D O W N T O W NS

HOL IDAY

2015

Ring in the season with the96T H ANNUAL MAYORS HOL IDAY CEL EBR AT ION AND T REE L IGH T ING

This spectacular,

FREE event is a holiday

tradition of music,

fireworks and family

fun. Featuring critically-

acclaimed performer and

seven Grammy Award

winner Al Jarreau! And

RaeLynn, The Voice

season 2 alumnus and

Baytown native!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4

City Hall in Hermann Square

6 to 8 pm

houstontx.gov

Located in the heart of downtown,

The Theater District will host

special performances to Houstons

largest family-friendly New Years

Eve celebration.

NEW YE ARS EVET HURSDAY, DECEMBER 31

Theater District, Downtown Houston7 pm to midnight

FREE PERFORMANCES AT THE ALLEY

THEATER AND WORTHAM THEATER, A

SPECIAL KIDS COUNTDOWN AT JONES

PL AZ A, BUBBLY GARDEN PLUS LIVE MUSIC

BY THE TONTONS AND THE WORLDS

GREATEST PART Y BAND, THE B52S!

newyearsevehouston.org

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MISTLE TOE ON THE GO

SHOP DOWNTOWN

SIGNAT URE EVENTS

FAMILY FUN

THE ICE AT DISCOVERY GREEN

THEATER & CONCERTS

GE T TING AROUND DOWNTOWN & MAP

INSIDE...

MISTLE TOE ON THE GO

SHOP DOWNTOWN

SIGNAT URE EVENTS

FAMILY FUN

THE ICE AT DISCOVERY GREEN

THEATER & CONCERTS

GE T TING AROUND DOWNTOWN & MAP

M I S T L E T O E O N T H E G O !Pucker upTexas biggest mistletoe ball is coming back to downtown this holiday season. Mistletoe on the Go!, a 150-inch ball of kiss-inducing greenery hanging from a 15-foot giant candy cane, will be located at downtowns hippest park destinations for a tour of holiday cheer. Passersby

are invited to stand under the massive ball and kissjust because! Share your smooches using #XOmistletoe.

Nov 30-Dec 16 Market Square Park Dec 17-Jan 3 Discovery Green

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G R E E N S T R E E TShopping, dining and entertainment... the ultimate downtown destination for fun and frolicking! GreenStreet is located at 1201 Fannin and spans three city blocks. greenstreetdowntown.com

T H E S H O P S A T H O U S T O N C E N T E RPower shopping has never been so easy at The Shops at Houston Center. While youre at it, be sure to grab some lunch at the best food court in town. The Shops at Houston Center is located at 1200 McKinney. shopsathc.com

P H O E N I C I A S P E C I A L T Y F O O D SA foodie paradise, Phoenicia is also a great place to buy wine, sweets and amazing gifts. For the perfect party or group get-together, reserve a spot for your event at MKT BAR. The loca-

tion is great, parking is complimentary and

of course the boutique wines, tasty brews and fabulous food will have your guests clamoring for more.

Located at 1001 Aus-tin between McKinney

and Lamar. yumstop.com

DOWNTOWN

SPEND $10 OR MORE AT ANY OF THE GREENSTREET RETAILERS AND RESTAURANTS, AND ASK FOR A FREE PARKING VOUCHER ON SATURDAYS FROM 10 AM TO 5 PM AND ON SUNDAYS FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM.

When exiting the garage, give the free parking voucher along with your purchase receipt of $10 or more and your parking ticket to the attendant in the booth. You must exit the garage before 5:15 pm on Saturdays or 6:15 pm on Sundays or regular parking rates will apply. Free parking vouchers must be used on the same day of purchase.

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S DOWNTOWNSHHOOPP

ONE-OF-A-KIND

D E S I G N C R A F T: A I G A H O U S T O N S 6 H A N N U A L M A R K E TDec 5 DesignCraft is AIGA Hous-tons 6th annual outdoor market featuring the work of local artists, crafters, creatives and more. The one-day event allows Houstonians to discover local, well-designed and crafted goods in their city, and gives vendors an opportunity to sell their work. This year, guests will also enjoy live music and local food trucks. 10 am-5 pm. Market Square Park, 301 Milam. designcrafthtx.com

