Communities are gearing up for the holiday season with Christmas parades, lighting ceremonies and other special events. Chances are, something special is just around the corner:

Today

MOUNTAIN VIEW - Today through Sunday, Dec. 21, there will be matinee Christmas caroling performances each Saturday and Sunday in the great Cathedral Room at Blanchard Springs Caverns. Patrons may also take a special walking tour before the concert by purchasing an early bird special. Tickets are $17 per person. The earlybird special is $24 per person. This is the seventh year for the performances, which have sold out every year. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available through the Mountain View Area Chamber of Commerce at (888) 679-2859 or online at www.ozarkgetaways.com.

Monday

CHEROKEE VILLAGE - The Cherokee Village Festival of Lights will be in the Town Center Mall inner courtyard. Santa will be there for kids young and old, and the local chorus and high school band will perform. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. More information is available from Melissa Smith at (870) 257-3241.

Tuesday

ASH FLAT - Ozarka College will host a holiday open house from noon to 2 p.m. There will be refreshments, andthe college’s president, Dusty R. Johnston, said the open house is “a way for us to show our appreciation for all the support we received from our four-county area throughout the year.” More information is available at (870) 368-7371.

CALICO ROCK - The 20/20 Group will decorate Main Street beginning at 10 a.m. All are welcome to help. More information is available from Susan Varno at (870) 297-4223 or svarnoark@centurytel.net.

Wednesday

MOUNTAIN VIEW - Ozarka College will host a holiday open house from noon to 2 p.m. There will be refreshments. More information is available at (870) 368-7371.

Thursday

BEEBE - There will be a lighting ceremony and program at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. There will be a Jason D. Williams concert at 6:30 p.m. More information is available from the Beebe Chamber of Commerce at (501) 882-8135.

CABOT - The Cabot Community Theatre will perform Sanders Family Christmas on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m., and the performance is at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices for dinner and the show are $25 for adults, $15 for children 12 and younger and $20 for groups of 12 or more. Show-only and matinee tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger. The group will perform Sanders Family Christmas at its new home, the CenterStage Playhouse, at 204 N. First St. Reservations and more information are available at (501) 259-4568 and www.cabotcommunitytheatre.org.

SEARCY - Beginning Thursday and continuing through Sunday, Dec. 21, the Center on the Square will perform a dinner theater adaptation of A Christmas Carol. More information is available from Lana Hallmark at (501) 368-0111 or online at www.centeronthesquare.org. Admission to the dinner and show is $27 and $24 for seniors. Admission to the show alone is $13.50. Reservations are required for the dinner.

Friday

BEEBE - The Arkansas State University-Beebe Singers will celebrate the holiday season with their Yuletide Madrigal Feast at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday in the University Cafe on the Beebe campus, 610 N. Pecan St. The event is $20 per person. Each course of the meal will be accompanied by musical andvariety entertainment with fair ladies and gentlemen, a court jester and general merriment. Tickets must be purchased in advance, as seating is limited. They are available at (501) 882-8351 and in the ASU-Beebe Student Center.

CABOT - The Christmas Lights Extravaganza will be at 6 p.m. in front of City Hall. There will be a short program at 6 p.m. featuring local elementary school children followed by the arrival of Santa Claus, who will flip the switch on the downtown lights. Kids can ride the Christmas Express Train and enjoy refreshments from localbusinesses.

Saturday

ASH FLAT - The Ash Flat Christmas Parade will be 2-3:30 p.m. on Ash Flat Drive and Main Street. There will be clowns, horses, floats, a marching band, fire trucks, antique vehicles, walkers, music, prize drawings, candy and Santa Claus. The event is free. More information is available from Nancy Orr at (870) 994-7325.

BATESVILLE - The Old Independence Regional Museum will host its annual Old-fashioned Family Christmas Party from 2-4 p.m. Participants will learn oldfashioned Christmas traditions. Past activities have included taffy pulling, cookie decorating and dramatic readings. More information is available by contacting the museum at (870) 793-2121 or visiting www.oirm.org. Admission is free. The museum is at 380 S. 9th St.

