Thursday

“A Christmas Carol” — 7:30 p.m., Ted Paul Theatre, Performing Arts Center, Minnesota State University, $14.50 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for MSU students, 389-6661.

Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Release Party — 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., Patrick’s, St. Peter, $20 includes samples of two wines, hand-painted souvenir wine glass and appetizers, 507-351-0575 or 931-9051.

“Choreographers’ Gallery: New Horizons” dance concert — 8 p.m., Anderson Theatre, Gustavus Adolphus College, $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, free for Gustavus students and staff, 933-7590.

“Christopher Sly” opera — 7:30 p.m., Halling Recital Hall, MSU, $9 general admission, $6 for students K-12, children and MSU students with a valid MavCard, 389-5549.

Farm-City Day Celebration — Activities include free breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. to first 600 people, live polka music and entertainment, 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Youth Coliseum, Brown County Fairgrounds, New Ulm, free, 507-359-2921.

Good Thunder Reading Series events — Featuring poet and fiction writer Edward Micus and poets Connie Colwell Miller and Christina Olson, 3 p.m. talk on craft in Ostrander Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. reading in Centennial Student Union room 253, free, 389-1354.

“Holiday Stroll in Old Town” — Featuring drawings, in-store specials and treats, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Enchanted Forest of Minnesota, 529 N. Riverfront Drive, free, 385-1448.

Hunger Homelessness Lunch — 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Blue Earth County Library, 304-4001.

Library storytime — 10:30 a.m., Blue Earth County Library, free, 304-4001.

Patrick “Packy” Mader book signing — 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Enchanted Forest of Minnesota, free, 385-1448.

Southern Minnesota Poets Society hosting “Poetry and Wine” — Reading by John Calvin Rezmerski and Jana Bouma, 7 p.m., Emy Frentz Arts Guild, 523 S. 2nd St., free, 507-243-4050.

Music

Boomtown — DJ

The Loose Moose & Conference Center — Live Mic with Midnight Rambler

RedSky Lounge — DJ Brady Bisel

Rumor’s Lounge, Jerry Dutler Bowl — Karaoke

Savoy — Organic Cowboys

Wine Cafe — Karaoke

Friday

“A Christmas Carol” — 7:30 p.m., Ted Paul Theatre, Performing Arts Center, MSU, $14.50 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for MSU students, 389-6661.

“Art Fashioned for the Runway” fashion show — 6:30 p.m., Verizon Wireless Center, $10 in advance, $15 at the door, 507-227-3708.

“Choreographers’ Gallery: New Horizons” dance concert — 8 p.m., Anderson Theatre, Gustavus, $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, free for Gustavus students and staff, 933-7590.

Gustavus Wind Orchestra and Vasa Wind Orchestra in concert — 7:30 p.m., Christ Chapel, Gustavus, free, 933-7013.

Kevin Kling book signing and reading — 7 p.m., Bjorling Recital Hall, Gustavus, free.

Mankato West jazz concert — Performances by West Jazz I and II, and Southern Minnesota’s Real Big Band, 7:30 p.m., Crossview Covenant Church, free, 387-3461.

Le Sueur-Henderson drama department presents “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” — 7:30 p.m., Le Sueur-Henderson High School auditorium, $6 for adults, $3 for students.

Music

American Legion — Karaoke

American Legion, North Mankato — Mike Lange

Arts & Heritage Center, Montgomery — Piano Man and Trio

Buster’s — Future Leaders of the World

Flame Bar & Grill, St. Peter — Key West Rejects

Grandpa Al’s, Faribault — IV Play

The Loose Moose & Conference Center — Gary Tyson and the Little City AllStars

Mac’s Bar — ’60s, ’70s, ’80s music

Midtown Tavern — The Scotty Show

Morgan Creek Vineyards — Ben Marti

Pub 500 — JNH

RedSky Lounge — DJ Brady Bisel

Richard’s Restaurant & Pub, St. Peter — One Fast Move

Rumor’s Lounge, Jerry Dutler Bowl — Karaoke

Sugar Room — Javier

Wine Cafe — Ocho, Davina and the Vagabons

Saturday

“A Christmas Carol” — 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Ted Paul Theatre, Performing Arts Center, MSU, $14.50 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for MSU students, 389-6661.

Alpaca Holiday Tour — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lazy Day Farm, 48361 421st Ave., North Mankato, 317-1777.

Betsy-Tacy houses and gift shop — 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., 332 & 333 Center St., $2 for adults, $1 for children ages 5-16, free for children under 5, gift shop admission free, 345-9777.

Chili Fest fundraiser — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Buster’s Bar, for more information visit www.bustersbar.com.

“Choreographers’ Gallery: New Horizons” dance concert — 8 p.m., Anderson Theatre, Gustavus, $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, free for Gustavus students and staff, 933-7590.

