10 THINGS TO DO

By Jennifer Nixon

Photo by Stephen B. Thornton

CARTI Auxiliary members Ernestine Grooms, right, and her husband Ken Grooms tour a field of trees inside the Clear Channel Metroplex in Little Rock during Festival of Trees in this 2006 file photo.

ADVERSTISMENT

LITTLE ROCK — 1. Spruce up. Take in all the dazzling decorations and fancy Christmasfun at Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute's annual CARTI Festival of Trees, which this year moves back downtown to the Statehouse Convention Center. The Stroll Through the Forest, a chance to peruse fully decorated trees and shop at the Deck the Halls gift shop, will be open to the public 1:30-4 p.m. today and 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $5, $3 for children 12 and under. In addition, there's the Festival Luncheon and Fashion Show and Festival After Dark today and the Breakfast with Santa and Tux 'N Trees black-tie event on Saturday. A full event schedule and ticket prices are available on the Web site. Visit www.carti.com or call (501) 660-7634.

2. Walk in. Three downtown museums are holding a frenzy of Christmas-theme activities at open houses Sunday. The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 E. Ninth St., will offer cookies and cider as well as music and a chance for children to make Christmas cards for veterans or for an Arkansas unit serving in Iraq, 1-4 p.m. Call (501) 376-4602. From 1-4:30 p.m., music, games and hands-on activities will liven things up at the Old State House Museum. Call (501) 324-9685.

Over at the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Christmas Frolic & Open Housewill feature living history, carols, reenactments, dancing and old-fashioned treats, 1-4 p.m. Call (501) 324-9351.

3. Hoof it. Donkeys, cows, Gobi the Christmas camel and other animalshelp bring the Christmas story to life at the Heifer Ranch's annual Living Nativity, 6-8 p.m. today-Saturday. After the drive through the ranch, guests are invited to meet the ranch animals, enjoy refreshments and participate in hands-on activities. The ranch is off Arkansas 9/10 south of Perryville and admission is free. Visit www.heifer.org/ranchevents or call (501) 889-5124.

4. Vocalize. From "Ave Maria" to "The Reindeer Hula," River City Men'sChorus presents a musical celebration of Christmas and Hanukkah with "Holiday! 2008." The first performance is 3 p.m. Sunday followed by encore performances 7 p.m. Monday and Thursday.

All performances are at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1101 N. Mississippi St. Admission is free and doors will open for seating one hour before each concert. Call (501) 377-1080.

5. Aim and fire. It's the Civil War all over again as Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park celebrates the 75th anniversary of the state park system and the 100th anniversary of the battlefield park. Saturday and Sunday, re-enactors will open up their camps, conduct drills and participate in battle demonstrations. Tours of the 19th-century medical department, cooking and spinning demonstrations and the unveiling of a new Andy Thomas oil painting are also planned. Admission is free but parking is $4. Call (479) 846-2990.

6. Light up. It's Christmas the Victorian way at Historic Washington StatePark's annual Christmas and Candlelight Celebration, 1-8 p.m. Saturday and Dec. 13. The 19th-century buildings will be decorated in period finery and luminarias will line the sidewalks for the occasion. Beginning at 5 p.m., musical groups from around southwest Arkansas will perform throughout the town. Tickets are $10, $5 for children.

The park is in Washington, nine miles north of Hope on U.S. 278. Call (870) 983-2684.

7. Make some noise. The Arthritis Foundation's Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis is Saturday, so tie some bells to your shoes, throw on a Christmas costume and hit the road. The run/walk starts at 11 a.m. in the River Market District. Registration is $25 in advance, $30 the day of the event. Visit www.arkansasjinglebellrun.org or call (501) 664-7242 or (800) 283-7800.

8. Craft guild. The Arkansas Craft Guild presents the chance to giftshop for everything including pottery, woodwork, fabric art and blown glass.

The 30th annual Christmas Showcase is open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at the Statehouse Convention Center, Governor Hall No. 2. Admission is $5. Call (870) 269-4120.

9. Chow down. Wake up for pancakes with Kris Kringle at the Arkansas Children's Hospital fundraiser Breakfast With Santa. It starts with Santa's arrival via firetruck at 7 a.m. Saturday.

Firefighters will cook breakfast and children will have the chance to take pictures with Santa, make crafts, call the North Pole and listen to music.

Tickets are $10. Call (501) 364-7231.

10. Pay up. Go around the world. Do a little Christmas shopping and give a helping hand at First Methodist Church of Jacksonville's World Mission Fair, 9:05 a.m.-1:45 p.m. Saturday.

In addition to sales by organizations including the Rice Depot, Heifer International and the Red Cross bloodmobile, there will be music and lunch. General admission to the fair is free. For the little ones, there will be a breakfast and photos with Santa. Breakfast is 8-10 a.m. and photos continue until 11.

Photos are $5 and breakfast is $5, $3 for ages 5-12, free for children 4 and under.

The church is at 220 W. Main St. in Jacksonville. Call (501) 982-8176.

E-mail things to do to: jnixon@arkansasonline.com

Weekend, Pages 70 on 12/05/2008