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t's the weekend before Christmas, and the Kanawha Valley is full of seasonal spirit. This weekend you'll find Christmas parades, holiday displays, seasonal concerts, community parties and more. Here are some events happening between Friday, Dec. 20, and Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024 in Kanawha County.

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Friday, Dec. 20

Music

• TIMMY COURTS & FRIENDS: 5-8 p.m. No cover. The Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St. in Charleston. More info on Facebook.

Stage/Theater

• SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT: 7 pm. Tickets $55. An interactive murder mystery presented by Murder & Merrimen. Show and dinner buffet included. Holiday Inn & Suites Charleston, 400 Second Ave. South West, South Charleston. More info and tickets online.
• FROZEN JR.: 7 p.m. Tickets $15-$20. Presented by the Children's Theatre of Charleston. Clay Center, 1 Clay Square, Charleston. More info and tickets online.
• ANORA: 7:30 p.m. $12 adults, $7 students. An audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern-day Cinderella story.
• BLACK CHRISTMAS: 9 p.m. $12 adults, $7 students. Part of the “Beyond the Back Row” series of horror films. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 230 Capitol St, Charleston. More info online.

Seasonal

• NATIVITIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: 4:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Daily through Monday, Dec. 23. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 839 Chestnut St., South Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• LIGHT THE NIGHT: 5-10 p.m. Tickets $9+. Over 2.5 million lights choreographed to holiday music. Carnival rides, kid's activities, holiday vendors, food, ice skating, ice bumper cars and more. GoMart Ballpark, 601 Morris St., Charleston. More info and tickets online.
• CHESAPEAKE CHRISTMAS PARADE: 6 p.m. Free. Lineup begins on the 137th Street side of Chesapeake Elementary. More information on Facebook.
• CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AT LITTLE CREEK PARK: 6-9 p.m. Free. Drive-through light display. Little Creek Park, 1 Little Creek Park Road, South Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS: 6-9 p.m. Free. Drive-through light display. St. Albans City Park, 931 Observatory Dr., St. Albans. More info online.
• SANTA HOUSE AT ROADSIDE PARK: 6-9 p.m. Free. Meet Santa and take photos. Open nightly through Dec. 23. St. Albans Roadside Park, MacCorkle Avenue, St. Albans. More info online.

Etc.

• DEAF COFFEE CHAT: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. ASL activities, Deaf culture, games, snacks, and more. All ages and skill levels welcome. Habitat ReStore, 912 Young St., Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• MODEL TRAIN OPEN HOUSE: 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Kanawha Valley Railroad Association, 1750 Coonskin Drive, Charleston. More info online.

Saturday, Dec. 21

Music

• WV SYMPHONY CHORUS HOLIDAY CONCERT: 7 p.m. Free. A concert of lessons and carols, featuring John Rutter’s thrilling Gloria and choruses by J.S. Bach, Vaughan Williams, Richard Huntley, and others. Christ Church UMC, 1221 Quarrier St., Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• RENDER THE HEARTS: 8 p.m. With special guests the Kentucky Christian University Worship Collective. Folklore Music Exchange, 191 Summers St., Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• SPACE FREQ: 9 p.m. $5 cover. Must be 21+ to enter. The Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St., Charleston. More info on Facebook.

Stage/Theater

• FROZEN JR.: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets $15-$20. Presented by the Children's Theatre of Charleston. Clay Center, 1 Clay Square, Charleston. More info and tickets online.
• HERETIC: 2 p.m. $12 adults, $7 students. Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed, becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 230 Capitol St, Charleston. More info online.
• ANORA: 4:30 p.m. $12 adults, $7 students. An audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern-day Cinderella story. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 230 Capitol St, Charleston. More info online.
• SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE: 7:30 p.m. $12 adults, $7 students. While working as a coal merchant to support his family, Bill Furlong discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent and uncovers truths of his own; forcing him to confront his past and the complicit silence of a small Irish town controlled by the Catholic Church. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 230 Capitol St, Charleston. More info online.
• SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT: 9:45 p.m. $12 adults, $7 students. Part of the “Beyond the Back Row” series of horror films. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 230 Capitol St, Charleston. More info online.