Gustavus Jazz Lab Band and Adolphus Jazz Ensemble in concert — 7:30 p.m., Bjorling Recital Hall, Gustavus, free, 933-7013.

Hobbies and Collectibles Program: Aprons and Turkey Dinner — 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Blue Earth County Historical Society Heritage Center, 415 Cherry St., free.

Holiday Expo 2009 — Mall will feature non-profit groups selling crafts and baked goods, and many “home party” vendors, all day, Madison East Center, free, 1-800-657-4733 or www.greatermankatoevents.com.

Holiday Fare — Featuring artisan, bake and lefse sales, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., St. Peter Community Center, www.artscentersp.org.

Lois West Duffy book signing — Author of “Zillah’s Gift,” 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Barnes and Noble Bookstore, River Hills Mall, Mankato, free, 651-337-1500.

Maple River High School Music Department presents Holiday Music and Book Fair — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Barnes & Noble, Mankato, free, 507-524-3930, ext. 234.

Student art gallery exhibit — Work by students on the Autism spectrum from Region 9 in south-entral Minnesota, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Raydiance Salon Gallery, 11 Civic Center Plaza, free, 507-469-2711.

Le Sueur-Henderson drama department presents “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” — 7:30 p.m., Le Sueur-Henderson High School auditorium, $6 for adults, $3 for students.

Waseca’s “Christmas in Our City” — Parade at 1 p.m., free horse-drawn wagon rides from 1:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., pictures with Santa from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., caroling at 5 p.m., throughout Waseca, free, 507-835-3260.

Wind in Willows storytime — 10:30 a.m., Blue Earth County Library, free, 304-4001.

Music

American Legion — Karaoke

Buster’s — Tim Mahoney

The Circle Inn — Karaoke with Sohmer

Crescent Community Club, St. James — Will Bauermeister

The Loose Moose & Conference Center — Key West Rejects, Acoustic Incorporated

Mac’s Bar — Karaoke/DJ

Midtown Tavern — Foolish Mortals

Patrick’s, St. Peter — Fish Frye

RedSky Lounge — DJ Brady Bisel

Rumor’s Lounge, Jerry Dutler Bowl — Karaoke

Sugar Room — Poorus

Whistle Stop Tavern, Lonsdale — IV Play

Wine Cafe — One Fast Move

Sunday

“A Christmas Carol” — 2 p.m., Ted Paul Theatre, Performing Arts Center, MSU, $14.50 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for MSU students, 389-6661.

“Choreographers’ Gallery: New Horizons” dance concert — 2 p.m., Anderson Theatre, Gustavus, $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, free for Gustavus students and staff, 933-7590.

Faculty piano recital featuring Helen and Paul Baumgartner — 3:30 p.m., Bjorling Recital Hall, Gustavus, 933-7013.

Le Sueur-Henderson drama department presents “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” — 2 p.m., Le Sueur-Henderson High School auditorium, $6 for adults, $3 for students.

Music

Midtown Tavern — Karaoke

Rumor’s Lounge, Jerry Dutler Bowl — Karaoke

Monday

“Connected with Water” art exhibit reception — Paintings by Gudrun Westerlund, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Hillstrom Museum of Art, Gustavus, free.

Loyola Crusader Concert Band presenting “A River of Song” — 7:30 p.m., Good Counsel Campus Gymnasium, free, 388-0611.

Swedish-American Works from the Hillstrom Collections art exhibit reception — 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Hillstrom Museum of Art, Gustavus, free.

Music

Rumor’s Lounge, Jerry Dutler Bowl — Karaoke

Tuesday

Concert bands performance — 7:30 p.m., Halling Recital Hall, MSU, $9 general admission, $6 for students K-12, children and MSU students with a valid MavCard, 389-5549.

Fall semester honors recital — 7 p.m., Trinity Chapel, Bethany Lutheran College, free, 344-7365.

Library storytime — 10:30 a.m., Blue Earth County Library, free, 304-4001.

“Lunch with the Arts” — Noon to 1 p.m., Red Rock Center for the Arts, free, 507-235-9262.

“Riverblenders” Male Barbershop Chorus Rehearsal and Guest Night — 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Loyola High School choir room, 145 Good Counsel Drive, free, 327-0682.

Music

Boomtown — Country dance

Rumor’s Lounge, Jerry Dutler Bowl — Karaoke

Sugar Room — Too Many Banjos

Wednesday

Music

Midtown Tavern — Karaoke

Pub 500 — DW3

RedSky Lounge — Live music, Open Jam

Rumor’s Lounge, Jerry Dutler Bowl — Karaoke

Sugar Room — Open Mic Night

Wine Cafe — Paul Durenberger, The Lost Walleye Orchestra



Direct inquiries to the Currents Department, The Free Press, P.O. Box 3287, Mankato, MN 56002, or 344-6356 or (800) 657-4662, Ext. 356. E-mail may be sent to: currents@mankatofreepress.com or FAX to (507) 388-4355. All information is due by 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday.