Help CBS4, Wal-Mart, Salvation Army Collect Food And Toys 
Help make a family’s holiday merrier by donating to the Care 4 Colorado Food and Toy Drive sponsored by CBS4 and Front Range Wal-Mart Stores. All donations will be distributed to needy Colorado families by the Salvation Army. Care 4 Colorado collection bins will be located in more than 25 metro area Wal-Mart stores. Non perishable foods and new, unwrapped toys for children from birth through 12-years-old can be donated through Dec. 24. Food items needed include canned fruit and vegetables, canned meat, pasta and other non-perishable goods. Food and toy donations can also be made directly to CBS4 anchors and reporters on Saturday Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Lakewood Wal-Mart which is located on Colfax and Wadsworth, and the Thornton Wal-Mart located on I-25 and 104th Avenue.
To donate, call (303) 861-4833. For more information, call CBS4 at 303-861-4444 or visit www.cbs4denver.com.

NCNW Hosts Harambee Brunch
The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) Denver section hosts its 15th Annual Harambee Brunch 2006. The brunch this year is titled “Uniting Our Power Through Education." The brunch will be on Saturday Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel, 3203 Quebec Street. It will feature a live performance by Ron Ivory & Expressions, District 8 Denver City Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth as honorary chairperson, and Dani Newsum as Mistress of Ceremonies. Tickets are $40.
For tickets or more information, call Sharon Schneider at 303-296-4359.

Holiday Fest In The Golden Triangle
The Golden Triangle Museum District (GTMD) invites you to discover the treasures within the Triangle with a weekend of specialty shopping, fine art and fine dining. Kick off the holiday season with friends and family at the Holiday Fest Dec. 8 and 9, and enjoy all the holiday cheer the triangle has to offer. The free GTMD Art Bus will shuttle attendees around the neighborhood during the Holiday Fest. Located south of downtown and bordered by Lincoln, Speer, Colfax, and the 13th Avenue of the Arts, this unique neighborhood is Denver’s center for art and culture. The area includes the Denver Art Museum, The Art Institute of Colorado and over 60 galleries, artists’ studios, fine restaurants, specialty stores and services that will participate in the Holiday Fest in the Golden Triangle.
For more information, call 303-534-0771 or visit www.gtmd.org.

2006 MAX Fashion Show Set For Dec. 2
MAX and Volunteers of America are proud to announce that the 22nd Annual MAX Fashion Show, benefiting the Brandon Center, will take place on Saturday Dec. 2. The fundraiser will be held at TRACKS, 3500 Walnut Street, at 8 p.m., with the fashion show beginning at 9:30 p.m. For the first time, this year’s event will include a silent auction, in addition to its ever-tempting live auction. The highlight, a presentation of designer collections for spring 2007, will consist of pieces by Narciso Rodriguez, Diane Von Furstenberg, Chloe, and Missoni, with models from Donna Baldwin Talent, Denver’s premier talent agency. The Brandon Center is Colorado’s largest shelter for battered/homeless women and their children, and a program of Volunteers of America.
For tickets or more information, call 303-307-7335 or visit www.voacolorado.org.

Art Market At Nine10Arts
The artist tenants of Nine10Arts will showcase their original artworks in this group art market/exhibition and through open studio demonstrations. A variety of mediums and genres will be exhibited including painting, mosaic, 3-D mixed media, photography, bronze casts, collage and ceramics. The opening reception will be held Friday Dec. 1 from 6 to 9 p.m., and the exhibition runs through Jan. 6, 2007 from 12 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday or by appointment. The gallery is located at 910 Santa Fe Drive in Denver.
For more information, call 303-815-1779 or visit www.910arts.com.

Taste Of Holidays Concert Presented By Harmony Chorale
Harmony Chorale’s holiday concert, "A Taste of the Holidays" will be performed Dec. 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. at the 6th Avenue United Church, 3250 E. 6 Ave.; and Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, E. 16 Ave. and Ogden. They will sing songs of Christmas, Kwanzaa, & Hanukkah. Harmony Chorale is a Denver choral group that celebrates diversity and welcomes with open arms people of all sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, cultures, & ages. They welcome new members as well. Ticket prices are $20 for evening performances and $15 for the matinee performance.
For tickets or more information, call 303-331-2667 or visit www.harmonychorale.org.

