Lantern festival ready to help brighten holidays
Advertised as the largest holiday lantern festival in the nation, the 2015 Magical Winter Lights event will be a daily evening attraction at Sam Houston Race Park from Nov. 20 to Jan 10. For 52 days, the grounds of the race park will be divided into several areas with themed lighting displays: magical, Europe, Americas and Houston, Asia, Australia, Africa and dinosaur land.
Advertised as the largest holiday lantern festival in the nation, the 2015 Magical Winter Lights event will be a daily evening attraction at Sam Houston Race Park from Nov. 20 to Jan 10. Adult tickets are $27, children 4-12 are $16 and children under 4 are free.
For 52 days, the grounds of the race park will be divided into seven areas with themed lighting displays: magical, Europe, Americas and Houston, Asia, Australia, Africa and dinosaur land.
Featured lighted attractions include life-size dinosaurs, visionary dreamscapes of holiday cheer and replicas of global architectural landmarks like the Taj Mahal, the Temple of Heaven, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, the pyramids and the Sydney Opera House.
The festival also includes carnival rides, food vendors specializing in international cuisine, photos with Santa, the Snow Sisters and cultural performances celebrating traditions and artistry from around the world.
Sam Houston Race Park is located at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West in Houston. Learn more at www.magicalwinterlights.com.
MASONES SALOON Johnny Lee will perform hits
Johnny Lee and the Urban Cowboy Band will perform at Masones Saloon on Nov. 20, less than a month after he performed there. Tickets start at $17.
Lee is best known for performing the song “Lookin’ for Love,” a song featured on the soundtrack for “Urban Cowboy.” For 10 years, Lee worked with Mickey Gilley at his famous Pasadena honky-tonk which served as the backdrop for the Houston-based movie starring John Travolta. The day after this performance at Masones, Lee will be in Lubbock performing with Gilley for the 35th annual Urban Cowboy Reunion.
Masones Saloon is located at 11133 Huffmeister Road in Spring. Learn more at www.masonessaloon.com or call 281-8905556.
MAIN STREET CROSSING Singer brings blues to Tomball
Austin blues powerhouse Carolyn Wonderland will perform with her band at 8 p.m. on Nov. 20 at Main Street Crossing in Tomball. Tickets start at $22.
This year, she released her debut live album “Live Texas Trio” — named after the three venues where it was recorded: Austin’s Antone’s, Dallas’ Kessler Theatre and Houston’s own Last Concert Cafe. The new work features some of her best songs from her studio releases and soulful covers from the likes of Texas music legends Doug Sahm and Blind Willie Johnson.
Main Street Crossing is located at 111 W. Main St. in Tomball. Learn more at www.mainstreetcrossing. com or call 281-290-0431.
TOMBALL Parade, pageant kick off holidays
On the morning of Nov. 21, the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Tomball Holiday Parade followed that evening by the Miss Tomball Pageant where one lucky winner will win a prestigious local title and a college scholarship.
The two events will be led by familiar television faces. Tom Abrahams, weekend anchor at Ch. 13 KTRK-TV, will serve as the emcee for the parade which begins at 10 a.m. with a route that travels down Main Street (FM 2920) until 12 p.m.
Former KTRK reporter Sonia Azad, who now works for ABC affiliate WFAA in Dallas, will serve as master of ceremonies for the Miss Tomball Pageant, which begins at 7 p.m.
The Miss Tomball 2016 Pageant will be in the Performing Arts Center at Salem Lutheran Church, located at 22601 Lutheran Church Road in Tomball. Tickets are $20. Learn more at www.tomballchamber.org or call 281351-7222.
MAIN STREET CROSSING Ezra Charles will perform concert
Longtime Houstonarea performer Ezra Charles will perform his “Story of Boogie Woogie” at 8 p.m. on Nov. 25 at Main Street Crossing in Tomball. Tickets start at $15.
The show spans about two hours; Charles will perform the classic pieces that define the genre and will relate stories of its origin and how it emerged from Texas lumber camps in the 1880s. Main Street Crossing is located at 111 W. Main St. in Tomball. Learn more at www.ezracharles.com.