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The Fort Lewis College Music Department presents a Student Recital at 12:20 p.m. at the Roshong Recital Hall.

Katrina & Cook play Desperado’s Bar and Grill, 351 S. Camino del Rio, from 5-8 p.m.

The Rochester Hotel, 726 E. 2nd Ave., hosts a 2012 Be Local Book celebration from 5:30-7:30 p.m. www.local-first.org for details.

The French Film Festival at Fort Lewis College presents “Eldorado” at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. in the Chemistry Building, Room 130. 247-7231 for details.

The Fort Lewis College Music Department presents a Percussion Ensembles Concert at 7 p.m. at the Community Concert Hall.

Terry Rickard plays The Derailed Saloon, 725 Main Ave., from 7-11 p.m.

Moe’s, 937 Main Ave., hosts beer pong from 8 p.m. -close. 259-9018 for details.

Porch Mice play The Summit, 600 Main Ave., at 8 p.m. www.durangosummit.com for details.

The Back Space Theatre, 1120 Main Ave. Suite 2, presents “Being Elmo” at 8:30 p.m. The show also runs at 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 4:30 p.m. Sunday. www.thebackspacetheatre.org or 259-7940 for details.

Keller Williams plays at 10 p.m. at The Abbey Theatre, 128 E. College. Doors open at 9 p.m. www.abbeytheatre.com or 385-1711 for details.
 

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The Earlybird Toastmasters host a speaking and leadership upgrade at 7 a.m. at Christina’s, 21382 Highway 160.

The 37th annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival opens at the La Plata County Fairgrounds from noon to 5 p.m.

First Friday Unstoppables meets at the Durango Public Library from noon - 1:30 p.m. www.FirstFridayUnstoppables.com for details.

The Festival of Trees comes to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum from 1-6 p.m. The event also runs Dec. 9-11. www.cci-colorado.org or 799-2549 for details.

Steamworks Brewing Co., 801 E. 2nd Ave., continues its special monthly “firkin” tapping at 3 p.m., featuring a “Bananas Foster” brew. 259-9200 or www.steamworksbrewing.com for details.

The Four Corner’s Office for Resource Efficiency, 4CORE, hosts a Holiday Open House from 3-6 p.m. at their new offices, 835 E. 2nd Ave. fourcore.org or 259-1916 for details.

The Rochester Hotel, 726 E. 2nd Ave., presents a holiday art show featuring Diana Prianto jewelry, Animas Chocolate Co. gifts and Phyllis Stapler artwork from 4-8 p.m. 385-1920 for details.

The Southwest Colorado Peace and Justice Coalition holds a peace vigil from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the corner of Main Ave. and 11th St. Signs will be available or bring your own. 259-4185 for details.

The Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave., hosts a trunk show and wood carving with Hector Rascon from 5-9 p.m. at Plein, the gallery shop. The event also runs Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. www.durangoarts.org .

The Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., hosts the “Super Amazing Noel night” art show featuring Miki Harder, Cindy Coleman, Elizabeth Kinahan and Amy Vaclav-Felker from 5-9 p.m., followed by a show from Old North State.

The Animas Museum, 3065 W. 2nd Ave., hosts its annual Holiday Bazaar from 5-7 p.m. The event continues Saturday. 259-2402 for details.

Access Wireless, Thrive and the Women’s Resource Center sponsor Speed Pampering from 5-9 p.m. at the AT&T Store, 822 Main Ave. 247-1242 for details.

Black Velvet, with Nina Sasaki & Larry Carver, plays the Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., from 5:30 – 10:30 p.m.

Dancing Spirit in Ignacio hosts its 2nd annual Fill Your Bowl for Art fund-raiser from 6-9 p.m. All proceeds go to art classes and workshops. 563-4600 for details.

JP Duo plays jazz and classical at the Jean Pierre Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave., from 6:30 p.m. - close. 385-0122 for details.

“Hark the Neville Angel Sings,” a comedic musical, opens at the Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave., at 7 p.m. The show continues weekends through Dec. 17 and is for mature audiences. 259-2606 or www.durangoarts.org for details.

The Fort Lewis College Music Department presents a Holiday Bash Concert at 7 p.m. at the Community Concert Hall.

Old North State plays the Mancos Valley Distillery following the Mancos Tree Lighting at 8 p.m.

The Dean Murphy Band plays rock and blues at the Billy Goat Saloon on Highway 160 in Gem Village at 8:30 p.m.

Moe’s, 937 Main Ave., hosts live music and dancing with DJ Soltron from 8 p.m. - close.

Porch Mice play The Derailed Saloon, 725 Main Ave., from 8 p.m. -midnight.

DJ CK spins dance beatz at Pongas, 121 W. 8th St., from 9 p.m.-close. The DJ returns at the same time Saturday. 382-8554 for details.

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Navajo State Park hosts a Holiday Open House from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the park’s visitor center on the Colorado side of Navajo Lake. 883-2208 for details.

The 37th annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival is at the La Plata County Fairgrounds from 11a.m. - 3 p.m.

The Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave., hosts its traditional Irish music jam from 12:30-4 p.m. 403-1200 or www.theirishembassypub.com for details.

The Festival of Trees shows at the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum from 1-6 p.m. The event also runs Dec. 9-11. www.cci-colorado.org or 799-2549.

The Lavenia McCoy Public Library in Bayfield hosts “Make a Calendar” class for children in grades first through fourth from 1-4 p.m. in the library meeting room. The event is free and supplies are provided. Advanced sign-up is required. 884-2222, Ext. 10 for details.

The Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., hosts its Gospel Brunch with The A-Men at 1 p.m. The Blue Moon Ramblers play their weekly gig beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Durango Food Not Bombs (FNB) offers its weekly free vegan/vegetarian meal at 1-3 p.m. in Riverfront/Iris Park. www.foodnotbombs.net for details.

