What better way to soak in the joy and grandeur of Christmas and the holiday season than with the shimmering triumphant sounds of expert brass and percussion.
It will ring through the city when the Chesapeake Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism presents the Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s brass and percussion ensemble performing its annual holiday concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Chesapeake Conference Center, 700 Conference Center Drive.
The VSO brass will trumpet out a new-for-this-season concert of traditional carols, seasonal classical works, hymns and contemporary pop holiday music.
Horns, trumpets, trombones, a bass trombone, tuba and percussion will blast everyone into a joyous mood. And adding to the joyous mood is the concert’s admission price.
While folks going to concerts in Williamsburg, Suffolk and Virginia Beach have to purchase tickets to hear the VSO brass, Chesapeake will offer this event absolutely free. That’s right: no charge, gratis, zip. Just bring the family and settle back to be brassed off into the spirit of the season.
For more information, call 382-6411 or visit virginiasymphony.org/holidaybrass-2.
RUN, RUN, ALL YOU RUDOLPHS, RUN!
Want to get out there for a good, healthy holiday hike while helping the city’s youth match up with a mentor?
Go for a jingle jog or reindeer run.
The Great Bridge Presbyterian Church at 333 Cedar Road will present its Jingle Jog 5K and 1-Mile Reindeer Run from 8:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 21.
The event is open to children and adults of all ages and abilities.
The fee for the jingle jog is $25 per person or $75 for a family team. The price for the reindeer run is $20 per person or $60 for a family team. The fee includes breakfast, race participation, official timing by Mettle Events, prizes and gift drawings. Race T-shirts will be purchased separately.
Proceeds will benefit Young Life Chesapeake, a faith-based initiative that aims “to reach every student, in all schools, with a loving and caring mentor,” according to Chesapeake.YoungLife.org. The program "starts with adults who are concerned enough about kids to go to them, on their turf and in their culture, building bridges of authentic friendship,” according to YoungLife.org.
Race packets can be picked up at 7:30 a.m. on race day at the church’s fellowship hall. Call 477-6281 for more details.
LIVE, IT’S THE NATIVITY!
Rather than experience the reason for the season by viewing a diorama of the Nativity scene, take one in live. One can be visited and another driven through while in the comfort of one’s vehicle.
The Greenbrier Presbyterian Church at 1100 Greenbrier Parkway will offer its free Live Nativity from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 21.
Look upon the New Testament Nativity scene brought to life with actors taking on the roles of all the biblical characters. There will also be a petting zoo, Santa for the little ones and light refreshments. Call 547-8535 for more details.
Or stay in your car, truck or van while driving through the ancient Bethlehem marketplace and the manger scene enlivened by actors in the roles of the Holy Family, Roman soldiers, the Magi and shepherds along with live animals including a camel.
It all happens at the Drive-Thru Nativity Experience from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 15, Dec. 16, Dec. 19 and Dec. 20 at the Deep Creek Baptist Campus, 250 Mill Creek Parkway.
Drivers will cruise through narrated New Testament scenes depicting the birth of Christ. There will also be Christmas carolling, a petting zoo, hot chocolate and Christmas cookies.
Call 487-2182.
CHRISTMAS ON THE FARMS, THE RANCH
Chesapeake still has charming rural areas, perfect to celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas.
Dec. 15 is the last day of the historic Greenbrier Farms’ third annual Santa’s Workshop at 225 Sign Pine Road in Hickory. Sessions are 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.
Limited seats are available. Call 421-2141 or 421-4550 for more info. Admission is $23 for children of all ages. The cost includes a visit to the Ole’ Country Farmhouse, songs and stories, an ornament craft with one of Santa’s elves, making reindeer food, cookie decorating and a profession photo of your child huddling with St. Nick.
Mount Pleasant Farms at 2201 Mount Pleasant Road will offer its Christmas On the Farm from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 20-21.
There will be visits from Santa, pony rides, barrel train rides for the kiddies, a playground, petting farm, and holiday lights and decorations. Hot chocolate, baked goods and gifts will be available for purchase. Call 482-0739 for more details.
Then, again, all you Christmas saddle pals and gals can celebrate Christmas In the Country 2019 from 2 until 8 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Triple R Ranch at 3531 Bunch Walnuts Road.
Weekend Scoop
Admission is $5, which includes Christmas lights and decorations, holiday activities, laser and archery tag, a climbing wall, crafts, hayrides and a Nativity display. Horseback rides will be available for $10 per rider. Call 421-4177 for more info.
HIGH PRIESTS OF LIGHTS
For a dazzling holiday light spectacular, don’t go to a commercial event, rather, drive past 820 Sydenham Blvd. in East Great Bridge for the Priest Family’s Christmas Palooza.
The family’s holiday present to the city features thousands of colorful lights populated by holiday characters all synchronized to music heard on your car radio or on the street.
Catch the lavish lights from 5 until 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
For more information, visit facebook.com/Priest-Family-Christmas-517913618226527/ and just look for the giant grinning Grinch.
Eric W. Feber, ewjfeber@gmail.com