Dec. 1 to Jan. 1
• At the Third Annual Rosario Festival of Trees, local nonprofit organizations decorate holiday trees in the Moran Mansion at Rosario for the public to vote on their favorites. All $1 tickets are entered into raffle drawings for two nights in Seattle, a spa membership and dinner for two at The Mansion Restaurant. All proceeds go to the nonprofits along with a donation to each organization from Rosario Resort and Spa.
Dec. 6, 7, and 8
• Kick off your holiday shopping with Shop the Rock on Orcas Island, special discounts for shoppers.
Friday, Dec. 6
• Annual tree lighting ceremony, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Eastsound Village Green, music by the Orcas Island Community Band, cider and cookies and a visit from Santa with toys for children. Tree lighting is at 5 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 7
• The American Legion Auxiliary will hold its annual Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the legion on Crescent Beach Drive.
There are local craft vendors, a soup bistro with homemade soup, a bake sale and a raffle for three baskets. The baskets have a theme each year: holiday, bath and beauty and kitchen. The auxiliary members donate the items for the baskets.
Raffle tickets are on sale now and the auxiliary will be selling them at Island Market on Friday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m as well as at the bazaar on Dec. 7. The drawing for baskets will be at 3 p.m. that day.
All proceeds from the bazaar help fund scholarships to graduating seniors each year.
• Friends of the Library Holiday Tea, 1 to 4 p.m., enjoy tea and cookies while you listen to music or make a craft with your children at the library. At 2 p.m., Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit.
Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 8
• The 24th annual Artisan’s Faire at the Odd Fellows Hall features art, crafts, gifts and food from Orcas Islanders. It is on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Kitchen will once again be serving up yummy food downstairs. There will be several gift baskets raffled off; anyone who makes a purchase at the fair will be entered in the raffle.
• Orcas Choral Society holiday concert, Orcas Center, featuring old and new favorites. Dec. 7 performance is at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 is at 2 p.m. Tickets: $15, $5 students.
• Windham Hill artist Jeff Johnson brings the community his annual Celtic Christmas Special at two concerts at the Orcas Island Community Church, starting at 6 p.m. They are free and open to the public. Register online at: http://www.orcaschurch.org or call 376-6422. Johnson’s ensemble is an international collaboration between American composer and keyboardist, Jeff Johnson; Dublin’s Irish flutist, Brian Dunning and American violinist, Wendy Goodwin.
Thursday, Dec. 12 and Friday Dec. 13
• Pianist Viktor Valkov and Cellist Lachezar Kostov, originally from Bulgaria, will perform at the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival’s “Leaves of Gold” Fundraising Concert, Rosario Resort, 6 p.m. Tickets are $150. For reservations, call 376-6636 or joyce@oicmf.org.
Saturday, Dec. 14
• A tradition for 23 years, Orcas Island Community Band in concert at Orcas Center, 2 p.m., admission by donation. The band will perform a wide variety of music – plus songs of the season. Join in the carols sing-a-long at the show’s end and the free dessert party afterwards.
Co-conductors Jim Shaffer Bauck and Karen Key Speck say that there is music for everyone. The mid-day show time is to accommodate families with children and seniors not wishing to drive at night.
• The 22nd annual Candlelight Spiral Walk will start at 1 p.m. at the Oddfellows Hall.