D I S C O V E R Y G R E E N F L E A Dec 19, Jan 9 Find last-minute, unique gifts at this special outdoor market featuring vintage clothing, antiques and jewelry! Plus enjoy live music, food trucks and more. 11 am-5 pm. Discovery Green, 1500 McKin-ney. discoverygreen.com

DOWNTOWN

ONE-OF-A-KIND

5

Holiday Gifts

DOWNTOWN

2 9 T H A N N U A L W O R T H A M T R E E L I G H T I N G C E R E M O N Y Nov 25 Families will delight in the 29th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Wortham Theater Center as cos-tumed characters from Houston Bal-lets The Nutcracker greet the public for the occasion, which has become a holiday tradition for many. 11 am-1 pm. Free. Wortham Center, 501 Texas. worthamcenter.org

6 6 T H A N N U A L H - E - B T H A N K S G I V I N G D AY PA R A D ENov 26 The Houston Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1949, when Santa arrived at Union Station and rode his sleigh to the downtown Foleys.Free.9 am. Begins at Smith at Lamar. houstonthanksgivingparade.org

M AY O R S H O L I D AY C E L E B R A T I O N A N D T R E E L I G H T I N G P R E S E N T E D B Y R E L I A N TDec 4 Ring in the season with the Mayors Holiday Celebration and Tree Lighting presented by Reliant onFriday, December 4,in the heart of Downtown Houston. The spectacular

event is a holiday tradition of music, fireworks and family fun. A tower-ing holiday tree, glowing with energy efficient LED lights, shimmering ornaments and a stunning star topper will light up the streets of Downtown Houston this holiday season. Free.6 pm. Hermann Square at City Hall. houstontx.gov

C H A N U K A H F E S T 2 0 1 5

Dec 6 This will be an event you dont want to miss as The City of Hous-ton co-sponsors

the fabulous

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EEVENTSTE TE SV N

structure. All entertainment is free and open to the public! 10 am- 4:30 pm. Hermann Square at City Hall, 901 Bagby. aiahouston.org

5 3 R D A N N U A L C A N D L E L I G H T T O U RDec 12-13 Imagine cool nights, warm fires, twinkling lights, and a cup of cocoa in hand. Each year, The Heritage Society decorates its historic buildings to reflect holiday traditions from different periods in Houstons past. In addition to touring homes, guests will interact with historic characters, participate in childrens activities in Santas Workshop, and learn about Hous-tons early residents, cultures, and customs. This is a perfect way to share the holidays with friends and family.Adults $10, seniors (65+) $8, students (ages 6-18) $5, chil-dren 5 and under are free. 5-9 pm. The Heritage Society, 1100 Bagby Street. heritagesociety.org

Chanukah Fest 2015 in front of City Hall. Highlights include a live concert by the 8th Day Band, live entertainment, dozens of fun activities for kids and adults, a dazzling food quarter, Judah the Maccabee Live Statue & Dreidel Mascot, and much more. The event will conclude with a grand lighting of the City Hall Menorah for the first night of Chanukah. Free.2 pm. City Hall. chanukahinhouston.com

2 0 1 5 G I N G E R B R E A D B U I L D - O F FDec 12 Over 30 competing teams will create their masterpieces using 100 percent edible materials. More than 3,000 spectators are expected to attend and cheer on the teams, play in the kids construction zone, and see Santa! Team registration is open to local architecture firms, design professionals, students, and enthusiasts seeking the coveted Grand Prix de Show for their edible

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EVENTS

On-street parking in downtown is FREE all day on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day. Please note that restricted areas, marked in RED or with RED METER BAGS, are still prohibited parking!

3 2 N D A N N U A L T O T A L J I N G L E B E L L R U N & W A L KDec 13 Get in shape and sup-port a great cause during the 2015 Total Jingle Bell Run and Walk. The event, which includes more than 7,000 participants of all ages, benefits the Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA Annual Campaign. Participants in the event are encouraged to wear holiday costumes as they make their way through the city streets. A kids fun run for children 13 and under, a 3-mile family walk, and a 5-mile adult run will be offered. Festivities include a costume contest, live music, kids zone, food trucks and more. See website for regis-

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Dontforget!

tration information. 11 am. The Tellepsen Family YMCA, 808 Pease. ymcahouston.org

H O U S T O N F I R S T P R E S E N T S N E W Y E A R S E V EDec 31 Located in the heart of downtown, the Theater District will host special performances to Houstons largest family-friendly New Years Eve celebration.Free performances at the Alley Theater and Wortham Theater, a special Kids Countdown at Jones Plaza, Bubbly Garden plus live music by The Tontons and the worlds greatest party band, the B52s! Free.7pm. Theater Dis-trict.newyearsevehouston.org

FOR HELP FINDING SURFACE LOTS, GARAGE PARKING OR

ON-STREET METERS, VISIT DOWNTOWNHOUSTONPARKING.ORG.

