Bangor

‘Nutcracker’ Ballet

Bangor Symphony Orchestra and Robinson Ballet will present the 22nd annual production of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker,” featuring Bangor Area Children’s Choir, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Maine Center for the Arts in Orono.

A popular family event, the Bangor Symphony’s production is the only “Nutcracker” ballet presented with live music in central Maine.

Combining the talents of Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s musicians under the direction of Music Director and Conductor Xiao-Lu Li, and the Robinson Ballet, “Nutcracker” has been a favorite of many generations for the past 22 years. Fifty dancers, including 24 children, all of whom study dance in local studios, will perform onstage to the beautiful music of Tchaikovsky.

Adding to the production’s uniqueness is the Bangor Area Children’s Choir who draw the first act to a close with their angelic voices.

Nathaniel Bond and Jessie Dunham will perform the roles of the Cavalier and the Sugarplum Fairy.

BSO’s brass quartet will play seasonal selections in the Bodwell area before the “Nutcracker” performances and during intermission.

The Bangor Symphony Nutcracker Store will be open before, during and after each performance.

Ticket prices range from $22 to $32, with senior and youth discounts, and may be reserved at www.bangorsymphony.com, or by calling the BSO box office at 942-5555, or (800) 639-3221.

Kruger Brothers concert

The world-renowned Doubletime Music Recording Artists trio of banjo, guitar and bass has built a dedicated following statewide during the past decade, making Maine a favorite stop on their annual nationwide festival tour. Most recently, in July, the Krugers performed at a sold-out concert in Winterport to benefit the Union Meeting House.

In December, because of preliminary plans being made with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra for a large scale future collaboration, the Kruger Brothers return to Maine to meet with Maestro Xiao-Lu Li, who is in town for the “Nutcracker.”

The Kruger Brothers will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at Bangor Opera House to benefit Bangor Symphony Orchestra.

The Kruger Brothers – Uwe Kruger, Jens Kruger and Joel Landsberg – have been performing professionally for more than two decades. The concert will feature a preview of original compositions by Jens Kruger, suites written especially for the project between the Kruger Brothers and the Bangor Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets are $10, $7 for youth under 12 and seniors, and are available at the Bangor Opera House box office on Main Street or by calling 942-3333.

Lights of Remembrance

St. Joseph Hospital’s Auxiliary invites the community to remember and honor loved ones this holiday season by participating in the Lights of Remembrance program at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at St. Joseph Hospital’s Broadway entrance. The holiday celebration will include the lighting of the Remembrance Tree, holiday display, caroling with the Bangor Christian School Choir, holiday refreshments and a visit from Santa.

For a gift of $10 or more a special ornament with a loved one’s name on it will be placed on the Remembrance Tree in the hospital lobby. For a gift of $25 or more a special ornament with a loved one’s name on it will be placed on the Remembrance Tree, and a keepsake ornament will be provided. For a gift of $100 a special ornament with a loved one’s name on it will be placed on the Remembrance Tree annually, and a keepsake ornament will be provided annually.

All gifts are acknowledged in an album displayed in the hospital’s lobby. Those who wish to purchase a Light of Remembrance may pick up an order form at the St. Joseph Hospital front desk, at the gift shop, or call the St. Joseph Healthcare Public Affairs office at 262-1720.

Nonviolent communication

A workshop on “Nonviolent Communication” will be held 7:30-9 p.m. Dec. 2, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 3 and 9 a.m. Dec. 4, at the Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, 170 Park St.

The workshop will be conducted by Peggy Smith who has taught in Maine for 30 years. She has studied NVC with both Marshall Rosenberg and the Nonviolent Trainers Institutute. Participants may apply for 1.5 CEUs by attending all three sessions. Those interested in the Friday only session are asked to make a donation.

For Friday and Saturday, a registration fee of $60 is requested and for all three days, $100 (or $90 for Peace & Justice Center members). The workshop is a fundraiser for the Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine and WERU.

There also are upcoming workshops scheduled for Portland and Bar Harbor, and a five-day, 3-credit undergraduate course at University of Maine in Orono in late June. For more information or registration, contact Peggy Smith, 789-5299.

Nonviolent Communication, developed by Rosenberg, is intended to train people to practice Gandhi’s expansive loving kindness, which he considers the natural human consciousness.

Internet safety seminar

PC Dreams owner Kevin Lorin will conduct a public Internet safety seminar 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Bangor Public Library. The seminar is geared toward parents. Admission is free.

Children and younger adolescents are learning how to use computers faster than previous generations. Teaching children “safe surfing” practices not only decreases chances of fraud and identity theft, but also decreases chances of attack by virus and SPAM – unsolicited e-mail advertisements.

Refreshments will be served.