Zydematics To Perform At Mercury Café
The non-profit organization Colorado Friends of Cajun-Zydeco Music and Dance will present their monthly dance with the sensational Zydematics on Sunday Dec. 17 at the Mercury Café, 2199 California St. in Denver. Doors open at 1 p.m., with a complimentary dance lesson at 1:30 p.m., and the dance running from 2 to 5 p.m. The Colorado Friends of Cajun-Zydeco Music and Dance is a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring Louisiana French culture, music and dance to the Front Range. Cost is $7 for members and $8 for non-members. The dress is casual.  Parking is available at a nominal price in adjacent parking lots; some free street parking is also available.
For more information, contact Dan Willging at 303-745-9577 or dwillging@mho.net, Tom Roberts at 303-378-3428 or twrbasin@aol.com, or visit www.cfcz.org.

Arvada Center’s 20th Annual Art Market Show And Sale
A wide variety of fine artwork and one-of-a-kind gifts abound at the Arvada Center’s 20th Annual Art Market Show and Sale, Dec. 8-17. This Arvada Center tradition, held in their 6,000 square foot gallery space, brings together over 150 talented Colorado artists showcasing jewelry, ceramics, paintings, drawings, prints, textiles, furniture and much more. Art Market hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Lower Gallery and admission is free. The opening reception will be held Thursday Dec. 7 from 5 to 9 p.m. Admission to the reception is $5 (Friends of the Center and children age 18 and under are free.) All proceeds support Colorado artists and benefit the gallery and museum programs at the Arvada Center.
For more information, call 720-898-7200 or visit www.arvadacenter.org/artmarket.

Montbello High Presents Black Nativity
Montbello High School, in celebration of the holiday season, presents Black Nativity by Langston Hughes. Performances are Dec. 21 and 22 at 7 p.m., and Dec. 23 at 3 p.m. Montbello High School is located at 5000 Crown Boulevard in Denver. Admission is $5, and children under five are admitted free.
For more information, call 720-436-5700.

Blood Donors Needed This Holiday Season
Mark your calendar to save a life this holiday season. The Bonfils Blood Center Community Blood Drive will take place on Dec. 5 and 19 from 10 to 11:40 a.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. Bonfils’ mobile bus will be parked at the corner of 16th and Curtis Streets in downtown Denver. Registrations will take place in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel located at 934 16 Street. Participating donors will receive a $5 Starbucks gift card.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 303-363-2300 or visit www.bonfils.org.

CCI Sponsors Community Book Fair
Challenges, Choices and Images (CCI) Charter School will sponsor a community book fair Dec. 4-8, where they will partner with Scholastic Books to present outstanding values in books for the children and youth at CCI and in the community. The book fair is a fund raiser for CCI Charter School and will allow students, parents, and community families to purchase current children’s books and old favorites for their students or as holiday gifts. The event will be held at both CCI Locations: at CCI Elementary School (1537 Alton Street, Aurora) Dec. 4-8 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and at CCI Lowry/High School (1058 Alton Way, Denver, Lowry Bldg.758), Dec. 5-7 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Celebrate The Holidays At The Children’s Museum
The holidays are approaching and the Children's Museum of Denver has two great events for children newborn through age eight and their grownups. Families can avoid the mall crowds and visit the jolly old elf himself at Snack with Santa, Saturdays Dec. 2, 9 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Then, kiddies can get to bed on time after celebrating the New Year at Noon Year’s Eve, Sunday, Dec. 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Regular Museum admission applies. Tickets for special performances are $1. All events will take place at: The Children's Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Dr. in Denver.
For more information, call 303-433-7444 or visit www.mychildsmuseum.org.

Urban League Hosts Celebrity Bust Fundraiser
On Friday Dec.15, starting at 8 a.m., the Urban League of Metropolitan Denver, Inc. and friends will be “arresting” top government, business and community individuals (of their own will!) and bringing them to the Urban League’s 5 star “Jail,” which will feature an array of food and fun until friends are able to bail out their friend/colleague who has been arrested. Bail will be set at $1000 minimum per person and all proceeds will benefit the work of the Urban League, located at 5900 E 39 Ave. in Denver. The mission of the League is to help African Americans and other Denver residents attain social and economic equality and self reliance. This fundraiser will support the work of the League in offering unique and innovative youth programming.
For more information, visit www.denverurbanleague.org.