Seasonal

• DUNBAR BREAKFAST WITH SANTA: 9-11 a.m. Free. Sponsored by Dunbar Community Partners. Includes pancakes, juice, coffee, hot chocolate and cookies. Dunbar First Church of God, 1234 Payne Ave., Dunbar.
• NORTH POLE ON ICE: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tickets $10. Bumper cars, hot cocoa, chocolate chip cookies, crafts and photos with Santa Claus. South Charleston Memorial Ice Arena, 20 RHL Blvd., South Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• NITRO SANTA BREAKFAST: 10 a.m. $10 per person. Includes pancakes, bacon or sausage, coffee or juice, and a photo with Santa! All proceeds will go to Harvest Youth. Harvest Chapel, 402 Main Ave., Nitro. More info on Facebook.
• GINGERBREAD HOUSE FAMILY STEM: 2 p.m. Free, but registration required. Kanawha County Public Library, 123 Capitol St., Charleston. More info and link to registration online.
• NATIVITIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: 4:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Daily through Monday, Dec. 23. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 839 Chestnut St., South Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• UGLY SWEATER PUB CRAWL: 4:30-9 p.m. Prices vary. Downtown, Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• LIGHT THE NIGHT: 5-10 p.m. Tickets $9+. Over 2.5 million lights choreographed to holiday music. Carnival rides, kid's activities, holiday vendors, food, ice skating, ice bumper cars and more. GoMart Ballpark, 601 Morris St., Charleston. More info and tickets online.
• COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CAROLING: 6 p.m. Free. Cedar Grove Gazebo, 302 Alexander St., Cedar Grove. More info online.
• CHRISTMAS DINNER PARTY: 6-8 p.m. Free. Sponsored by Mountains of Hope Outreach. Includes spaghetti dinner, children’s craft, a Christmas story and a Santa visit. Mountain of Hope, 706 Third Ave., Montgomery.
• CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AT LITTLE CREEK PARK: 6-9 p.m. Free. Drive-through light display. Little Creek Park, 1 Little Creek Park Road, South Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS: 6-9 p.m. Free. Drive-through light display. St. Albans City Park, 931 Observatory Dr., St. Albans. More info online.
• SANTA HOUSE AT ROADSIDE PARK: 6-9 p.m. Free. Meet Santa and take photos. Open nightly through Dec. 23. St. Albans Roadside Park, MacCorkle Avenue, St. Albans. More info online.

Etc.

• CHARLESTON PARKRUN: 9 a.m. Free timed 5K run or walk. Magic Island, 181 Kanawha Blvd. West, Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• HOME FOR THE PAWLIDAYS: Noon-3 p.m. Free entrance. Pet adoption event. Capitol Flea Market, 2101 Greenbrier St., Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• TAROT READINGS: Noon-3 p.m. Readings by Allison Lewis. Echo-Lit, 427 Washington St. West, Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• MODEL TRAIN OPEN HOUSE: 3-8:30 p.m. Free. Kanawha Valley Railroad Association, 1750 Coonskin Drive, Charleston. More info online.

Sunday, Dec. 22

Music

• TAPESTRY OF LIGHT – A CELTIC CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION: 4 p.m. Free, donations accepted. Presented by the Charleston Civic Chorus. First Presbyterian Church, 16 Leon Sullivan Way, Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• OPEN NIGHT MIC: 7 p.m. $5 per person. Featuring music by Matthew Green, Julien Aklei, Joe Bird, Deb Fuller Grimm, Makenna Hope, Rashawn Garnett, Jim Probst, Robert Wilson, Chet Lowther and Roger Rabalais. Open to all ages. Pumzi’s, 813 Hunt Ave., Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• MATTHEW MALINOSKI: 9 p.m. The Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St., Charleston. More info on Facebook.

Stage/Theater

• SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE: 2:30 p.m. $12 adults, $7 students. While working as a coal merchant to support his family, Bill Furlong discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent and uncovers truths of his own; forcing him to confront his past and the complicit silence of a small Irish town controlled by the Catholic Church. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 230 Capitol St, Charleston. More info online.

Seasonal

• COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY: 1 p.m. Free. Sponsored by the Montgomery Fraternal Order of Eagles #1040. Include pizza, presents, bicycle giveaways and visits with Santa Claus. Valley PreK-8 School, 1 Greyhound Lane, Smithers. More info on Facebook.
• NATIVITIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: 4:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Daily through Monday, Dec. 23. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 839 Chestnut St., South Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• LOUDENDALE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DINNER: 5 p.m. Free. Sponsored by the Loundendale Volunteer Fire Department. Loundendale VFD, 51 Selbe Lane, Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• LIGHT THE NIGHT: 5-10 p.m. Tickets $9+. Over 2.5 million lights choreographed to holiday music. Carnival rides, kid's activities, holiday vendors, food, ice skating, ice bumper cars and more. GoMart Ballpark, 601 Morris St., Charleston. More info and tickets online.
• CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AT LITTLE CREEK PARK: 6-9 p.m. Free. Drive-through light display. Little Creek Park, 1 Little Creek Park Road, South Charleston. More info on Facebook.
• FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS: 6-9 p.m. Free. Drive-through light display. St. Albans City Park, 931 Observatory Dr., St. Albans. More info online.
• SANTA HOUSE AT ROADSIDE PARK: 6-9 p.m. Free. Meet Santa and take photos. Open nightly through Dec. 23. St. Albans Roadside Park, MacCorkle Avenue, St. Albans. More info online.

Etc.

• MODEL TRAIN OPEN HOUSE: 1-6 p.m. Free. Kanawha Valley Railroad Association, 1750 Coonskin Drive, Charleston. More info online.

Events are subject to change. If you have questions, please reach out to event organizers. Know of a public event happening in Kanawha County that you’d like to share with NewsBreak readers? Email me to be featured in a future calendar.