Classical guitar students, ages 3 to 10 years old, perform from 3-5 p.m. at the Smiley Building Auditorium, 1309 E. 3rd Ave., to raise funds for the Classical Guitar Scholarship Fund. 422-1891 for details.

A sign language practice group meets from 4-5 p.m. at Durango Joe’s, 6 Town Plaza, and again from noon-1 p.m. on Wednesdays. Participants must be able to sign without using their voices. 903-1524.

Moe’s, 937 Main Ave., hosts live music and dancing with Musica del Mundo from 8-10 p.m. 259-9018 for details.
 

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A benefit for the Dinger Family and Durango Food Bank is from 1-5 p.m. at The Clay Room, 171 E. 7th St. Bring food for the bank and paint for no studio fee. Proceeds go to the family. 426-9685 for details.

A silent auction and fund-raiser  for Joel Richards, a local man who suffered a spiral fracture of the femur in a recent cyclocross race, will take place at the Irish Embassy from 5:30- 9 p.m. downstairs in the pub.

Durango Natural Foods, 575 E. 8th Ave., hosts Vintage Holiday Movie Night featuring “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” from 6-8 p.m. Popcorn provided. 247-8129 for details.

Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave., hosts essayist and poet David Feela, author of How Delicate These Arches: Footnotes from the Four Corners for a book signing from 6:30-7:30 p.m. 247-5916 or www.mariasbookshop.com.

Moe’s, 937 Main Ave., hosts open mic night from 8 p.m.-close. 259-9018 for details.

Lady Falconburgh’s, 640 Main Ave., hosts beer bingo from 9-11 p.m. with prizes for each game.

The Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., offers beer pong from 9-10:30 p.m. www.theirishembassypub.com.

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The Rocky Mountain Retreat, 848 E. Third Ave., offers by donation yoga on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. www.turtlelakerefuge.org or 382-2101 for details.

8th Avenue Tavern, 509 E. 8th Ave., hosts karaoke from 8 p.m. - 2 a.m. Thursdays through Sundays.

The Sideshow Emporium & Gallery in Dolores hosts Dark Arts, a macabre group show until Dec. 3. 739-4646 for details.

Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave., hosts the Families Helping Families Holiday Book Drive until Dec. 13 for the Family Center of Durango’s Family Development Program. www.mariasbookshop.com or 247-1438 for details.

Photographs from Durango photographer Howard Rachlin are on display at Kassidy’s Kitchen, 171 Suttle Drive in Bodo Park, until Jan. 14. 375-7877 or www.Howard Rachlin.com.

The Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave., hosts the Winter Solstice Market, a fine arts and crafts sale. The market is open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily and runs through Dec. 24 in the Barbara Conrad Gallery. www.durangoarts.org for details.

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad’s The Polar Express begins making runs at 5:15 p.m. nightly through Dec. 28. www.durangotrain.com for details.

The Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave., presents “Myth: A Celebration of Legends, Cryptids, & Tall Tales” in the upstairs library. The exhibit runs through Dec. 24. www.anddurango.com for details.

The Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College presents “Frontier Blues: The Legacy of Fort Lewis College,” an exhibition commemorating Fort Lewis College’s Centennial. “Fiber Celebrated 2011” and “Cutter World Maps” are also on display. 247-7456 for details.

What: Noel Night
Where: Downtown Durango
When: Friday, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

 

The Yuletide spirit takes over Main Avenue in downtown Durango this Friday. The annual Noel Night, sponsored by more than 100 Durango merchants, celebrates its eighth year with an all-day celebration.
The community event is a way for downtown businesses to thank customers for their year-round support, and each participating shop has its own way of saying thanks.

 

Local merchants go all out with elaborate window displays, discounts, raffles, door prizes, refreshments, parties and more. Galleries host receptions for artists, and some store employees even don Christmas-inspired costumes.
Musicians, choirs, carvers, drummers and belly dancers are examples of just some of the free holiday entertainment and music that fills the shops and eateries.

 

The event is also a fund-raiser. Donation jars will be distributed to participating merchants, and stay through the holiday season. Each year a different organization gets the proceeds. This year the donations benefit the Volunteers of America Durango Community Shelter.
The Chocolate Station, located outside the Main Mall from 3-8 p.m., is another draw for attendees. Silverton Chocolates will be serving up hot chocolate compliments of Noel Night organizers and Volunteers of America.

 

For more information, visit www.noelnightdurango.com or www.local-first.org.


 

What: Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai
Where: The Boiler Room Theater
When:  Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m.

 

Strong roots run deep for one Kenyan native. Wangari Maathai, a woman who started planting trees and ended up changing lives, is the heroine of the documentary “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai” showing at The Discovery Museum’s Boiler Room Theater and The Back Space Theatre.

 

The film shows at the Boiler Room in Powerhouse at 2 p.m. Saturday and at The Back Space Theatre, 1120 Main Ave., again on Tues., Dec. 6, at 8 p.m.

 

Maathai, an environmental, political and women’s rights activist, founded the Green Belt Movement in the 1970s and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. Her “stand for peace and justice was as strong and immovable as the trees she planted.” Maathai passed away in September of this year at the age of 71.

 

The first showing at the Powerhouse will be followed by a short film called “Guisma’s Story” and a conversation with 4C member Isaac Murphy and representatives of the Ssejinja Children’s Foundation.

 

The second showing at The Back Space will be followed by a conversation with Judy Duke, founder of “Make All Children Smile in Zimbabwe,” and Veronica Egan, director of “Great Old Broads for the Wilderness.”

 

Rocky Mountain PBS and Chevron are sponsoring the event. For additional information, call 259-1674.

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Traditional songs for the holiday season