Holiday sights, sounds abound in New Bern

Holiday sights and sounds will be in good supply in New Bern for the Christmas season.

For the traditionally tuned, the music ranges from a revamped city opry to patriotic and seasonal tunes by the all-volunteer community band to the longstanding standard Handel’s “Messiah.”

Parades, flotillas, the city Christmas tree lighting, a variety of holiday and historical programs and tours, and fundraisers for charities culminate with First Night, the opening of a year-long celebration of New Bern’s 300th birthday.

Here are some of the December events:

The fifth annual lighting of the city tree at the Hilton on the New Bern waterfront is Friday at 6 p.m.

The following day, Saturday, is perhaps the busiest single day of the season, with activities that begin early and continue into the night.

The highlight attraction of the day is the New Bern Christmas Parade, which annually attracts thousands of spectators.

The 3 p.m. parade begins at Pollock and First streets and makes its way through downtown. It’s a free event, sponsored by the Craven County Jaycees. The lineup begins at 1 p.m. at Trent Road and Seventh Avenue to Fort Totten Park. For more information, call 252-636-0303.

The parade is followed by the Coastal Christmas Flotilla, with activities from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Union Point Park. It is the 25th year for the flotilla, in which area boaters exhibit the sights, sounds and lights of the season on their watercrafts.

The Craven Community Concert Band will open with seasonal and patriotic tunes. And after the flotilla concludes its river parade, Santa Claus will greet children at the park gazebo.

Registration for boaters is underway, with forms available at the West New Bern Recreation Center or by calling 252-639-2902. The flotilla is sponsored by the New Bern Parks and Recreation Department.

Breakfast with Santa comes at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, a project of the Craven Regional Medical Center Foundation. It includes breakfast, crafts and photos with Santa. Mrs. Claus will be available for story time, and there will be Kidzone activities, a raffle tree and children-only gift shop.

Tickets for the event are $12 for adults and children. For information, e-mail santa@coastalnet.com, call 252-633-8247, or visit crmcfoundation.com.

The newly-named Bear City Opry, formerly the Jarman Opry, plans Christmas shows Saturday and again Dec. 12 at the Masonic Theater on Hancock Street. The shows will feature classic country, gospel and bluegrass from 7 to 9 p.m.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door and $5 for children age 12 and younger. Tickets are available at Fullers Music on Trent Road or by calling 252-670-7082.

Also on Saturday, Tryon Palace will present its Saturday Sampler program, “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” at 1 p.m. in the visitors center auditorium on Pollock Street. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for students and included with regular Tryon Palace admission.

A history program on James City is scheduled Saturday at 2 p.m. at the New Bern-Craven County Public Library. Historian Joe Mobley will present a program on the freedmen’s settlement, established across the Neuse and Trent rivers from New Bern by the Civil War Union Army.

Admission is free. For more information, call 252-638-7800, or visit newbern.cpclib.org.

Another Saturday activity is a Flapjack Fundraiser and Santa breakfast to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters at Applebee’s on Dr. M.L. King Jr. Boulevard from 7 to 10 a.m. All proceeds go toward the organization’s One-To-One Mentoring Program. Tickets are $7. For more information, call 252-638-5888.

Shoppers can visit the annual Coastal Carolina Christmas Arts, Crafts and Gifts Show at the Craven County Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The show features more than 80 vendors, with items ranging from pottery, baskets, gourmet foods, candles and ceramics to woodwork, jewelry, clothing, toys, hand-paintings and personalized crafts.

There will be door prizes during the show. Tickets are $3 for adults, with children 12 and younger admitted free. For more information, call 252-249-2802 or 252-249-0486.

Help for the needy continues Dec. 11 with a Salvation Army Christmas Food Drive at Joe Alcoke Auto Center from 4 to 8 p.m. For more information, call 252-637-2277.

Dec. 12 is another Saturday with a variety of events. It marks the annual Holly and The Ivy homes tour in New Bern from noon to 5 p.m.

Visitors may stroll through the historic district to visit half a dozen decorated homes. The event includes cookies, cider and holiday music at the “Sugar Plum House.” The event is annually hosted by the New Bern Woman’s Club, with proceeds going to the group’s various community projects.

Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 the day of the tour. Advance tickets are available at the Craven County Visitor’s Center, Harris Teeter and the Bank of the Arts on Middle Street. Call 252-638-2577 for information.

Several evening events are on tap Dec. 12, including the first of two Tryon Palace Christmas Candlelight Tours. The tours are from 5 to 9 p.m. that evening and again Dec. 19. Tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for students.

Also that evening, the Bear City Opry has the second of its Christmas shows at the Masonic Theater, beginning at 7 p.m.

The Craven Messiah Chorus will present Handel’s “Messiah” Dec. 14 in the sanctuary of Centenary United Methodist Church at New and Middle streets in New Bern.

James Ogle, former artistic director of the Boise Philharmonic Association and associate conductor of the North Carolina Symphony, will return to New Bern for the 27th performance. An open rehearsal will be held at 3 p.m. preceding the performance at 7:30 p.m.

And on Dec. 15, the North Carolina Symphony will perform its annual Holiday Pops Concert from 6 to 9 p.m. at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center. For ticket information, call 877-627-6724.