Best Bets: No avoiding the holidays

Published 5:55 am Friday, November 16, 2012

Snoopy, played by Molly Kestner, makes a face behind the back of Charlie Brown played by Taylor Sharp during rehearsel for the Austin High School presentation of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," Tuesday night in Christgau Hall. -- Herald file photo

The sights, sounds and tastes of the holidays are approaching faster than a last-minute Christmas shopper on the interstate. But that’s OK because there is also an event this weekend for those procrastinators — if they choose to attend, that is.

1.) Attention all Peanuts fans, or everybody: “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown!” is hitting the stage at Austin High School this Friday. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. in Christgau Hall. Tickets are $7 for adults, $4 for children and free for students and staff. Don’t miss it; otherwise, Arrrrggh!

2.) Hey, all last-minute holiday shoppers. This is an opportunity to be proactive. The Sumner Elementary School is holding a one-stop Christmas shopping event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at its building, 805 Eighth Ave. NW. There will be a menagerie of gift items from which to choose.

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3.) Didn’t get enough piano during the Charlie Brown play? Young piano players from ages 4 to 18 will storm Austin on Saturday during the Harris Piano Competition. Thirty-six competitors will play at three different venues in Austin. Private competitions will start in the morning at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, 301 First St. NW; the Paramount Theatre, 125 Fourth Ave. NE and the Hormel Historic Home, 208 Fourth Ave. NW. The afternoon portion will then begin at 3:15 with a music question-and-answer period. Final competitions will be at 4 p.m.

4.) Well, this is sweet! Bev Perron, that is. Sweet Bev Perron, rock ‘n blues singer from Wisconsin who has played many times in Chicago and toured in Europe, will perform a free show this Saturday in Austin. The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Austin Eagles Club, 107 11th St. NE. What else is sweet? There is no cover charge.

5.) For those who were raised by wolves, this next event may be quite redundant. But for the rest of us, “The Lives of Wolves, Coyotes and Foxes” presented by nature expert Stan Tekiela, could be quite interesting. The free show starts 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center, 1304 21st St. NE.

From there, it is on to Thanksgiving. Of course, Thanksgiving is on Thursday, Nov. 22, but it’s immediately followed by Christmas in the City’s first night on Friday in Austin. However, Black Friday is now creeping into Thursday’s business. This may or may not affect the space-time continuum.