Chi Phi Chapter Holds Annual Paint-A-Thon
Chi Phi held its annual Paint-A-Thon this year and it was a huge success. Each year, led by Chair Person Brother Eric Allen, houses are chosen by BRI (Brothers Redevelopment, Inc.). Seniors who qualify must meet income guidelines and be unable to afford a commercial painter. The Brothers of Chi Phi, along with the local AKA chapters, provided labor to brighten the exterior of two senior’s homes this year. The effort was hampered by rainy weather, but Brother Allen and a dedicated crew finished the job over three weekends. Perseverance is a virtue to Brother Allen and all who volunteered for this annual event.

CHS Hosts Festa Invernale Food And Wine Fundraiser
Join the Colorado Historical Society for Festa Invernale, an intimate evening that celebrates Italian food and wine at the lovely Cherry Hills home of Kevin and Mary McNicholas, on Thursday Dec. 7 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The McNicholas home will be beautifully decorated for the holidays with festive winter gardens of light and sound, and an outdoor fire pit. Proceeds of the event will support the upcoming exhibit, The Italians of Denver, which opens in April 2007 at the Colorado History Museum. The exhibit will offer a unique peek into the history of Denver’s vibrant Italian American community through oral histories, photographs and rare artifacts. Tickets are $100.
For reservations or more information, call 303-866-4730 or visit www.coloradohistory.org.

Free Public Library Events
There are a variety of fun, free programs held at different Denver Public Libraries throughout the city, including the Blair-Caldwell Branch Library (2401 Welton Street, 720-865-2401), the Ford-Warren Branch Library (2825 High Street, 303-294-0907), and the Montbello Branch Library (12955 Albrook Drive, 2 blocks east of Peoria on 47th and Albrook, 303-373-0767). Featured programs are the GED Study Hour, English Conversation classes, and children’s Story Time. Children’s activities are offered at the same time as the adult classes.
For event times or more information, call the above libraries.

DIA Performance Series Adds Festive Flair
Musicians, dancers and other entertainers are preparing to make Denver International Airport (DIA) more festive during the busy Christmas travel season. For 16 days till Sunday Dec. 31, DIA will host its International Performance Series, featuring over 350 hours of some of the finest regional entertainment. Music and dance of South America, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Israel and Eastern Europe will be presented throughout Jeppesen Terminal’s Great Hall and passenger check-in areas. School choirs perform on Thursday Dec. 14, and the full series continues on Thursday Dec. 21 through Sunday Dec. 24, and Tuesday Dec. 26 through Sunday Dec. 31. Performances are planned from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
For more information, visit www.flydenver.com.

Denver Pavilions Announces Holiday Events
The Denver Pavilions has several special events planned for the holiday season, including giveaways, prize drawings, lights, and decorative stars hung by local fine art artist John Crowe. The Pavilions will also host carolers from surrounding youth organizations, schools, churches and private organization to sing in the Carolers’ Courtyard. The performances will take place on a daily basis.
For more information, call 303-260-6001.

Macedonia Women Host Fellowship, Fashion and Furs 
The women of Macedonia Baptist Church host an evening of Fellowship, Fashion and Furs at the Fur Boutique (7400 E. Hampden Ave. in Denver) on Saturday Dec. 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. Rhoda Johnson, creator of Rhoda Designs cosmetics and jewelry, will demonstrate how to look radiant. The Fur Boutique's Barbara Williams will present unique furs from their extensive selection. Space is limited; please RSVP early.
To make a reservation, call the Fur Boutique at 303-694-2019. For more information, contact Rhoda Johnson at 303-338-8395 or fashion@rhodadesigns.com.

Blair-Caldwell Hosts “From Black Hands”
During the month of December, the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library (2401 Welton St., Denver) will host an art exhibit entitled “From Black Hands: An Exhibition Featuring Distinguished African Art from Private Collections.” This exhibit features African art from Denver collectors. Artist Paul Hamilton, along with artist Irvin Wheeler, generated this show to display their collections along with other collectors’. A free reception will be held Friday Dec. 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. on the third floor gallery.
To make a reservation or for more information, call 720-865-2404.