S A I L I N G S A N T AReleased Nov 16 Saint Arnolds Sailing Santa brew began its life when fans requested to blend half a pint of Elissa IPA with half a pint of Christmas Ale. This year, Sailing Santa is returning with a toasty tweak, blending the Elissa IPA and Christmas Ale pre-fermentation and adding just a pinch of cinna-mon. The result is a spiced Sailing Santa that is great to drink by itself but also an amazing beer to pair with foods, especially holiday reci-pes. Taste this holiday treat at the Saturday tours! $8. 11 am-2 pm. Saint Arnold Brewing Company, 2000 Lyons. saintarnold.com

A L L A B O A R D !Nov 30-Dec 31 The Petroleum Club of Houston and Brookfield have partnered to put the Petro-leum Club Holiday Train on dis-play for the downtown community to view during the holiday season. Total Plaza (Street Level Lobby), 1201 Louisiana Street. Weekdays, 8 am-6 pm. artsbrookfield.com

S A N T A PA W SDec 5Bring your pets, family and friends to visit and take photos with Santa, and to experience the holidays at GreenStreet. Free.12 pm-3pm. GreenStreet, 1201 Fan-nin.greenstreetdowntown.com

S E A S O N S R E A D I N G S A T H P LDec 5 Celebrate the winter season with family friendly, literary-inspired programs as part of HPLs Seasons Readings! In this years program Aurora Picture Show presentsFan-tastic Journeys: Animated Shorts featuring films from the Childrens Film Festival Seattle 2015. Join a space-alien potato on his zany adventures, witness the creation of the alphabet, sing along with a brave little octopus, and grow up along with a rebellious daughter made of frosting, in this vibrant celebration of creativity. Free.3 pm. Houston Public Librarys Julia Ideson Build-ing, 550 McKinney St. houstonlibrary.org

BBP has cute dog leashes and portable water bowls for your furry friend. Or for the guy in your life, try the delicious Bayou Blend from Katz Coffee and a silk tie with the iconic buffalo. All proceeds benefit the upkeep of the beautifully reno-vated, Buffalo Bayou. buffalobayou.org

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G I F TI D E A

Family

installing the street-smart Valentine in his position. When Winthorpe and Valentine uncover the scheme, they set out to turn the tables on the Dukes. Free. 7 pm. 301 Milam. marketsquarepark.com

Y U M M Y ! W O N D E R -L A N D I N T E R N A T I O N A L H O L I D AY F E S T I VA L & B R U N C H W I T H S A N T A S A T U R D AYDec 12 Go global and give back this holiday season! Celebrate with an international holiday festival and brunch highlighting art, music, traditions and customs from around the globe. Entertain the family with holiday crafts, cookie decorating, cultural performances and live music. Bring a toy to donate towards the Houston Fire Departments (HFD) Operation Stocking Stuffer and snap a photo with Santa. Tickets are $15 (adults) and $8 (children, ages 4-12 years old). 9 am-3 pm. Phoenicia Specialty Foods Down-town, 1001 Austin St. yummywonderland.eventbrite.com

B R E A K F A S T W I T H S A N T ADec 12-13, 19-24 Have a deli-cious breakfast buffet with Santa and Sharkey! Dont miss out - you

U N S I L E N T N I G H TDec 10 Join UH Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts and Buffalo Bayou Partnership for an interactive holiday event, Unsi-lent Night, a soundscape played by the audience on boom boxes carried through the trails of Buf-falo Bayou Park. Free.6 pm. The Water Works, 105 Sabine Street. buffalobayou.org

T R A D I N G P L A C E S A T M A R K E T S Q U A R E PA R KDec 11 Come hang out at the park for Trading Places. In fact, it really is a Christmas movie as the season plays a big part in many scenes and even some motivations for some the leads. Leads? Oh. Just Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykyroyd at the top of their games. Upper-crust executive Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) and down-and-out hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) are the subjects of a bet by successful brokers Mortimer (Don Ameche) and Randolph Duke (Ralph Bellamy). An employee of the Dukes, Winthorpe is framed by the brothers for a crime he didnt commit, with the siblings then

