The Picks: Holiday Fair at the Center, Local Performances & More Weekend Picks!
November 17-23, 2022
New local picks every Thursday evening to get your weekend started! Check back each week to see La Crosse Local’s picks and to make sure not to miss out on events throughout the year.
Event Submission
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La Crosse Local
Photo by La Crosse Center
All Weekend
La Crosse Center Holiday Fair – The La Crosse area’s most spectacular holiday craft show returns November 17th through the 20th at the La Crosse Center. The Holiday Fair is a La Crosse tradition every year and an event for all ages. A large number of craft vendors and vendor booths are set up to shop for holiday gifts. Plus the kids will enjoy photographs with Santa and special appearances by Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer throughout the fair days. There will be door prizes given out every hour, and everyone can view the hall decorated in a charming Christmas/Winter theme while enjoying holiday music.
Photo by Pump House Regional Arts
Friday
ReproActive at the Pump House – Head to the Pump House Regional Arts Center this Friday for ReproActive “We Will Not Stay Silent” presented by Susan Fox and Diane Breeser. ReproActive is an evening of monologues, poetry essays, short plays, and articles, along with a discussion with local leaders in politics and women’s healthcare. Similar to a previous production, The “Alternative Truth” Project, audiences who enjoyed the first show may also enjoy a similar evening of performances at ReproActive. The event will be on November 18th at 7:30 pm. Free admission but donations are accepted.
Photo by Marie W. Heider Center for the Arts
Saturday
Rave On – Tribute to Buddy Holly – Purchase tickets to see Rave On! at the Heider Center this Saturday night starting at 7:30 pm. A Buddy Holly tribute show, Rave On! celebrates music and the man that helped start it all. Be transported back in time by Billy McGuigan and the Rave On Band, and experience a high energy, concert extravaganza just as electrifying as the original rock ‘n’ rollers.
The La Crosse Gurls Drag Dinner – Spice up your Saturday night plans with the La Crosse Gurls at Java Vino for Drag Queen Happy Hour, Dinner and Bingo! The Drag Dinner starts at 6:30 pm and all attendees will need a ticket to enter. The show is 18+ and includes an evening with the La Crosse Drag Gurls, as well as food and drinks from Java Vino. After the show Draft Bingo will start at 9:00 pm and is free and open to everyone. Bingo cards are $1 per round, and the money will be donated to the 7 Rivers LGBTAQ+ Center. Prizes and gifts will be awarded to the winners of each round.
The Lavender Project w/ CharlieBoy – Stop down to The Root Note in downtown La Crosse for live local music and great food and drinks this Saturday night. Starting at 8:00 pm, come see local and regional favorites The Lavender Project with CharlieBoy. The Lavender Project will be playing their signature style of a new take on hip-hop with rock guitar solos, disco breakbeats, shoegaze psychedelia, plus Indie Rock with CharlieBoy. It is sure to be an entertaining and relaxing atmosphere for starting your Saturday night off with friends.
Photo by Cappella Performing Arts Center
Sunday
Viterbo Choral Arts Fall Concert – Come down to the Cappella Performing Arts Center on Sunday for an evening with Viterbo Choral Arts for their Fall Concert. Viterbo Choral Arts is a performance ensemble directed and founded by Viterbo faculty member, James Wilson. The ensemble is open to all students and community members who have a passion for choral music and gives them the opportunity to perform engaging and varied works in a welcoming environment. The Fall concert starts at 3:00 pm on Sunday at the Cappella Performing Arts Center and will make for a wonderful and engaging evening of music.
Photo by Nicholas David
Coming Up
La Crosse Rotary Lights – Participate in a tried and true La Crosse holiday tradition, head to Rotary Lights this November and December at Riverside Park! With nearly 160,000 visitors each year, driving, walking or taking a carriage ride through Riverside Park is a popular way to celebrate the holiday season. Along with the opening parade and ceremony, there will be events throughout the holiday season. Santa and a couple of his reindeer will be in the park every evening through December 23rd, plus there will be a Live Nativity, free s’mores at the fire pits, and an ice rink and free skate rental. There will also be an All Abilities Night on November 28th where the lights and music will be adjusted to accommodate all individuals. Add this La Crosse tradition to your holiday bucket list for this year!