Hiawatha Davis Luncheon And Awards Dec. 20
District 8 Senior Events will sponsor the 24th Annual Hiawatha Davis, Jr. Senior Conference and Luncheon, scheduled for Wednesday Dec. 20 at the Doubletree Hotel located at 3201 Quebec Street. The Senior Conference registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., workshops will run from 9 to 11:30 a.m., and the Senior Luncheon is scheduled from 11: 30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. with welcoming remarks from Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. Potential candidates for the Denver City Council District #8 seat will participate in a Candidate Forum moderated by Omari Trimble. Councilwoman Wedgeworth will be term-limited in June 2007. The entire event is free to senior citizens, and Volunteers of America will provide a free lunch.
For more information, call 303-298-7641.

Holiday Happenings At The Wildlife Experience
The Wildlife Experience invites you to two festive holiday events this year. The first is the Holiday Film Festival on Dec. 7, a night filled with cookies, hot cocoa and other holiday treats while watching A Christmas Story. The Holiday Film Festival begins at 6 p.m., and the movie will begin at 7 p.m. The second event is Breakfast with Santa Claus. The North Pole has told The Wildlife Experience that Santa will be making two stops at the museum on Dec. 2 and 9 from 9 to 11 a.m. to enjoy a breakfast with you and yours and to jot down everyone’s wish list. The Wildlife Experience is located at 10035 S. Peoria St. in Parker.
For tickets, reservations, or more information, call 720-488-3300 or visit www.thewildlifeexperience.org.

DAVA Hosts Cosmic Visions
Please join us for Cosmic Visions, our annual holiday show and sale of art by Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA) youth and artists Moyo Ogundipe and Mario Prieto Lopez. Downtown Aurora Visual Arts is located at 1405 Florence St., one block south of Colfax Avenue in Original Aurora. The exhibit will be open to the public Dec. 7 through 9 with the opening reception from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday Dec. 7. Proceeds from this exhibit support art education for city kids in DAVA’s programs. The exhibit is free and open to the public from 11 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday or by appointment. Downtown Aurora Visual Arts is a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to strengthen the community through the arts with youth as its primary focus.
For more information, call 303-367-5886 or visit www.davarts.org.

Museum Of Outdoor Lights Presents ICE+SNOW
Coors Amphitheatre’s inaugural public winter light installation opens December 3, 2006 when the Museum of Outdoor Arts premiers ICE+SNOW, a free outdoor holiday lighting extravaganza featuring art, light, music and magic Dec. 3 through 31 daily from 4 to 10 p.m. The light display will illuminate and transform the environment of over twenty acres in and around Coors Amphitheatre, Samson Park, and Greenwood Village. International Artist, Inventor and Showman, Lonnie Hanzon and Hanzon Studios were commissioned to create this unique holiday spectacle, enjoyable for all ages. Coors Amphitheatre is located off of I-25 and Arapahoe Road; the new RTD light rail Arapahoe Station is located directly behind the Amphitheatre. Restrooms, warming areas, and concessions will be available during the exhibition.
For more information, call 303-220-7000 or visit www.ice-snow.net.

DBG Hosts 18th Annual Blossoms Of Light
A spectacular display of 1 million colorful lights draped in elegant designs will illuminate the plants and trees on a new path throughout the Denver Botanic Gardens (DBG) during their 18th annual Blossoms of Light show, open nightly through Jan. 21, 2007 from 6 to 9 p.m. Romantic spots and the popular HoloSpex glasses, which magically transform the lights into shimmering 3-D snowflakes, will return. New features include giant waterlily sculptures that will illuminate the Monet Garden Horseshoe Pool and LED lighting. Additionally, some of the 26 sculptures from the Living Bronze Sculptures by Robert Wick exhibit will be lighted and will incorporate seasonal plantings. Each night includes seasonal entertainment, and visitors will enjoy warm drinks and tasty snacks at numerous food stations throughout the path. The Denver Botanic Gardens is located at 1005 York Street in Denver.
For more information, call 720-865-3500 or visit www.botanicgardens.org.

New York Storytelling Series Comes To Denver
After stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, Heeb magazine’s critically acclaimed Storytelling series is headed to Denver Thursday Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. Co-sponsored by Denver’s Judaism Your Way, the event will be held at Lannie’s Clockwork Cabaret (D&F Tower at 16th and Arapahoe Streets, Denver), and will feature seven-minute Jewish stories by Lisa Bornstein, Jennifer Coken, Eric Elkins, Cathy Reinking, Ean Seeb, and Juliet Wittman. Their outrageously fun tales will provide a glimpse into what it means to be a Jewish twenty/thirty something in the 21st century. Denver’s own comic Al Reifler hosts the event and Heeb Editor-in-Chief Joshua Neuman will be in attendance. Admission is a $5 suggested donation.
For more information, visit www.heebmagazine.com/events.