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may see Santa and his elves swimming with the fish! Photo ops also available. Reservations required. Downtown Aquarium, 410 Bagby. downtownaquarium.com

H O L I D AY S T O R Y T I M EDec 19Listen to holiday stories, make arts and crafts, and have some gingerbread!Free.3 pm.Central Library, 500 McK-inney. houstonlibrary.org

H O U S T O N R O C K E T S V S . S A N A N T O N I O S P U R SDec 25 Bring the family down-town on Christmas Day and cheer on your Houston Rockets and they take on in-state rivals, the San Antonio Spurs. Toyota Center, 1510 Polk. houstonrockets.com

S H A R K E Y S N E W Y E A R S E V EDec 31 Celebrate the New Year with Sharkey and the rest of his underwater friends complete with a buffet, balloon drop, contests & giveaways for the whole family! Reservations required.TIME? Downtown Aquarium, 410 Bagby. downtownaquarium.com

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H O U S T O N R O C K E T S V S . G O L D E N S T A T E W A R R I O R SDec 31 Countdown to the new year with the Houston Rockets as they take on the Golden State Warriors. Toyota Center, 1510 Polk. houstonrockets.com

N E W Y E A R S E V E S O U L C E L E B R A T I O N A T M K T B A RDec 31 Enjoy the best local funk, soul, Motown bands and DJs to get the New Year hopping right! Admission includes YUMMY! light bites, a champagne toast at midnight, live music and more surprises. General admission tick-ets $50, VIP packages with table reservations, bottle service and party favors $100 and up. 9 pm. Complimentary parking is avail-able in the One Park Place garage. Enter on McKinney. MKT Bar, 1001 Austin Street. mktbar.com

S AV E T H E D A T E ! L U N A R N E W Y E A R Feb 7 Celebrate the Lunar New Year at Discovery Green with performances by DJ Sun and oth-ers. 6 -10 pm. Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney. 713.400.7336. discoverygreen.com

Nov 25- Feb 7 Ice skating returns to Downtown Houston this holiday season! Lace up your skates and get ready for a memorable winter experience at Discovery Green. The 7,716 square-foot ice skating surface is the largest in the Southwest. Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney. discoverygreen.com/ice

$14 includes skate rental and tax. Skating time limited to 1 hours on all school holidays* and weekends. Tickets are available for purchase in- person at The ICE. $30 Speed Pass includes priority entrance, skate rental and tax (avail-able online only). A portion of ticket sales goes to support Discovery Green Conservancys free year-round programming.

F R O S T I VA L ! Nov 24 Winter arrives with a park-wide celebration! Featuring Reverend Butter, Juan Carlos the Montrose Rollerblader, live music, ice sculp-tures and more. 6-10 pm. R A I N B O W O N I C EJan 22 The annual city-wide LGBT celebration returns to The ICE! Celebrate the season with the ultimate dance party and electrifying entertainment. 7-10 pm.

C H E A P S K A T E N I G H T S Select Mondays, 4-10 pm. Glide around The ICE for just $7 plus tax. T W O S T E P T U E S D AY STuesdays, 6-10 pm. Grab your dance partner for a boot scootin good time on the Anheuser-Busch Stage. Line dancing lessons by instructors from Neon Boots from 7-8 pm. Dec 1-Feb 2.

@ D I S C O V E RY G RE E N

FRI, SAT, SCHOOL HOLIDAYS*

MON THURS

SUNDAY

THANKSGIVING DAY

CHRISTMAS EVE

CHRISTMAS DAY

NEW YEARS EVE

NEW YEARS DAY

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

11 AM 11 PM

4 10 PM

11 AM 8 PM

11 AM 11 PM

11 AM 7 PM

1 11 PM

11 AM 8 PM

1 11 PM

11 AM 10 PM

*SCHOOL HOLIDAYS INCLUDE: 11/26, 11/27, 11/28, 12/22, 12/23, 12/28, 12/29, 12/30, 12/31, 1/4, 1/5

THE ICE RINK WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ON 12/6 AND 2/6 AT 4 PM.

