From staff reports



With December's arrival this week many festive holiday events have been scheduled for the area.

Meridian's Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place at Dumont Plaza at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Entertainment will follow the ceremony from choirs and an interpretive dance team.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday the Meridian Community College Chorus will hold its Fall Semester Concert in McCain Theater on the MCC campus with an evening of choral literature from various composers, time periods and cultures. A traditional Christmas repertoire will be included. In addition to the concert choir, the MCC vocal ensemble, Dimensions, will entertain the audience with pop, rock and R&B; selections.

The Town of Marion will hold its second annual Christmas parade on Thursday beginning at 6 p.m. Some streets will be closed that day as a result.

The following intersections of streets will be closed from 5:50 p.m.-6:30 p.m.: Dale Drive and Confederate Drive, Dale Drive and Lizelia Road, Dale Drive and Marion Drive North, Dale Drive and Ponta Street, Dale Drive and Sookalena Street, Dale Drive and Alamutcha Road, Dale Drive and Calusa Road.

Traffic will be permitted from Lockheed and Lindley Drive, then south of Dale Drive.

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound will take the Temple Theatre stage at 7 p.m. Thursday. The concert is presented by The Jimmie Rodgers Foundation. Tickets are $15 and $20. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m. Call (601) 693-5353 or visit www.itickets.com.

The 25th Anniversary Edition of Highland Baptist Church's Singing Christmas Tree also begins Thursday and continues through Sunday with 7 p.m., performances, plus 4 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. The Singing Christmas Tree features a 90-voice choir and 25-piece orchestra.

Admission is free, however those attending are asked to bring an unwrapped toy to be donated to Wesley House Community Center or canned goods for the Baptist Crisis Center.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones perform at the MSU Riley Center at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Fleck has been nominated in more diverse categories than any other artist in Grammy history. Performing with the Flecktones, Fleck and the band fuse bluegrass, jazz and funk sounds to create their critically acclaimed and wildly poplar sound.

The concert will include sounds from their Grammy-winning album Jingle All The Way, including holiday classics heard like never before and funk-filled versions of songs from Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Call (601) 696-2200 or go to www.msurileycenter.com for tickets or more information.

The opening of Meridian Little Theatre's presentation of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" will be staged at 8 p.m. Thursday. Barbara Robinson's play is a hilarious Christmas tale of a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant while faced with casting the Herdman kids – probably the most inventively awful kids in history. "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" will play through Saturday at 8 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Performances also are scheduled at 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday Dec. 8-9.

For more information or tickets call (601) 482-6371 or go to www.meridianlittletheatre.com.

The Sucarnochee Revue's “Teen Artists Night” will be held Friday at the Temple Theatre and will showcase new and young talent from throughout the East Mississippi and West Alabama area. The show will begin at 7 p.m. with the doors to open at 6 p.m. For more information about the nationally syndicated radio show call (601) 693-5353.

The Jingle Bell 5k Run, 5k Walk and 1-mile fun run for kids, hosted by The Meridian Athletic Association along with BankPlus, will take place on Saturday at 8 a.m. at BankPlus on 22nd Avenue in downtown Meridian. Long sleeve T-shirts go to all registrants and awards will be given out in each age group.

For applications and more information, visit www.meridianathletic.com. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

The Trustmark Merry Meridian Market opens at 10 a.m. Saturday with more than 100 holiday vendors showcasing their wares. Highlighting this year’s hottest gifts – including specialty shops, foods and crafts – the market continues to 4 p.m.

Also on Saturday a children's art class will be presented from 10:30 a.m.-noon, at the Meridian Museum of Art. A theme workshop for children ages 4-12, the class is $3 and includes art supplies. Registration is on the day of class.

At 5 p.m. Saturday Meridian's Holiday Parade will coast through downtown.

Meridian Symphony's Peppermint Pops Concert is scheduled to follow the parade. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the MSU Riley Center. The festive concert of holiday favorites will feature performances by the MSO Chorus and Cambiata Singers Children's Choir. The orchestra will perform familiar classics and favorites, such as "Go Tell It On the Mountain" and "Twas the Night Before Christmas."

Children's tickets are $10; adults, $30-35, and are available at the MSU Riley Center.

For more information about Peppermint Pops, call (601) 693-2224 or go to www.meridiansymphonyorchestra.com.

Merrehope’s 41st Annual Trees of Christmas Tours are open for $10 per person with special rates for children and senior citizens. Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Special arrangements may be made for private luncheons, dinners, parties and other events.

A Merry Merry Merrehope Brunch is scheduled for next Sunday. There will be two seatings, at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Admission is $30 and reservations are limited and required.

The Merrehope and the F.W. Williams home are located at 905 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Drive.