Ujamaa Holiday Market Returns
Come down to the 6th Annual Cultural Market Place, Ujamaa Market, on Friday Dec. 8 from 6 to 9 p.m., and Saturday Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The holiday market this year will be held at the Mathews Cultural Center, located at 3030 Downing Street in Denver. Ujamaa, the fourth principle of Kwanzaa, means collective work and responsibility. You are to build and maintain your businesses and profit from them together. As they celebrate their sixth year, they are proud that the market has grown bigger in size, stronger in faith and meaningful to many. Join them in creating this joyous celebration and supporting many local businesses at the same time. Vending spaces are available; booth fees are $40 for Friday evening and Saturday.
For vending space inquiries, contact Deborah Fard at 720-234-4994. For more information, call 303-675-0583.

NIICS Community Events
The National Institute of Indigenous Cultural Studies (NIICS) will host several community events this season. On Dec. 1 and 2, the Funding Stream Grant-Getting Workshop will be run by L.A. grant expert and development professional LaQuetta Shamblee. Registration is $159. On Saturday Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Community Fast, Shut-in & Raw Food Retreat for World Peace and Community Health will be run by Ietef Hotep Vita, the community wellness outreach coordinator for the Serenity Wellness Center. Registration is $55 per person, with only 15 spaces, so register early. On Thursday Dec. 28 from 7 to 9 p.m., NIICS will host the Denver Kwanzaa Celebration in honor of "Ujima: Collective Work & Responsibility.” This event is free; donations welcome. All activities held at 911 Park Avenue West in Denver.
For more information, call 303-298-1792, write serenityforyou2@aol.com, or visit www.serenityforu.com.

Rocky Mountain Ringers Rings In The Holidays
The Rocky Mountain Ringers, Denver's premier community handbell ensemble, will present Ring In The Holidays: A Holiday Handbell Concert on Wednesday Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, located at the corner of 16th Avenue & Grant Street in Denver. The suggested donation for admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for kids.
For more information, call 720-652-4607 or visit www.rmringers.org.

Sister's Christmas Catechism At Arvada Center
The Arvada Center presents the crowd-pleasing comedy Sister's Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi's Gold in its new black box theater Dec. 5-17. Sister is back, and she's funnier than ever! From the creator of the long-running, international hit Late "Nite Catechism," comes a sharp-tongued holiday comedy sure to have you rolling in the aisles. It's "CSI goes to Bethlehem" as Sister delivers side-splitting humor in her search through Bethlehem to answer the question that has puzzled scholars for generations:
"What ever happened to the Magi's gold?"
For tickets, show times, and more information, call 720-898-7200 or visit www.arvadacenter.org.

Su Teatro Presents The Miracle At Tepeyac
El Centro Su Teatro proudly presents The Miracle at Tepeyac, written and directed by Su Teatro Artistic Director Anthony J. Garcia. Performances are Dec. 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, and 17 at 7:30 p.m. with 3 p.m. matinees on December 10, 16, and 17 in the Eugenia Rawls Courtyard Theatre at the King Center on the Auraria campus in Denver. The Miracle at Tepeyac is a compelling story that touches on such difficult issues as cultural identity, immigration, genocide and AIDS. It is a complex drama that deals, unabashedly, with the contradictions of the human heart. In addition to the play, Su Teatro will present the First Annual Tamale Festival Dec. 16 and 17, a celebration of the tamál in Chicano and Mexicano culture, which will include tamale tasting, cash prizes, tamale-making demonstrations and spoken word tributes—the entire breadth of tamalismo.
For more information, call 303-296-0219 or visit www.suteatro.org.

WINGS Foundation Holding Support Groups
The WINGS Foundation, Inc. holds support groups for adults who were sexually abused as children, and they have both men's groups and women's groups. Meetings are held in the Denver metro area Monday through Saturday. American Sign Language interpretive services are provided.
For meeting times or more information, call 303-238-8660 or 1-800-373-8671, or visit www.wingsfound.org.