HOURS OF OPERATION

THE ICETHE ICE

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W E E K LY S K AT E E V E N T S

ART

J A Z Z N I G H T S O N I C EWednesdays, 7-9 pm. Jam to jazzy tunes on the ICE with Houston mu-sician and skating Jazzman, Jawad. Sponsored by Ice Rink Events. Nov 25-Feb 3.

B A N K O F A M E R I C A S C R E E N O N T H E G R E E NThursdays, 7 pm. Skate or sit and catch a free flick! Special pricing on ICE tickets for Bank of America card holders available. See website for full movie list. Nov 26-Feb 4.

H O T N I G H T S O N I C EFridays, 7-10 pm. Mix, mingle and turn up the heat. Nov 27-Feb 5.

S A N T A S K A T E S !Saturdays, 4-5 pm. Selfies with Santa on skates! Bring your camera for pictures with the jolly man in red! Nov 28-Dec 19.

H O U S T O N S K A T I N G S T A R ZSundays, 6-6:15 pm. Houstons top figure skaters dazzle. See website for performers. Dec 3 and 13, Jan 3-31.

L O S T R O M P O S

Now-Mar 22 This interactive exhibition created by M

exico City designers

Ignacio Cadena and Hctor Esrawe, features 20 larger-t

han-life, brilliantly colored

trompos, or spinning tops, in a variety of shapes and

sizes. Check website for

workshops and performances.

F I E L D O F L I G H T

Nov 24-Feb 21 Bruce Munros magical Field of Light r

eturns to Discovery Green.

This site-specific art installation comprises 4,500 radian

t, frosted glass spheres

atop slender stems connected by illuminated fiber optic

. The Field of Light

creates a gentle wave of color under Discovery Greens c

entury-old live oak trees.

Check website for workshops and performances.

F R I D AY N I G H T S I G H T S !

Nov 27-Mar 18 Experience Los

Trompos or Field of Light through

performances by Houston artists

created especially for these mag-

nificent works of art. Every Friday

night. Free. 7 pm.

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Cant MissART INSTALL ATIONS

A C H R I S T M A S C A R O L A G H O S T S T O R Y O F C H R I S T M A S Nov 20-Dec 28 A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas returns this year with a re-telling of Charles Dickens classic story, which follows Ebenezer Scrooges journey with the three ghostly spirits that visit him on Christ-mas Eve. Tickets $35-$70. Alley Theatre, 615 Texas. alleytheatre.org

2 9 T H A N -N U A L W O R T H A M T R E E L I G H T I N G C E R -E M O N Y Nov 25 Families will delight in the 29th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Wortham Theater Center as costumed characters from Houston Ballets The Nutcracker greet the public for the occasion, which has become a holiday tradition for many. 11 am-1 pm. Free. Wortham Center, 501 Texas. worthamcenter.org

T H E N U T C R A C K E RNov 27-Dec 27 Journey with Clara as she dances on the arm of the Nutcracker Prince to the stunning Land of Snow and the delectable Kingdom of Sweets. There are so many reasons to de-light in The Nutcracker: the giant Christmas tree, the dancing dolls, Mother Ginger and her adorable clowns, the lavish sets and the iconic Tchaikovsky score. This

year the Houston Ballet will bid farewell to Ben Stevensons beloved production of The Nutcracker as they prepare to premiere a new version by Artistic Director Stanton Welch in 2016. Tickets $29-$119. Wortham Center, 501 Texas. houstonballet.org

L A T I N C H R I S T M A S Dec 3 The Latin Philharmonic will present its annual Latin Christmas concert to celebrate the happiest time of year. Venezuelan maestro, Glenn Garrido, will lead the orchestra who will be joined by special guests Rafael Pollo Brito, Maria Rivas and Robert Gonzalez. Tickets start at $15. 7:30 pm. Wortham Center, 501 Texas Ave. houstonlatinphil.org

H O M E A L O N EDec 4 Give your holiday a little laughter with Home Alone, the beloved comedy favorite featuring renowned composer John Williams

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charming and delightful score per-formed live to picture. Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCal-lister, an 8-year-old boy whos accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation, and who must defend his home against two bungling thieves. Home Alone is must-see hilarious holiday fun for the entire family! Tickets start at $35. 7:30 pm. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. houstonsymphony.org

J U B I L E E O F D A N C EDec 4 Houston Ballet will present Jubilee of Dance, a one-night-only event showcasing the depth and range of the company in a program of premieres and high-energy excerpts from signa-ture works and beloved classics.

