Event briefs: Dec. 13

CCA presents 'Five Farces'

Canyon Crest Academy will present "Five Farces" by Anton Chekhov on Thursday, Dec. 13, at 4:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. Canyon Crest Academy, Black Box Theatre, 5951 Village Center Loop Rd, San Diego, 92130. To purchase tickets, please visit bit.ly/2qHHlwA or cca-envision.org/events/

Bipolar support group meeting in Del Mar

The Del Mar branch of Depression Bipolar Support Alliance will meet from 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18, at Pacifica Del Mar restaurant in the Del Mar Plaza. Family and friends are welcome. Parking is validated for the underground garage. For information about the group, contact Roger Alsabrook at 858-525-1509 or rogeralsabrook@yahoo.com.

Frosty Farm

Kids and their parents are invited to Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 1-16, at Helen Woodward Animal Center’s “Frosty Farm” where hands-on animal encounters are combined with family-friendly activities guaranteed to create cheerful memories this holiday season including an elf obstacle course; Cookie decorating; Personal meet and greet with Santa Claus – bring your letters! (a time slot will be assigned to your family based on your excursion time; Photo opportunities with fluffy, feathery, and scaled friends (including some petting time with sheep and goats; Winter-themed craft-making; Holiday music; Face painting; Hot chocolate and more.

Helen Woodward Animal Center’s “Frosty Farm” runs Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 1-16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Center’s Education Building (6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe).

Woodward Animal Center St. Nick at Night

Helen Woodward Animal Center’s “St. Nick at Night” runs Fridays, Dec. 14 and 21, from 5-6 p.m., or 6:15 – 7:15 p.m. at the Center’s Education Building (6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe). Holiday merriment includes beautiful lights, group story time with Santa, Claus, cookie decorating, hot chocolate, a fun craft and animal interactions. St. Nick at Night tickets are $9.99 per child and adults are free.

For more information on Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Frosty Farm and St. Nick at Night, contact Santa’s Workshop (a.k.a the Education Department) at education@animalcenter.org or (858) 756-4117 ext. 318. Also visit www.animalcenter.org.

Queen Bee Market benefits Animal Pad dog rescue

The Queen Bee Market, the two-day “Etsy comes to life” shopping market, returns to the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Friday, Dec. 14 and Saturday, Dec. 15. Owned and operated by San Diego natives and sisters, Kellie Dooley and Allison Gharst, Queen Bee features more than 100 vendors offering everything from handmade frames, art and jewelry to accessories and clothes.

Proceeds from the event will benefit The Animal Pad, a local non-profit, all breed dog rescue that focuses on saving dogs from high kill shelters and the streets of Mexico. Adoptable dogs will be on-site.

For more information, visit thequeenbeemarket.com

Sing Christmas classics at the Village Church

The Village Church Worship Band in Rancho Santa Fe will be joined by Matt Murdock and Apex Brass for a Sunday of family fun. Join the event as the Brass leads the congregation with Christmas Carols as a part of worship on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 9 a.m. Apex Brass has been featured at a number of renowned venues including Disneyland, Seaworld San Diego and the San Diego Zoo. Get into the Christmas spirit by singing with family, friends and neighbors. For a full schedule of Christmas events, visit villagechurch.org. Address: Village Church: 6225 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe, 92067.

Hoodies & Hot Chocolate Movie Night

On Saturday, Dec. 15 Flower Hill Promenade will offer a free screening of “The Grinch” in the courtyard theater from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hot chocolate and goodies will be offered from restaurants and there will be a special appearance by the Grinch himself.

Horizon Christian Fellowship’s Living Nativity

Be transported back in time to see the wonder and beauty of Horizon Christian Fellowship’s Living Nativity Dec. 20-23 with free nightly tours from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Along with nightly tours there will also be a marketplace full of activities for the whole family including camel rides, snow hill sledding, petting zoo, crafts, food trucks and more. Horizon Christian Fellowship is located at 6365 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe.

‘Sounds of the Season’

The North Coast Symphony Orchestra will be joined by soprano Katie Polit and the Villa Musica Community Chorus to perform “Sounds of the Season” featuring festive holiday selections on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2:30 p.m. at the Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive, Encinitas. For more information, visit www.northcoastsymphony.com. The orchestra, conducted by Dan Swem, is funded in part by the City of Encinitas and the Mizel Family Foundation.

Moonlight, Marshmallows & Movie Night

On Saturday, Dec. 22 from 4-8 p.m., Flower Hill will screen “Elf” in the courtyard theater. There will be a special appearance by Buddy the Elf during the movie as well as s’mores and food vendors. 4-8 p.m.

Holiday Concert with Peter Sprague

On Christmas Eve, from 1-4 p.m. American jazz artist Peter Sprague will perform a free concert in the L’Auberge Del Mar Amphitheater (1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014).

