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Christmas, Hanukkah, Charlie Brown, the Canadian Brass and more: Tricia’s Weekend Picks 12/23/22

It's a holiday weekend and here are some suggestions on how to make it merry and bright

Canadian Brass with Kantorei

Get into the holiday spirit with live music at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek with the Canadian Brass on Friday. This lively brass quintet is sure to dazzle and delight with holiday classics like “Frosty the Snowman,” “Sing We Now of Christmas,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “White Christmas” and so many more.

The Vilar Performing Arts Center is the perfect venue for this fivesome. The intimate space will bode well for their lively dialogue and theatrics. This high energy show will be made even better with the addition of Kantorei, which is a choral ensemble based out of Denver. Sing along and create memories during this holiday season with these classic sounds in this beautiful venue.

The Canadian Brass has produced over 130 albums and has toured the world over. Its music has reached the top of the charts on Billboard and has earned fans from all over. Their repertoire spans genres from Baroque to Dixieland, so don’t be surprised if you feel inspired to move and groove to their tunes.



Kantorei’s mission is to elevate the human experience through choral excellence. This group has also toured the world and has been receiving recognition from Billboard, iTunes and Amazon.

“The glorious sound of brass around the holidays invokes a sense of splendor and enchantment that we all seek at this special time of year,” said Owen Hutchinson, executive director of the Vilar Performing Arts Center. “The Canadian Brass, truly one of the greatest brass ensembles of our time, are beloved for their instrumental brilliance and humor woven into their concerts.”

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At press time, tickets were limited, so contact the Vilar Performing Arts Center’s box office today and give the gift of music by buying tickets to this show. Reserved seating starts at $60 and there are special prices for children and students at $40. For more information, go to VilarPAC.org or call 970-845-8497. The show starts at 7 p.m. and is part of the Therese M. Grojean Classical Series.

Christmas services

There will be several Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services this weekend.
Tina Witherspoon/Unsplash

This weekend, Christmas Eve is on Saturday and Christmas Day on Sunday. Area houses of worship like Vail Chapel, the Beaver Creek Chapel and the Edwards Interfaith Chapel will all be busy with church services. Check their websites for service times.

We have several denominations in our valley, so whether you are looking for a Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist, Catholic, Baptist or other congregation, a service can be found by searching the ChurchAngel.com website by state and then put in the town you’re looking for. Take a look at the church’s website for information on their schedule and location.

Special services include a Midnight Mass held at Beaver Creek Chapel on Christmas Eve. If you have kids who maybe can’t stay up that late, check out the Children’s Christmas Pageant Service on Christmas Eve at 1:30 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration at the Edwards Interfaith Chapel.

In addition to children’s Christmas pageants, many congregations perform special music during this holiday. Eagle River Presbyterian Church’s music director is Don Watson, a musician who has played all sorts of venues in the valley for decades. He’s put together a great showcase of the choir, soloists, Christmas carols you can sing along to and the magical sound of handbells.

Services move to larger locations during Christmas, so there will be folks gathering at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek and at the Sebastian Hotel in Vail. Keep in mind that parking may be tight during the day at the Vail and Beaver Creek parking garages, so allow extra time to find parking.

Want a cowboy Christmas? Mountain Life Calvary Chapel’s Christmas Eve at the Ranch brings you to 4 Eagle Ranch outside of Wolcott. Service times are at 2, 4 and 7 p.m. Come early or stay late and check out the sleigh rides and the horses and cattle and other critters you may be able to spot out on the range.

Hanukkah services

Menorah lightings are happening throughout the valley for Hanukkah.
Mark Bricklin/Vail Daily

It’s also Hanukkah and you can attend menorah lightings each evening such as the one right by the Covered Bridge in Vail Village. Come early and join Rabbi Newman and Cantor Michelle Cohn Levy of the B’Nai Vail Congregation for a warm drink at Loaded Joe’s, some singing, community and more each night at 4:30 p.m. followed by the Menorah Lighting at 5 p.m. for more information, go to BnaiVail.org.

