Around Town (11/21/16)
Turkey giveaway
Five hundred turkeys will be given away at noon Monday at the Merced County Fairgrounds grandstand, an annual tradition organized by Greg Hostetler in memory of his wife, Cathie. The Hostetlers have given away turkeys in Merced and Los Banos for more than 30 years. You must have identification and there is a limit of one turkey per household. For more information, email hostetlerturkeys@gmail.com.
Atwater Christmas parade
Atwater’s annual Christmas parade is set for 7 p.m. Dec. 2 beginning in downtown Atwater and concluding with a visit from Santa at the Bloss House, Broadway and First Street. The fee for parade entries is $35 and applications are available online at www.atwaterchamberofcommerce.com or at BBVA Compass Bank, 1329 Broadway, Atwater. For more information, call the Atwater Chamber of Commerce at 209-358-4251 or email info@atwaterchamberofcommerce.com.
Nativity festival
Enjoy a collection of more than 300 nativity scenes from around the world from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2; 2 to 9 p.m. Dec. 3-4; and 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There will be Christmas concerts at 7 p.m. Dec. 2-3 featuring local artists. The church is at 1080 E. Yosemite Ave., Merced.
Big Band Jazz Concert
The Merced College Jazz Ensemble’s Big Band Jazz Concert, featuring Kandyce Drake, Mark Naylor and Rod Harris, is set for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Merced College Theater. Tickets are $8 in advance and can be purchased at the college bookstore and Gottschalk Music Center. Tickets are $10 at the door on the night of the performance.
Christmas shopping at Union Square
Merced College Community Services will be offering a bus trip for Christmas shopping in San Francisco’s Union Square. leaving at 7 a.m. Dec. 2 from Merced College Business Resource Center and returning by 10 p.m. The cost is $99 per participant. For more information, call 209-384-6224 or email communitysvc@mccd.edu.
Tri-tip dinner in Atwater
Buhach Pentecost Church is hosting its drive-through tri-tip dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at 2889 N. Buhach Road, Atwater. The dinner is $30 and includes a whole barbecued tri-tip, Portuguese beans, bread and a 2-liter bottle of soda. For tickets, call 209-595-1375 or 209-261-9178.
Arbor Gallery ‘Big Event’
The Arbor Gallery’s “Big Event” is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at the gallery, 645 W. Main St., Merced. Special guest Russell Winton, the Merced Sun-Star wine columnist and connoisseur, will be in charge of the wine selection. Entertainment will be provided by the Bear Creek Ukelele Society and the Golden Valley Barbershop Chorus, and by singer-songwriter Ed Benes. Guests may purchase an optional commemorative Arbor Gallery glass for wine-tasting and can view the most recent exhibition of artwork from Arbor Gallery artists. This exhibition, titled the “Really Big Show,” can be viewed in the Main Gallery of the Merced Multicultural Arts Center until Jan. 28.
DA office artwork
The Merced County District Attorney’s Office is seeking artwork from local artists to display in the prosecutor’s building, 550 W. Main St., Merced. Artwork is displayed in the main lobby for approximately six months. If you are interested in displaying your photography or paintings, call 209-385-7381 and ask for Angie.
If you would like to have an event announced in Around Town, send information to aroundtown@mercedsunstar.com at least 10 days before the event. Items run according to space available.
This story was originally published November 20, 2016 at 2:36 PM with the headline "Around Town (11/21/16)."