Main Street and the Festival of Lights, Riverside Community Players, and gold to cash

All weekend in downtown Riverside

The new and improved Main Street Riverside is set to be the stage for the 17th Annual Festival of Lights. Festival goers can glide under the stars on an outdoor ice skating rink, located on Main Street Riverside between University and Mission Inn Avenues. Ice rink hours from November 27 to December 19 are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Starting December 20, the ice rink hours will be noon to 11 p.m. everyday. Visitors can enjoy an hour on the ice for $13, which includes ticket price and skate rental.

In addition to the lights and ice skating, holiday enthusiasts can be dazzled by more than 200 hours of holiday entertainment, unique shopping and creative dining along Main Street Riverside. And no holiday experience would be complete without a visit from the North Pole’s most famous resident. Santa Claus will be out every night thru December 24. Photos with Santa Claus will be available for purchase.

Friday, December 4

“A Christmas Carol,” our ghostly visitations transform the bitter and miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge into the very essence of Christmas. Always a favorite at any age, it lifts the heart and brings the true meaning of the holiday season. December 4-6, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. Seating at 6:30 p.m.; curtain at 7:00 p.m. Where: Riverside Community Players 4026 Fourteenth Street Riverside, California 92501
Admission: General Admission $ 8.00. Box Office Telephone: (951) 686-4030

Saturday, December 5

Killarney’s, at the Riverside Plaza, invites people to bring in your old jewelry in exchange for cash from the Gold Gal. Between 10am-3pm. $3 mimosas and Bloody Marys and $5 Martinis.

The Calico Mountains the holiday spirit comes to life in the authentic old West mining town, Calico Ghost Town. Decorated in red velvet bows, bells and sprigs of evergreen, Calico turns into a holiday picture postcard.

This Saturday, December 5th, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Calico celebrates the holiday season with Santa, songs and lights. Enjoy Christmas carols – you can sing along or simply listen to your favorite holiday melodies. Spend $75 at any of the participating shops or restaurants and receive a free plush collectible Calico Bear.

Calico is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Special pricing is in effect for Calico Ghost Town through January 10th. Admission is $5 for an individual, $10 per carload (up to 6 people). All attractions, with the exception of the narrow gauge mining train ride, are included in the admission price.

Calico Ghost Town is located off I-15 at Ghost Town Road in Yermo, just 10 miles north of Barstow.

Sunday, December 6

Catching up on InstantRiverside.com’s most popular stories of the week.

Nemo has a new home; canal-dumped-surviving Chihuahua is adopted (pictured right) during Riverside City Council meeting.

H1N1 vaccine at Riverside Medical Clinic. The line wrapped around the building for free doses of the vaccine.

A local woman wins a car from business owner Ben Clymer.

Ski season begins.
Big Bear is offering discounted lift and lodging packages each week. Rates start as low as $69 per person per night, with double occupancy. Weekend Lift and Lodging Packages are from $89 per person, per night, with double occupancy and require a minimum of two nights lodging and two days of lift tickets.

Lift and Lodging packages include discounted lodging at one of Big Bear’s participating lodges and discounted, all-day, interchangeable lift tickets good for both Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. Lift tickets include complimentary shuttle service between both resorts.

The discounted packages are good for any time of the week starting November 30, 2009 to the end of the 2009/2010 season. Price is per person, per night based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Minimum of two nights of lodging and two days lift tickets for weekend packages are required.

Discounts are not valid during the holiday periods; December 19, 2009 – January 3, 2010; January 16-18, 2010; and February 13-15, 2010. For more information call 1-800-424-4232.

Filed under News A1, Entertainment