Chabad Vail invites you to celebrate the Hanukkah Shabbat Dinner on Friday night. Come gather at the Jewish Community Center in Lionshead starting at 6 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $50 and you can reserve a spot for the event by going to JewishVail.com or by calling 970-476-7887.

On Sunday, Chabad Vail Jewish Community Center also invites you to Hanukkah at Chasing Rabbits, the new venue at Solaris that houses an arcade, a speakeasy, restaurant and more. At the event, you’ll find hot latkes, Menorah lighting celebration, c’haim to ring in good health and cheer in the new season and enjoy après ski and gifts at this new venue.

The event will run from 4 to 6 p.m. and you can RSVP at JewishVail.com or call 970-476-7887. Tickets are $15 per person in advance and $20 at the door.

The Westin Riverfront will be celebrating Hanukkah through Monday by lighting the menorah nightly at sundown.

Holiday Dining

Enjoy festive and delicious dinners around the valley this holiday season.
Tricia Swenson/Vail Daily

Many local restaurants are offering special menus through the holiday weekend. Contact your favorite dining establishment to see what they are serving up and reservations are a must this time of year. Here are a few places and their special menus.

Spend Christmas Eve at The Sebastian Vail. There are two options for you and family and friends to share a meal whether it is breakfast or dinner. If skiing and snowboarding is the priority, come early and get breakfast at The Sebastian from 7 to 11 a.m. Or, spend all day on the slopes and wind down your day with Leonora’s Christmas Eve Four Course Prix Fixe Dinner with seating from 5 to 9 p.m. The price is $105 for adults, $55 for children (12 and younger), and 4 and younger are free. Want to spice it up? Add $44 for a wine pairing. Call 970-477-8020 to reserve your Christmas Eve dining experience. 

The Sonnenalp Hotel, with its European charm, exudes the Christmas spirit. Ludwig’s restaurant will be hosting Christmas Eve and Christmas Day buffets. Starters include a soup and salad bar along with artisan cheese, meat and bread display. The carving station includes a roasted Christmas goose and slow-roasted beef rib eye. For the seafood lovers there will be poached prawns, snow crab claws, crab legs and fresh oysters. Save room for dessert, you’ll find anything from mini classic desserts and ice cream to a cotton candy machine.

Christmas Eve service is from 5 to 10 p.m. and the price is $175 adults and $75 children (6-12). Christmas Day service is from 1 to 8 p.m. and the price is $175 adults and $75 children (6-12).

On Christmas Day, Stoke & Rye, the new restaurant concept by Richard Sandoval in the former Maya space at the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa, will host a Christmas Day Brunch from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Stoke & Rye will be doing brunch right with an omelet station, prime rib, honey roasted ham and an Instagram worthy seafood display. There will also be other breakfast classics like blueberry pancakes, smoked bacon, pork sausage a waffle station with toppings like berries and chocolate chips and if those sweets aren’t enough, save room for the dessert station.  

Christmas Day Brunch at Stoke & Rye is priced at $59 for adults and $35 for kids under age 12. Reservations are highly recommended. To make a reservation, please visit StokeAndRye.com/Book-Table.

‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’

View “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at The Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa on Saturday.
The Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa/Courtesy photo

Want to see the whole Peanuts gang this Christmas? Watch Lucy, Snoopy, Linus, Sally and of course Charlie Brown at the annual Christmas Eve screening of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the classic holiday film by Charles M. Schulz at The Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa.

Not that your memory needs a refresh on this holiday classic that came out in 1965, but the storyline follows Charlie Brown as he realizes the materialism at Christmas. Lucy invites her pal to become the director of the school Christmas pageant, but it does become a bit dismal, enough to have Charlie Brown exclaim, “good grief!” But with the help of Linus, the true meaning of Christmas helps Charlie feel good again.

The screening is free and open to the public, the movie will start at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday in The Westin Riverfront lobby. Guests can enjoy bites and drinks from The Lookout, which serves up Colorado microbrews, hand-crafted cocktails and wine as well as hearty soups, salads, sandwiches and flatbreads. 


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