Movie Night at Del Mar Plaza

Del Mar Plaza is celebrating the season with a special screening of “Elf” on the ocean view deck on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. Craft Corn will be selling popcorn and the public is invited to bring blankets, chairs, family and friends to enjoy the free film screening.

Nutcracker Ballet

Pacific Arts Dance Center’s spectacular Nutcracker Ballet will be performed in Concert Hall at California Center for the Arts Escondido, Saturday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m.

This professional, full-length production is full of endearing moments, extraordinary choreography, and features local and internationally-acclaimed dancers, including Igor Yurlov, Christopher Nolen, Sergey Kheylik, and Irina Gharibyan. Tickets are available at bit.ly/2Gcg67X

For more information on Pacific Arts Dance Center, visit pacificartsdance.com

Saddleback Church San Diego to host special Christmas Services

Saddleback Church San Diego, a Christian church that meets in Carmel Valley, will host special Christmas services from Dec. 23 through 25. The public is invited to attend. Services will be held at 9 and 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 23, 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 24 and 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 25. All services will be held at Canyon Crest Academy, 5951 Village Center Loop Road, San Diego, where the church meets every week. Christmas services will include worship music featuring a Christmas theme and a special message from Rick Warren, senior pastor of Saddleback Church. For more information, call the Saddleback San Diego church office at (858) 519-1754, e-mail sandiego@saddleback.com, or visit saddleback.com/sandiego.

TPHS Foundation holiday fundraiser

Join your Falcon Friends in supporting the Torrey Pines High School Foundation and support all students while shopping at the new Sea Biscuit in Del Mar Plaza on Thursday, Dec.13. Help to bring in the holidays with gift buying and holiday shopping while supporting the TPHS Foundation. The focus of the Torrey Pines High School Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1993, is to bridge the gap between student needs and state/district funding. All monies raised will go the Education Fund which supports all students.

Stop by for some holiday cheer and just tell them you are there for TPHS and a portion of your purchase will go to support continuing education projects at Torrey Pines. All shoppers will be eligible to enter to win a $100 gift certificate to Sea Biscuit. Store hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Address: 1555 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, 92014, Suite 318.

Botanic Garden of Lights

San Diego Botanic Garden’s annual Garden of Lights is being held now through Dec. 23 and Dec. 26-30. The garden in Encinitas has been transformed into a winter wonderland – Southern California style. More than 125,000 sparkling lights illuminate the flora of the 37-acre urban oasis each evening from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Garden of Lights also features live music, visits with Santa, snow for sledding every night, horse-drawn wagon rides (on selected evenings), food trucks, holiday crafts and marshmallow roasting. For more information visit sdbgarden.org.

Staged Presence

 Due to popular demand, the “Always … Patsy Cline” show at North Coast Repertory Theatre has been extended to Dec. 30. Based on the touching story of Patsy’s friendship with Louise Seger, a fan who continued a correspondence with her to the end of her life, this song-filled production includes hits like “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” and “Walking After Midnight,” at 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. $45, with discounts. (858) 481-1055. northcoastrep.org

 Write Out Loud’s presentation of “The Giving Season” celebrates the importance of giving through six holiday-themed stories and poems read aloud (one by Santa Claus!), 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17 at the Old Town Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., San Diego. Tickets: $25, with discounts. (619) 297-8953. writeoutloudsd.com

Warwick’s Book Talk

The last book talk of the year at Warwick’s is Nicolas Obregon, discussing “Sins as Scarlet,” 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. After a brutal murder investigation ripped apart his life, protagonist Kosuke Iwata quit both his job as a detective with the Tokyo Police Department and his country, leaving Japan for the hopefully sunnier shores of Los Angeles. But murder still follows him. (858) 454-0347. Visit warwicks.com

Foreign Film: A Christmas Tale 2008

Friday, Dec. 14, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. San Elijo Campus of MiraCosta College, 3333 Manchester Ave, Cardiff, CA 92007, Room 204. Free.

Foreign Film: A Christmas Tale 2008, France, French with English subtitles. 2 hours, 30 minutes, NR. This comedy-drama film tells the story of the troubled Vuillard family, held together by their matriarch, played by Catherine Deneuve. The family is no stranger to illness, grief, and banishment, but when their mother requires a bone-marrow transplant, the estranged clan reunites just in time for Christmas. Info: lifesanelijo@gmail.com

Bach Collegium San Diego: Christmas Oratorio

Bach’s great oratorio carries the listener through the Christmas narrative, as seen through the eyes of the angels, shepherds, and Magi, and includes some of the composer’s most sublime music, performed by an orchestra of 26, chorus of 18, and soloists.

Saturday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 3459 Manchester, Cardiff. $20-$70, or at the door. Visit bachcollegiumsd.org/concerts2