GIVING

SPECIAL EVENTS

Holiday Fantasy in Lights: Light sculptures depicting festive scenarios, 11/14-1/3, 24 hours a day, Olin-Turville Park. fantasyinlights.com.

Baraboo Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade: Carolers, carriage rides, live entertainment and open house shopping all day, 11/21, light parade at 6 pm, downtown Baraboo. 888-356-7995.

Gingerbread Casas: Gingerbread house decorating competition benefiting Dane County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) with cookie decorating for kids, 11/21, 11 am-4 pm. 608-238-6640.

Christmas in Princeton: Lights on Water Street Parade, craft fairs, shopping, horse & wagon rides, tree lighting, caroling and more, 11/27-28, downtown Princeton. 920-295-6586.

A Vintage Christmas: Wine & food tastings, tours and winemaker talks. 11/28, 10 am-4 pm, Wollersheim Winery, free. 608-643-6515.

Wisconsin Union Tudor Holiday Dinners: Fine dining and Old English pageantry, with the Philharmonic Chorus of Madison, 12/2-6 & 12/8-9, 5:45 pm, Great Hall, Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St., $44.50-$39.50. Tickets: 608-262-2201 or http://www.union. wisc.edu/tudordinners.

Atwood-Winnebago Winter Festival: Art & crafts fair, music, special events & activities at 20+businesses, 12/4, 5-9 pm, along Winnebago Street & Atwood Avenue. 608-249-9100.

Christmas in the Country: Art & crafts show, 12/4, 10 am-9 pm, Cedar Creek Winery & Settlement, Cedarburg, $3. 866-626-7005.

Stoughton Victorian Holiday Weekend: Victorian Grand Ball, crafts fair, carolers, children's parade, more. 12/4-6 downtown Stoughton. 608-877-4400.

Caroling at the Cave: Traditional holiday songs, crafts, refreshments, visit with Santa, 12/4-6, Cave of the Mounds, Blue Mounds. Performances at 7 pm Friday, 3 pm Saturday and Sunday. Above-ground activities free; cave musical performances $7. 608-437-3038.

Cambridge Country Christmas: Horse-drawn carriage rides, roasted chestnuts, hot apple cider, 12/5-6. 608-423-3780.

Olbrich's Holiday Express: Flower and model train show with twinkling lights, poinsettias, tiny landscapes, and large-scale model trains by the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society, 12/5-31, $3/$2. 608-246-4550.

Spring Green Country Christmas: Carriage rides, light show, art festival, music, 12/5, Spring Green. 608-588-2054, springgreen.com.

Holiday Pageant in the Capitol Rotunda: 12/6, 4:15 and 5:15 pm, Capitol Rotunda.

Holiday Tours at the Governor's Residence: 30-minute tour of six rooms of holiday trees. 12/9-10, 12, 16-17, 19, noon-2 pm; 12/14, 10 am-noon; free, 99 Cambridge Rd., Maple Bluff, free. Groups of 20+ asked to make a reservation at 608-246-5501.

Jingle Bell Run/Walk: 5/10K Fun Run/Walk to benefit the Arthritis Foundation, with jingle bells, goodie bags, food and entertainment, 12/12, registration 8 am, run at 10:30 am, Vilas Park Shelter. 608-221-9800.

Holiday House Walk: Decorated homes, carriage rides, 12/13, 4-8 pm, Mount Horeb. 888-765-5929, http://www.trollway.com.

U.S. Bank Eve, family-oriented, alcohol-free celebrations at U.S. Bank Plaza, Monona Terrace, and other downtown locations, 12/31, 6-10 pm.

THEATER

Fireside Dinner Theatre: Here's Love, 11/6-12/27, Wednesdays-Sundays, Business Hwy. 26 South, Fort Atkinson, $75-$73. 800-477-9505.

Watertown Players: Nutcracker, 11/28-29 & 12/5-6, continuously running play (new performance every 15 minutes, noon-3 pm, Octagon House Museum, Watertown, $5 (kids 12 & under $3). 920-261-1176.

StageWorks Projects: Nutcracker Ballet, 12/5, 1 & 7 pm, Stoughton High School, $12 (Sugar Plum Tea Party follows matinee, $9). 608-873-0717.

Children's Theater of Madison: A Christmas Carol, 12/11-23, 7 pm Fridays, 2 pm Saturdays and 2 pm Sundays, plus 7 pm on 12/19 and 2 pm 12/23. Overture Center, $32-$22 ($10 age 10 & under; $15 ages 11-22). 608-258-4141.

MUSIC

Oakwood Chamber Players: "Lighting the Way” concert, 11/27, 3 & 7 pm, Oakwood Village Auditorium, $20/$15/$5. 608-230-4316.

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra: Middleton Holiday Pops concert, 11/28, 8 pm, & 11/29, 1 pm, Marriot Madison West, $25/$19. 608-257-0638.

Madison Symphony Orchestra: "Christmas Spectacular,” with Madison Symphony Chorus, Mt. Zion Gospel choir, guest soloists and Madison Youth Chorus, 12/4 at 7:30 pm, 12/5 at 8 pm, and 12/6 at 2:30 pm, Overture Hall, $75-$15. 608-258-4141.