BEEBE - The Beebe Christmas Parade will start at 6 p.m. Floats are to line up at 5. Applications are available at www.beebeark.org. The theme for this year’s event is Classic Christmas. Floats will line up in the parking lots of Arkansas State University-Beebe at the Dewitt Henry Drive entrance. The route will follow Pecan Street and end at Dewitt Henry Drive and Center Street. More information is available from the Beebe Chamber of Commerce at (501) 882-8135.

CALICO ROCK - The Christmas Parade begins at 2 p.m. from King Park on Arkansas 56. More information is available at www.calicorocket. org, www.calicorock.us, (870) 291-8899 and (870) 297-4129.

JACKSONVILLE - The Christmas Parade will take place on Main Street. Admission is free. More information is available from Laura Peeples at (501) 982-1511 or online at www.jacksonville-arkansas.com.

MOUNTAIN VIEW - The courthouse and Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be at 6 p.m. There will be Christmas music, a live Nativity scene and Santa Claus. More information is available from the Mountain View Area Chamber of Commerce at (888) 679-2859 or online at www.ozarkgetaways.com.

POCAHONTAS - The Randolph County Christmas Parade will follow a course from City Park to downtown and will be followed by the tree lighting. Admission is free. More information is available from the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce at (870) 892-3956 or online at www.randolphchamber.com.

SEARCY - The Searcy A’glow Parade will begin at 6p.m. at Spring Park. The parade route will circle the Court Square onto Race Street and end at Berryhill Park. All entries will be decorated with Christmas lights and play Christmas music. Floats should line up at 4 p.m. More information is available at (501) 268-2483.

Sunday, Dec. 7

NEWPORT - Jacksonport State Park will host a Christmas Open House from 2-4 p.m. There will be live music by local choirs, bands and musical groups. Visitors can tour the courthouse and enjoy Christmas treats and punch. More information is available at (870) 523-2143 and jacksonport@arkansas.com. Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of two canned goods per family.

Monday, Dec. 8

POCAHONTAS - Friends of the Library will have a cookie sale in connection with a visit from Santa at the Randolph County Library. Families are welcome to take photos with Santa. More information is available from the library at (870) 892-5617.

Wednesday, Dec. 10

MELBOURNE - Ozarka College will host a holiday open house from noon to 2 p.m. in the Miller Education Complex. There will be refreshments. More information is available at (870) 368-7371.

Saturday, Dec. 13

CALICO ROCK - The third annual Holiday Home and Lights Trolley Tour will feature five homes and businesses decorated for the holidays. Tours leave Main Street from 5-9 p.m. Cost is $5 per person. More information is available at www.calicorocket.org, www.calicorock.us, (870) 291-8899 and (870) 297-4129.

HARDY - The annual Christmas Parade will be takeplace in downtown Hardy. Admission is free. More information is available from Nina Thornton at (870) 856-3811 or mayorofhardy@yahoo.com.

POWHATAN - There will be a historic Civil War-era holiday ball from 6-10 p.m. at Powhatan State Park. Refreshments and dance instruction on period dances will be provided. Music will be provided by the 52nd Regimental String Band of Memphis, Tenn. Tickets are $8 for a costumed single, $10 for a single, $15 for a costumed couple and $20 for a couple. Children under 12 are free. More information and tickets are available at (870) 878-6765.

Sunday, Dec. 14

CABOT - The annual Christmas Parade will start at 3 p.m. The parade route will follow a new path this year. The parade will travel from Panther Trail on South Pine Street/Highway 89 and travel north on Pine Street, make a left turn onto Pond Street and continue to the Central Elementary School parking lot. An awards-presentation ceremony will take place immediately following the parade at the Knights Shopping Center parking lot, 906 S. Pine St. More information is available at (501) 920-2122 or cabotbeautiful@yahoo.com.

Thursday, Dec. 18

POCAHONTAS - The 24th Annual Candy Cane Lane will light up E. Maple Street. There will be lights, Santa Claus and his helpers. More information is available at (870) 892-3022.

Saturday, Dec. 20

CALICO ROCK - There will be a live Nativity scene. More information is available at www.calicorocket.org, www.calicorock. us, (870) 291-8899 and (870) 297-4129.

- awidner@ arkansasonline.com

This article was published Sunday, November 30, 2008.

Three Rivers, Pages 97, 100 on 11/30/2008

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