Area holiday events will abound throughout the week and the Dublin Citizen has your go-to guide for holiday fun.
Light displays
Erath County United Way is bringing “Light up the Night, a Christmas Celebration” presented by Mangrum Air Conditioning.
The Light up the Night walking trail is 3/4 mile with iconic displays and light features in the Stephenville City Park.
There will be stops along the route for families to make s’mores and warm up with hot chocolate. The stroll through the park will be lined with trees, thousands of twinkling lights, animated displays along with a nativity scene and a huge singing Christmas Tree. There is also live entertainment each Saturday night at 7 p. m.
The trail is open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 2-4, Dec. 9-11 and Dec. 16-18.
Tickets are $10 for adults, children 12 and under are $5 and children under 2 are free with a ticketed adult.
Special pricing of 20% off available in advance for groups of 20 or more.
A synchronized light show is available in downtown Comanche throughout the holiday season. Visitors can tune their radio station to 87.9 radio to hear music that accompanies the lights.
The Tarleton State University Planetarium’s most popular holiday show, “The Mystery of the Christmas Star,” will run through Dec. 20. It investigates possible dates for the birth of Christ and examines recorded sightings of significant astronomical events at the time.
Shows are free and on a first come, first serve basis with limited capacity. The show is available at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, Monday, Dec. 5, Wednesday, Dec. 5, Thursday, Dec. 8, Thursday, Dec. 15, Monday, Dec. 19 and Tuesday, Dec. 20; 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 and Saturday, Dec. 17 and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12.
The planetarium is in the Lamar Johanson Science Building on the Stephenville campus.
The box office will open one hour before each show. Park after 6 p.m. in lot P-22/P-23, which is accessible from North Rome Street, across from the Recreation Sports Center.
Musical events
Tarleton State University’s Department of Performing Arts will present the Fort Worth Symphony, Cross Timbers Civic Chorale and University Singers in the annual Masterworks presentation at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center Auditorium.
Tickets are $25 and available at the box office from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 3. Call 254-968-9634.
Expect a grand evening with more than 150 musical performers, among them featured student soloists.
Granbury Theatre Company will conclude its 2022 Broadway on the Brazos season with “Miracle on 34th Street” Dec. 2-23, at the historic Granbury Opera House in downtown Granbury.
Regular performance times are 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. There are also extra weeknight performances on Dec. 2021.
Tickets are available now through the GTC box office at (817) 5790952 or online at www. granburytheatrecompany.org. Tickets are $35 for the floor and $30 for the balcony. Discounts are available for seniors aged 65 and older, active duty military service members, veterans, children, and students. Online and box office processing fees apply.
Gift wrapping/holiday shopping
Looking for someone to wrap your gifts? First United Methodist Church in Stephenville is hosting a fundraiser for TreeHouse, its after school program.
Each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday through Dec. 14 from 1-6 p.m. they are wrapping Christmas presents. Participants can bring their boxed Christmas gifts and have them wrapped. 1-7 gifts is $20, 8-15 gifts is $40, and more than 16 gifts is $50.
Only cash and checks are accepted and they will contact you once your presents are ready to be picked up.
The church is located at 422 W. Washington St.
Santa sightings
Tarleton State University’s W.K. Gordon Museum and Research Center will host Cookies with Santa from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4.
All boys and girls are invited for holiday cookies and to have their pictures made with Santa. Admission is free.
The W.K. Gordon Museum and Research Center, a facility of Tarleton State University, is at 65258 Interstate 20, Exit 367, in Mingus and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays and 1-4 p.m. Sundays. The combined museum and special collections library is located at the site of the Thurber ghost town.
Holiday help
Cars and Coffee and Stephenville Downtown Merchants are working together by collecting toys for children in need. New, unwrapped toys will be collected at the courthouse from 7-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3.
All donations will go to Choices Clinic of Stephenville.
Other holiday fun
There will be a Run with Rudolph 5K and Fun Run hosted by the Cross Timbers Business Professional Women for their annual fundraiser. The race is $25 for the 5K in advance and $20 for the 1 mile fun run. Race day costs are $5 added to the above fees.
Check in will be 7:308:15 a.m. and the race begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 at Stephenville City Park.
The 2nd annual Candy Cane Classic Small Ruminant Jackpot Show sponsored by Tarleton State University Block and Bridle will be held Saturday, Dec. 4 at the Tarleton Agriculture Center Teaching Pavilion.
The scales open at 8:30 a.m. and weight cards are due at 9:30 a.m.
The show kicks off at 10 a.m. with showmanship filled by Ring A and Ring B. Showmanship Classes includes peewee, junior, intermediate and senior.
Market Goat Classes include light weight, medium weight and heavy weight.
Market Sheep Classes include fine wool, fine wool cross, southdown, dorper and medium wool. Entry fees are $25 per head per ring, and $5 at the gate for showmanship with 100% payout.
Awards also include buckles, banners and buckets. This event is open and free to the public for anyone who would like to attend and watch.
Comanche County Historical Society and Museum will host its open house from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3.
The Class of ’57 Band will perform and there will be snacks and delicious desserts.
It is located at 402 Moorman Road.