HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

o7 The holiday season is here, and there are plenty of ways to

celebrate. Here is a list of events in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach that

even the Grinch would have a hard time spoiling.

f7

* A Teddy Bear Holiday Village will be open for viewing through Dec.

24 at Sutton Place Hotel, 4500 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach. The bears

will be delivered to the Orangewood Children’s Home during the holiday

season. Free. (949) 476-2001.

* “A Christmas Carol” will run through Dec. 24. The play takes the

stage at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Saturdays, and noon and 4 p.m. Sundays at South Coast Repertory’s

Mainstage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. $17-$41. (714) 708-5569.

* Trilogy Playhouse will present a musical production of A.A. Milne’s

“A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas Tail” through Dec. 23. Performances are at 7

p.m. Fridays, and 3 and 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The playhouse is at

2930 Bristol St., Building C-106, Costa Mesa. $10-12. (714) 957-3347,

Ext. 1.

* South Coast Repertory’s “La Posada Magica,” a contemporary Latino

Christmas play written by Octavio Solis with songs by Marcos Loya, runs

through Dec. 24 on the Second Stage. Performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesdays

through Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. Sundays

at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. $18-$32. (714) 708-5555.

* The Newport Beach Community Services department will hold a Winter

Wonderland, with 20 tons of snow, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Grant

Howald Park, at 5th and Iris avenues in Corona del Mar. A visit by Santa,

holiday crafts and snowman building contest are included. Guests are

encouraged to bring building tools such as carrots and sticks for their

snow creations. Free. (949) 644-3151.

* Pacific Symphony Orchestra and the Pacific Chorale will perform

Handel’s “Messiah” at 3 p.m. today at the Orange County Performing Arts

Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. $18-$52. (714) 755-5799.

* “A Broadway Holiday,” a Pacific Symphony Pops singing extravaganza,

will start at 8 p.m. today at the Orange County Performing Arts Center,

600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Performers include J. Mark McVey, Ron

Raines and Jodi Benson. $14-$72. (714) 755-5799.

* Christmas concerts will be held at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church,

600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach, at 4 and 7 p.m. Sunday. The concert

will feature carols by Alfred Burt, a congregation sing-along and other

Christmas selections. $8. (949) 574-2283.

* The Orange County Women’s Chorus will present a holiday concert

titled “In Natali Domini: Three Unbelievable Things About Christmas” at 4

p.m. Sunday at Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 798 Dover Drive, Newport

Beach. Suggested donation is $10. (949) 856-3181.

* “Songs of Celebration,” a Christmas concert sponsored by the Newport

Beach Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will be

held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday at 2150 Bonita Canyon Road, Newport

Beach. Free. (949) 856-2628.

* The 92nd annual Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade will return at

6:30 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 23 with more than 100 boats decorated for

the holidays. There are dozens of viewing locations, including the Fun

Zone on Balboa Island. $25 for participants. Free for spectators. (949)

729-4400.

* Pacific Chorale will present “Tis the Season!” at 7 p.m. Sunday in

Segerstrom Hall, at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town

Center Drive, Costa Mesa. John Alexander will conduct the Pacific

Chorale, Pacific Symphony Orchestra and Pacific Chorale Children’s Chorus

in a performance featuring favorite carols and seasonal classics. The

concert will include the world premiere of composer-in-residence Eric

Whitacre’s first commission for Pacific Chorale. $17-$54. (714) 662-2345.

* American Ballet Theatre’s production of “Cinderella” will cap the

Orange County Performing Arts Center’s 2000 Classic Dance Series with a

holiday engagement Tuesday through Dec. 23 in Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town

Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Performances will be at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m.

matinees on Friday and Saturday. $12-$70. (714) 740-7878.

* Chabad of Irvine will hold a Grand Hanukkah celebration at 4 p.m.

Thursday at Fashion Island in Newport Beach in the Bloomingdale’s

courtyard, 905 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. The celebration will

include Fashion Island’s annual menorah-lighting. (949) 786-5000.

* Hunger Artists Theater Company will team up with the children of St.

John the Divine Episcopal Church to present “Home for Christmas” 10:30

a.m. Dec. 24. The play tells the story of two orphans who find a home in

the most unlikely of places. The performance will take place at the

church, 183 E. Bay St., Costa Mesa. Free, but donations for Court

Appointed Special Advocates are appreciated. (714) 547-9100.

* “Christmas at the Keyboard” will be held at 4 p.m. Dec. 24 at

Liberty Baptist Church, 1000 Bison Ave., Newport Beach. Listen to

Christmas music, both sung and played on the piano. Free. (949) 760-5444.