Holiday concert

The Bangor Community Chorus, under the direction of Joshua Schmersal, will present its 37th annual holiday concert at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, at First United Methodist Church, 703 Essex St. This is the second holiday concert for Schmersal, who joined the chorus as its conductor last year.

Accompanied by Naomi Hall, the chorus will sing a varied program that will include carols, and traditional and popular Christmas songs. The program will feature solos and duets.

Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. To obtain more information, visit www.maineguide,com/bangor/chorus/index.html.

Coats and Toys for Kids

Television stations WLBZ 2 and WCSH 6 will celebrate their annual Coats and Toys for Kids Day on Saturday, Dec. 3. Last year, the one-day rally brought more than 14,000 donated coats and 7,000 toys statewide. Event hosts are Hannaford stores and Shaw’s stores.

WCSH 6 and WLBZ 2 will broadcast live from seven locations statewide, starting at 6:45 a.m. and wrapping up after 1 p.m. Live broadcast sites for this year’s Coats and Toys for Kids Day are Hannaford stores in Biddeford, Westbrook, Skowhegan and Ellsworth; and Shaw’s stores in Freeport, Auburn and North Windham. However, coats and toys also may be dropped off at all Hannaford and Shaw’s stores in Greater Bangor.

The day is sponsored by the Maine Oil Dealers Association, which enables the Salvation Army to hire a driver and rent a truck to transport the donated coats. The Pepsi Co. provides collection boxes and bags. Pratt Abbott Cleaners donates the cleaning of the coats.

Clubs, businesses, churches and charitable organizations interested in adopting Coats for Kids as a holiday service project should e-mail communityrelations@wcsh6.com, or call 942-4821.

To request coats and toys, call the Salvation Army at 941-2990.

Brewer

Advent mini-retreat

Area women are invited to an Advent morning of reflection, “Draw Closer to Jesus,” presented by Sister Catherine Green, in preparation for Christmas. The event will be held 9:30 a.m.-noon Saturday, Dec. 10, at St. Teresa’s Parish Center, 436 South Main St. Registration and coffee will be 9-9:30 a.m. For information, call Ginny Bouchard, 825-4950, or Janet Tourigny, 989-7158.

Rock-a-thon

The first annual rock-a-thon will get into the swing of things 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Brewer Wal-Mart lawn and garden center. The event will benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.

Participants will receive a $5 Wal-Mart gift card for each $25 raised. Prizes also will be awarded. Lunch, snacks and beverages will be provided throughout the day.

And to keep the rockers from going off their rockers, hourly entertainment, including music and games, massage and reading material will be on the agenda.

Pledge forms must be turned in at the Wal-Mart service desk no later than Wednesday, Dec. 14.

Talented people are needed to entertain the rockers at the event, and extra rocking chairs are needed. To lend one, or to entertain, call Carol Lackedy at 989-5068, or 299-5186.

Old Town

Blood drive

A blood drive will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, at the Holy Family Parish Church in Old Town. The blood drive is dedicated to Estelle Levesque. For more information, call Helen at 827-4034.

Orono

Wreath-making workshops

The University of Maine’s Page Farm and Home Museum will hold its annual wreath-making workshops 5:30-8 p.m. Nov. 29 and Dec. 1, offering participants an opportunity to enjoy a hands-on start to the holiday season.

Local craftswoman Claire Ackroyd, who has been conducting wreath workshops at the museum for nearly 10 years, will offer both novice and expert wreath-makers the materials and instruction necessary to take home a decorative wreath to last for months, said Patricia Henner, Page Farm and Home Museum director.

A $15 charge covers the cost of materials – one 12-inch ring, balsam fir, cedar and white pine boughs, pine cones, berries and colored ribbon, in addition to light refreshments.

Because space limits participation to groups of 15 people for each of the two evening workshops, Henner encourages early registration.

“We already have several people signed up,” she said. “These workshops always fill up quickly. They’re very popular because people can create their own wreaths to hang over the holiday season or give as gifts.”

For people who wish to buy a locally made holiday wreath, Henner says the museum will be selling completed wreaths beginning Nov. 22 for $15, of which $6 is donated to help support the nonprofit, educational museum’s programs.

The prepared wreaths are made at local farms with five pounds of fresh, fragrant and hand-wrapped fir bough tips and are decorated with pine cones, berries and ribbon. They can be picked up at the museum or delivered locally free.

Call 581-4100 for reservations or more information.

Veazie

Christmas program

The missions committee of the Veazie Congregational Church will present A Victorian Christmas program at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the church, 1404 State St.

Ted Wallace of Enfield, a former teacher and radio personality, will give readings from the Victorian era, such as “The Night Before Christmas,” “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus,” “The Gift of the Magi,” and others.

The presentation is for the benefit of children. There is no admission fee, but those who attend the program are asked to bring an unwrapped gift for a child. Gift items may include toys, books and clothing.

After the program, Christmas songs will be sung and refreshments will be served.