Wortham Center, 501 Texas. houstonballet.org

T H E L I T T L E P R I N C EDec 4 Join HGO for all the joy and wonder of Antoine de Saint-Exuprys classic story, The Little Prince. After being forced to land his plane in the Sahara desert a pilot is awakened by the gentle but determined voice of a little prince with a strange his-tory. The two become unlikely friends, and while experiencing lessons from the deserts many creatures, together they discover what is essential in life. Dont miss this adventure-filled family experience during the holiday season. Tickets start at $48. Wortham Center, 501 Texas. houstongrandopera.org

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T H E S A N T A L A N D D I A R I E SDec 4-31 Company artist Todd Waite reprises his role as Crum-pet the Elf in the outlandish, and true, chronicles of David Sedaris experience as a worker in Macys SantaLand display. This compact, one-character comedy is a hilarious cult classic, featur-ing comic encounters during the height of the holiday crunch. Tickets $35. Alley Theatre, 615 Texas. alleytheatre.org

A C H R I S T M A S S T O R Y Dec 8-20 Prepare yourself for an all-American Christmas in the holiday show heralded by the Associated Press as a charming triumph infused with utter joy. In this clever musical adaptation of the 1983 comedic film, we follow the childhood dreams and schemes of little Ralphie, whose

heart is set on getting one thing and one thing only for Christmas - the official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle. With its timeless scenes, quirky innocence and nostalgic warmth, this musical trip down memory lane will leave the whole family bright-eyed and buoyant. Its far and away the most fun youll have this holiday season! Tickets start at $37.75. Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. tuts.com

T H E H O T S A R D I N E SDec 10 Without a doubt one of the highlights of the Christmas performance season will be when New York Citys Hot Sardines performs its Holiday Stomp a hot jazz performance that gives voice to the history-defining jazz of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. The program will include White Christmas, Le Nol de la Rue, Mele Kelikimaka, Please Come

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Home for Christmas and more! Tickets $33-$63. 8:00 pm. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. spahouston.org

V E R Y M E R R Y P O P SDec 11-13 Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year at the Houston Symphony with Very Merry Pops, now in its 15th season! Bring your family and friends and rejoice in this Houston holiday tradition with Mike, the orchestra, the chorusand some special guests who may drop by to join in on the festive fun. Enjoy favorites like O Come, All Ye Faithful, Carol of the Bells and Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, as well as songs from Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Tickets start at $35. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. houstonsymphony.org

A F R O S T Y A N D F R O Z E N C H R I S T M A SDec 12 Bundle up! Tempera-tures are dropping in a decked-out Jones Hall as we celebrate the magic of the holiday season, including a special guest who may drop by to partake in the

festive fun. Sing along to Frosty the Snowman, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and rejoice in Queen Elsas reflective personal journey Let it Go from Disneys Frozen. Join us as we remember what makes this time of year so specialand a bit frosty! Tickets start at $22. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. houstonsymphony.org

H A N D E L S M E S S I A HDec 17-20 Experience the time-less Christmas tradition of this Baroque masterpiece with the finest performances of Handels Messiah in Houston. Full of glorious choruses and moving solos, this grand oratorio tells the story of the first Christmas through some of Handels most inspired works, including Evry Valley Shall Be Exalted, O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion and the famous Hal-lelujah chorus. Tickets start at $29. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. houstonsymphony.org

S T R I K I N G 1 2Dec 17-23 On New Years Eve, an over-worked and under-inspired single guy whos had

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enough of holiday cheer makes a resolution: to stay home and go to bed early. On another New Years Eve, a continent away and more than a century earlier Hans Christian Andersens Little Match Girl tries unsuc-cessfully to sell her matches in the snow. The two stories are brought together when a young woman selling special full-spectrum holiday light bulbs to combat seasonal affective disorder shows up at the grumpy mans door. Though the man (who probably could use the bulbs) seems to enjoy the young womans company, he sends her away. Its not until he reads The Little Match Girl that he is finally pulled out of his funk. All of this unfolds through a tuneful pop/rock/jazz score that retains the vibrant style of its original performers: the celebrated band, GrooveLily. Tickets start at $25. Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. tutsunderground.com