DP’s 12 Year Anniversary Party: A Tribute to the Last Waltz w/ special guest Nicholas David – Deece Productions will be performing a tribute to the Last Waltz on November 26th at the La Crosse Center’s Riverside Ballroom. The Last Waltz Tribute will feature over 30 of the Midwest’s finest musicians celebrating one of the most memorable concerts of all time The Band’s 1976 concert, The Last Waltz, directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese. Opening the show will be Minneapolis native and finalist on the Voice, Nicholas David. David and his Feelin Band have toured coast to coast headlining and playing support bills with national acts ranging from the Avett Brothers to Rusted Root to Jackson Browne. These 30 musicians will be personifying each of the bands and artists who played the 1976 concert for a night of entertainment and epic musical performances. Tickets for the show are available at Deaf Ear Records, Instrument Repair of La Crosse and online at https://deeceproductions.com.
Photo by La Crosse Community Theatre
Scrooge in Rouge: An English Music Hall Christmas Carol – Coming up soon, celebrate the beginning of the holiday season with Scrooge in Rouge: An English Music Hall Christmas Carol presented by the La Crosse Community Theatre. With the Royal Music Hall Twenty-Member Variety Players out sick with a widespread case of food poisoning, the three remaining members must complete a performance of A Christmas Carol. An offbeat, bawdy, but hilarious version of the Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, this music hall performance is full of bad puns, double-entendres, and witty songs.
Small Business Saturday at Pearl Street Brewery – Celebrate Small Business Saturday by spending $20 dollars or more at small businesses around La Crosse County and receive a free beer from Pearl Street Brewery upon showing a valid receipt! Saturday, November 26th marks Small Business Saturday and there are many local and small businesses around La Crosse County where you can shop for unique, and often handmade, gifts for yourself or for the upcoming holidays. After shopping, stop into Pearl Street Brewery from 12:00pm to 8:00pm and be rewarded for shopping locally with one free beer. Pearl Street Brewery has been using local ingredients and products since its start 20+ years ago and wants to reward those that “Shop Local” in La Crosse County this 2022 Holiday Season.
Photo by Broken Wrist Records
On The Road
Nobody’s Dope LIVE at Footjoy Farm – Presented by Broken Wrist Records, come to Footjoy Farm and Brewing this Saturday night to see Nobody’s Dope, a one-of-a-kind refreshing new group playing clever takes on fan favorites and innovative original songs. Nobody’s Dope is made up of GUESS PRE or Gregory Stanton, Andy Hughes, and Brian Bethke. The band’s live performance will include a poetic mashup of hip-hop and songs, including rapping, singing, guitar solos, and harmonies. Stop out to Footjoy Farm and Brewing between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm to see Nobody’s Dope live and enjoy locally brewed beer on tap, flights of beer, and food.
Villa Bellezza Christmas Market – Experience the tradition of a European outdoor Christmas market right on the Wisconsin Great River Road! The Villa Bellezza Christmas Market is located at Villa Bellezza Winery in Pepin, Wisconsin along the Mississippi River. The winery transforms its beautiful piazza into a charming lighted market each November and December, welcoming guests to shop local artisans and vendors for everyone on their holiday gift list. The event includes the Christmas Market with vendors selling food, drinks, and seasonal items in open-air stalls around the piazza. Market goers can also visit the Tavola Calda during the event for Italian market foods including pizza by the slice, hot sandwiches, sweet pastries, and Villa Bellezza wines by the glass and bottle. Hear more about Villa Bellezza Winery on the La Crosse Local Podcast, and come out on Saturdays and Sundays during the holiday season from 11am to 5 pm.
About La Crosse Local
La Crosse Local is an arts, food, and entertainment podcast and publication for La Crosse County and its surrounding communities.
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