HIGH LINE HOLIDAY CONCERT
Friends of the High Line goes off their elevated grid and onto “one of our favorite neighborhood sites” — when they bring their annual holiday event to nearby Leandra’s Garden. There will be free hot chocolate and holiday treats, and the chance to shop at a pop-up Artisans Fair presented by the Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts (PRIDA). Aurora Flores and the Zon del Barrio orchestra (zondelbarrio.com) will play dance style classic Afro-Boricua music, and the West Village’s own Valerie Ghent (valghent.com) will put a holiday twist on some of her funky, jazz-infused originals.
Free. Sat., Dec. 12, 2:30–4 p.m. in Leandra’s Garden (at the park behind 431 W. 17th St., btw. Ninth & 10th Aves., Fulton Houses). In case of rain, meet at the 14th St. Passage (on the High Line, W. 14th St. &10th Ave.). Visit thehighline.org. Follow @highlinenyc on Twitter for updates.
CHANUKAH MENORAH & HOLIDAY PARTY IN CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE PARK
One old tradition deserves a relatively new one — and that’s exactly what happened this past Sunday, when blessings were recited, songs were chanted, and the West 400 Block Association marked its second year of sponsoring a Chanukah menorah in Clement Clarke Moore Park (W. 22nd St. & 10th Ave.). The Association’s holiday party happens in the park at 1 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 19. After enjoying refreshments while decorating a tree (donated by Tom’s Trees, of W. 22nd St. & Ninth Ave.), neighbor Tony Torn will perform a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.”
The menorah will be lit daily, from 5 p.m. through dawn, for the duration of the festival. For info, email w400ba@gmail.com.
NYC COMMUNITY CHORUS WINTER CONCERT
A yearlong 20th anniversary celebration concert series comes to a close, at this Dec. 12 presentation from the Chelsea-based New York Community Chorus. “In Search of a Vision” references the Native American Vision Quest — a rite of passage on the path to spiritual growth that resonates with Chorus director and co-founder, Jack Eppler. “Twenty years ago,” he recalls, “I had this idea that anyone could sing. That was my vision. So we started a no-audition chorus that turns no one away. Here we are in our transition to a third decade, in a vastly different Chelsea, and our mission of restoring singing to the community still resonates.” The concert’s centerpiece is American composer John McDowell’s “Woods Suite.” A meditation on finding meaning through contact with nature, it incorporates music from the Native American, African, and Middle Eastern traditions.
Sat., Dec. 12, 5 p.m. at Church of the Holy Apostles (296 Ninth Ave. at W. 28th St.). Suggested donation, $12. Visit nycccha.org.
PENN SOUTH CERAMICS STUDIO HOLIDAY SHOW
Mom may still treasure that poorly painted, lopsided pencil holder you made as a kid — but the time has come to seriously upgrade the quality of your handmade gifts. Taking classes at Penn South Ceramics Studio will do the trick, eventually. In the meantime, their Holiday Show (and sale!) puts a reasonable price tag on one-of-a-kind bowls, plates, vases, mugs, platters, and jewelry created by Studio students and instructors.
Sat., Dec. 12 & Sun., Dec. 13, from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. in the Penn South Ceramics Studio (in Building 6B, 276 Ninth Ave., at the northeast corner of W. 26th St.). For more info, email them at pennsouthceramics@gmail.com or visit pennsouthceramics.com.
CAROLING WITH THE W. 300 BLOCK ASSOCIATION
You’ve heard of singing for your supper? This is caroling for cocoa — hot chocolate, specifically, which will be waiting (along with other goodies) at the tail end of the 300 West 23rd, 22nd, 21st Block Association’s annual caroling stroll. Don’t feel like joining, but want to listen? Stake out a spot in front of PS 11 (W. 21st St., btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.), which event organizers assert is known for its “excellent acoustics.” The brass quartet in tow will settle the matter.
Meet in the lobby of 360 W. 22nd St. (btw. 8th & 9th Aves.) at 6 p.m. on Wed., Dec. 16. For more info, email 300wba@gmail.com.
CANDLELIGHT CAROL SERVICE
The nondenominational Chelsea Community Church’s 41st Annual Candlelight Carol Service offers spiritual reflection, scripture lessons, and congregational singing. Under the direction of Larry J. Long and accompanied by organist Christopher Houlihan and a string quartet, the choir’s selections include Hans Leo Hassler’s “Dixit Maria” and a playful arrangement of “Ding! Dong! Merrily on High” by Swedish composer Anders Öhrwall. Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. (from HBO’s “The Wire”) will read Clement Clarke Moore’s beloved poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” — in the church that stands on the very land that was part of Moore’s estate.
Sun., Dec. 13, 6 p.m. at St. Peter’s Chelsea (346 W. 20th St., btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.). Free (offerings accepted). For info, call 212-886-5463 or visit chelseachurch.org.
–BY SCOTT STIFFLER
