:30-6 p.m. Thursday, 12-4 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Austin Public Library

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The fair will feature all new items, including: books, calendars, journals, games, cookbooks and more. Items can also be gift wrapped for free. The sale is sponsored by the Friends of the Library in partnership with Barnes & Noble.

2. Ken Lonnquist, Tom Pease and Friends

7 p.m., Friday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday Ruby Rupner Auditorium Jay C. Hormel Nature Center

Returning favorite singers and songwriters perform songs about nature, love, and environmental and political issues. The performers will return Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. for two musical theater performances in “Old Befana.” The events are free and open to the public, and people should RSVP. For more information call 507-437-7519 or email info@hormelnaturecenter.org.

3. Riverland Music Holiday Concert

7-8:30 p.m., Friday, Christ Episcopal Church

Join Riverland Community College students in a celebration of holiday vocal and instrumental music. Riverland students will perform with guest performer Dori Schou on the organ. A $5 donation is suggested.

4. Christmas in LeRoy

11 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, LeRoy Public School Commons area

Take a cookie walk, visit the craft sale and eat at the soup luncheon. For more information, go to www.visitleroy.com/commevents.html.

5. Merry TubaChristmas Concert

2:30-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Historic Paramount Theatre

Enjoy this festive annual event featuring tubas, sousaphones, euphoniums and basses playing favorite holiday classics to open the holiday season. All players of these instruments are invited to participate. Registration begins at 11 a.m., followed by rehearsal and lunch, then the free concert will take place at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call 507-437-4563.

6. Christmas Countdown

12-4 p.m., Saturday, Open area between Paramount Theatre and Tendermaid

This event features a Christmas Caroling Karaoke contest, Christmas train ride for kids, Hometown Holiday Tree show, canned food collection for the food shelves, vendors and crafts, door prizes, give-aways and more. The event encourages people to attend the Merry TubaChristmas concert and the annual Holiday Book Sale. The Tendermaid will have delicious chili on sale and the Boy Scouts will be selling Chirstmas trees. Following the event, the trees will be donated to local families in need. For more information, call 507-317-7472. More details at www.christmastimecount down.com.

7. Remembrance service

2-4 p.m., Saturday, Grace Lutheran Church

This remembrance service allows people to reflect upon friends and family who have died in the past year, and to remember those suffering with divorce and depression. The event is free and open to the public and snacks are provided.

8. ‘Set Memories Aglow’ Tree Lighting Ceremony

5-6 p.m., Sunday, Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin

This lighting ceremony will allow people to decorate the tree on behalf of loved ones and friends. Donation forms to help support the Austin Hospice program are available at the Mayo Clinic Store, or at the Mayo Clinic Health System regional clinics. The tree will remain lit throughout the holiday season. For more information, call 507-434-1415.

9. Canadian Pacific Train comes to town

5-6 p.m., Monday, 550 11th St. NE

This year the Canadian Pacific’s Holiday Train will swing through Austin on Dec. 7 with an arrival time of 5 p.m. at 550 11th St. NE. The train will face the west. Festivities get under way at 5:15 p.m. and go to 5:45 p.m. The train’s goal is two-fold: Ring in the Christmas spirit and fight hunger. Along the way at each stop, food and cash donations are accepted and dished out to North American food banks. In Austin that means giving a helping hand to the Salvation Army, who has reaped the rewards of the train and its performer’s activities several times throughout the 17-year history of the train.