Perfect Harmony Men's Chorus: "A Solstice Celebration,” 12/5, 7:30 pm, Middleton Community United Church of Christ, 645 Schewe Rd., Middleton; 12/6, 3:30 pm, St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, 5700 Pheasant Hill Rd., Monona; $15, tickets: Perfectharmonychorus.org.

Olbrich Gardens Holiday Concert Series: 12/6, Alison Margaret Jazz Quartet; 12/13, Suzuki Strings; 12/20, Capitol Chordsmen; 12/27, Marcy & the Highlights. All shows 2 pm, $1. 608-246-4550.

Madison Area Concert Handbells: 12/11-12, 7:30 pm, Asbury United Methodist Church, 6101 University Ave.; 12/13, 3 pm, First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Ave. $15/$12 under 16 available at the door or $12/$9 in advance at Borders Books and Orange Tree Imports. 608-271-3514.

Festival Choir of Madison: "Stories to Share” traditional carols and other works. 12/12,

3 & 7:30 pm, First Baptist Church, 518 N. Franklin Ave., $15 ($12 adv.). 608-274-7089.

Spirit of Solstice Concert: "In Celebration of the Goddess,” Celtic and original folk music

and seasonal poetry with Ruth Barrett, Cecilia Farran, and Patricia Monaghan. 12/11, 7 pm, Gates of Heaven, 302 E. Gorham, $13.

Winter Solstice Celebration: Meal followed by Celtic music, seasonal poetry, stories and goddess songs, with Ruth Barrett, Cecilia Farran and Patricia Monaghan. 12/20, 5 pm, Luckenbooth Cafe, 1204 Mills St., Black Earth, $25. Reservations 608-588-3313.

Carol sing: Madison Symphony Orchestra, 12/23, 7:30 pm, Overture Hall. 608-257-3734.

Community Kwanzaa Celebration: Dancing, drumming, and singing, 12/26, 1-3 pm, Olbrich Gardens. Free but limited seating. 608-249-7155.

UW School of Music Events: Mills Hall, UW Humanities Building, unless otherwise noted. Advance tickets through Union Theater box office, 608-262-2201; concert line, 608-263-9485. Women's Chorus and University Chorus: 11/20, 8 pm. University Bands: 11/22, 4 pm. Western Percussion Ensemble: 12/1, 7:30 pm. Big Band (Jazz Ensemble): 12/2, 7:30 pm, Music Hall. Early Music Ensemble: 12/2, 8:30 pm, Morphy Hall. Wind Ensemble: 12/4, 8 pm. World Percussion Ensemble: 12/5, noon, Morphy Hall. All University String Orchestra: 12/5, 4 pm.

Winter Choral Concerts, with the UW Student Ensembles. 12/6, 2 & 4 pm, Luther Memorial Church, 1021 University Ave. Symphony Orchestra: 12/6, 7:30 pm. Masters Singers: 12/7, 7:30 pm. Choral Union with Chamber Orchestra: 12/10 at 7:30 pm & 12/11 at 8 pm.

DANCE

Dance Wisconsin: Nutcracker, features Nutcracker characters in a new holiday tale with traditional holiday music as well as original music; holiday singers from area youth choirs, dancers from all over southern Wisconsin, company members of Dance Wisconsin, and guest artists. 12/12, 7:30 pm and 12/13, 2 pm, Wisconsin Union Theater. 608-262-2201.

Madison Ballet: The Nutcracker, 12/18, 7:30 pm, 12/19, 2 & 7:30 pm and 12/20, 2 pm at Overture Hall, $60-$13. 608-258-4141.

MARKETS & FAIRS

Dane County Winter Farmers' Market: An assortment of homemade and homegrown Wisconsin products, Saturdays, 11/14-12/19, 7:30 am-noon, Monona Terrace.

Holiday Art Fair at MMoCA: Invited artists selling work including jewelry, fiber arts, sculpture, more. 11/20, noon-5 pm, 11/21, 10 am-5 pm, & 11/22, 11 am-3 pm. Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State St., $4. 608-257-0158. mmoca.org.

International Fair Trade Holiday Sale: Gifts from developing regions of the world, 11/22, 8:30 am-3 pm, Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, free. 608-271-7212.

Downtown Madison Holiday Open House: 10 am-6 pm, 11/28, State Street & the Capitol Square. 608-443-1974.

Holiday Craftacular: Local crafters on display. 11/28, 10 am-5 pm. Masonic Center, 301 Wisconsin Ave. 608-204-2644.

Holiday Fest Craft Show: 12/5, 9 am-3 pm, Warner Park Community Recreation Center, $1. 608-245-3685.

Fair Trade Holiday Festival: Handcrafted items from developing regions of the world and Wisconsin. 12/5, 9 am-4 pm, Monona Terrace. http://www.calamadison.org.

Madison Hours Holiday Trade Fair: Locally made products, 12/5, 10 am-2 pm, High Noon Saloon. 608-259-1030.

Very Merry Holiday Fair: Artisans & food, 12/12, 9 am-4 pm, Baraboo Arts Building, 323 Water St. 608-356-9048.