T R A N S S I B E R I A N O R C H E S T R ADec 18 The famous rock orchestra known for its elaborate concerts and pyrotechnics is back in Houston for two holiday shows. The group includes an orchestral string section, full

rock band, multiple vocalists, a narrator, extensive pyrotechnics, a stunning laser and light show, and a snowfall! Tickets $34-$74. Toyota Center, 1510 Polk. toyotacentertix.com

S H E N Y U NDec 22-Jan 2 There was a time when the world was full of magic and splendor, as if all on Earth existed in harmony with Heaven. You could see it in the arts, feel it in the air, and hear it in the beat of a drum. This was a land of heroes and sages, dragons and phoenixes, emperors and immortals. Known today as China, this place was once called the Middle Kingdom and the Land of the Divine. Shen Yun invites you to experi-ence this divine culture of the Middle Kingdom by bringing the profound spirit of this lost civilization to life on stage with unrivaled artistic mastery. Every dance movement, every musical note, makes this a stunning visual and emotional experi-ence you wont find anywhere else. See for yourself why this performance is leaving millions around the world in awe. Tickets $70.50-$206.50. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. joneshall.org

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Lamar

La B

ranc

h

MARKET SQUARE PARK

WORTHAMTHEATER

ALLEYTHEATRE

JONESHALL

CITY HALL/HERMANN SQUARE

HOBBYCENTER

DOWNTOWNAQUARIUM

BAYOU PLACE

GREENSTREET

START

FINISH

DISCOVERY GREEN

TOYOTA CENTER

PHOENICIA

THE SHOPS ATHOUSTON CENTER

HERITAGE SOCIETY/SAM HOUSTON PARK

CENTRALLIBRARY

MAIN STREETSQUARE STATION

MAIN STREETSQUARE STATION

PRESTONSTATION

UH DOWNTOWNSTATION

BELLSTATION

DOWNTOWNTRANSIT CENTER

Lamar

MARKETSQUAREPARK

GREENSTREET

G R E E N L I N KMonday through Friday from 6:30 am- 6:30 pm catch GREENLINK to get to your holiday destinations for FREE!

H O U S T O N B C Y C L EDitch your car and ride a bike to all your holiday hot spots this season! Daily, weekly and annual memberships available with over twelve convenient stations located throughout Downtown Houston. houston.bcycle.com

PA R K I N GThere are affordable parking optionsgarages, surface lots and on-street park-ing convenient to your destination, whether it be a restaurant or event. On-street, metered parking is available during the day on most downtown streets. The meters accept cash and credit cards or you can pay-by-phone; hourly prices vary depending on location. Meters are FREE after 6 pm

GET WHERE YOU NEED TO...FAST!

T IP A BCycle annual membership

makes a great stocking stuffer

or secret Santa gift!

Downtown

Lamar

La B

ranc

h

MARKET SQUARE PARK

WORTHAMTHEATER

ALLEYTHEATRE

JONESHALL

CITY HALL/HERMANN SQUARE

HOBBYCENTER

DOWNTOWNAQUARIUM

BAYOU PLACE

GREENSTREET

START

FINISH

DISCOVERY GREEN

TOYOTA CENTER

PHOENICIA

THE SHOPS ATHOUSTON CENTER

HERITAGE SOCIETY/SAM HOUSTON PARK

CENTRALLIBRARY

MAIN STREETSQUARE STATION

MAIN STREETSQUARE STATION

PRESTONSTATION

UH DOWNTOWNSTATION

BELLSTATION

DOWNTOWNTRANSIT CENTER

Lamar

MARKETSQUAREPARK

GREENSTREET

Monday-Saturday and all day Sun-day. DO NOT park in valet zones or commercial zones (marked with red meters or red striping on the street). Please always read the signs before you park! For help finding surface lots, garage parking or on-street meters, visit downtownhoustonparking.org.

THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE ROUTE

BCYCLE STATIONS

T IP On-street parking is free all day

on City of Houston holidays

Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day

and New Years Day.

T IP If you dont have the ParkMobile App, then download it NOW!! It is a

pay-by-phone parking option that makes on-street parking (and even

in some parking lots) so much easier. Get automatic notifications to warn you about your meter expiring, or extend your parking session

from your phone without ever having to leave dinner or the show!

DOWNTOWN MAP

D O W N T O W NS

HOL IDAY

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D O W N T O W NH O U S T O N . O RG