What’s Happening Claremont? — by Andrew Alonzo

Friday, December 10

• Beginning Friday, December 10, the public is invited to Luminaria Nights at the California Botanic Garden, where they will be “enchanted at this Claremont tradition where the garden glows with light for the holidays,” the garden’s website read. Special holiday installations and live music will be included. For tickets, visit www.calbg.org/event/luminaria-nights-2021.
• All are invited to PFlag Claremont’s upcoming winter social, Snow Place Like Home, a free queer-friendly winter social happening on Friday, December 10 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Pomona. The social is scheduled to run between 6 and 9 p.m. and will feature games, prizes, food and music. For more information, visit www.pflagclaremont.com.

Saturday, December 11

• Join the Claremont Chorale on Saturday, December 11 at the Claremont United Church of Christ’s Kingman Chapel for a holiday concert beginning at 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased via chorale members or online at www.claremontchorale.org. The Claremont United Church of Christ is located at 233 Harrison Avenue.
• Between 1 and 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 11, Crossroads, Inc. will be hosting their holiday open house at the Harvard House, 1269 N. Harvard Ave. All are invited to enjoy the festivities and holiday sweets. To RSVP, contact (909) 626-7847.
• Every Saturday beginning at 9 a.m., rain or shine, the Inland Valley Hope Partners’ farmers market takes place on the corner of Garey Avenue and Pearl Street in Pomona. For more information, contact the volunteer coordinator at 909-622-3806 ext. 108 or vcoordinator@inlandvalleyhopepartners.org.

Sunday, December 12

• At 2 p.m., Sunday, December 12, the University of La Verne will hold A Crescendo Christmas, a “nostalgic musical tribute to classic Christmas entertainment” performed by Crescendo Theatrical Productions. The two-hour event will be held at ULV’s Dailey Theater. Tickets can be purchased online at Eventbrite.
• The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Claremont will be holding Dialogue on Faith and Race this Sunday, December 12, from 2-4 p.m., in the chapel of the Claremont Center for Spiritual Living, 509 S. College Avenue. The topic is liberation from racial oppression.
• Sunday, December 12 at 2 p.m. is the second and final performace of the Claremont Concert Orchestra’s December concert at the Garrison Theater, 241 E. Tenth St. The concert showcases “traditional dances from across the Americas” and features Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Alberto Ginastera, Arturo Marquez, Astor Piazzola, and Florence Price, all conducted by David Cubek. Tickets for this and the December 11 concert can be purchased online at Eventbrite.

Monday, December 13

• Registration opens for the Claremont Helen Renwick Library’s design your own mug class, on Monday, December 13 at 2 p.m. The one-hour class at 2 p.m. is the following Monday, December 20, and children ages 12-18 can decorate their own mugs with paint and markers. Register online at https://lacountylibrary.org/claremont-library.
• A third dialog from Sustainable Claremont is scheduled to be held on Monday, December 13 from 7 to 8 p.m. via Zoom. The Sustainability Dialog will cover A New Source of Water for Southern California. For more information on the talk, visit www.sustainableclaremont.org.

Tuesday, December 14

• In April 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Claremont City Council to move their meetings online to a Zoom format. After 20 months, on Tuesday, December 14, the city council will host their first hybrid format meeting, meaning citizens can attend either in-person or via Zoom beginning at 6:30 p.m. In-person attendance will be limited, however, and those feeling sick are advised to watch the meeting from home via Zoom. For details, visit www.ci.claremont.ca.us.
• Seniors (65+) are invited by Holy Name of Mary Church to hear the Amazing Greys (Trevor Thomson) sing holiday favorites beginning at 1 p.m. in their Sacred Heart Hall. Instead of selling tickets, the church is asking attendees to donate food or money to St. Vincent de Paul. To RSVP or for more details, contact (909) 392-4466.
• With fraud schemes abundant each holiday season, AgingNext is collaborating with non-profits WISE and Healthy Aging to offer residents an interactive and informative event on being alert to scammers on Tuesday, December 14. The one-hour event, Smarter than a Scammer, will take place via Zoom at 11 a.m. Register at their Eventbrite page.

Wednesday, December 15

• Every Wednesday at 10 a.m. outside the Joslyn Center, members of the Claremont Senior Program distribute prepared lunches to senior residents on a first-come, first-served basis. The distribution is drive-through style while supplies last. For more information, contact the Joslyn Center at (909) 399-5488.

Thursday, December 16

• Granite Creek Community Church, located at 1580 N. Claremont Blvd., is inviting all to witness their 20th Annual Living Nativity, an outdoor walk-through tour of “four different live-action stages, sharing the story of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ.” The Living Nativity will begin Thursday, December 16 and conclude on Sunday, December 19. Each day the scenes, as well as the petting zoo, will open at 5 p.m. For tickets and details, visit their Eventbrite page.

Friday, December 17

• Friday, December 17 is National Ugly Sweater Day according to National Today online and everyone, no matter what they’re doing that day, should participate in the unofficially recognized holiday.

Saturday, December 18

• December 18 is National Wreaths Across America Day. At 9 a.m., the Covina Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution will host a special ceremony to honor the country’s fallen veterans at La Verne Cemetery, located at 3201 B Street. The ceremony is open to all.
• The final day to view the Alison Saar: Of Aether and Earthe exhibit at the Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College is Saturday, December 18. The museum is located at 120 West Bonita Avenue and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. Also, join the museum on Saturday, December 11 for a closing celebration with the artist. For more information, contact benton@pomona.edu, (909) 621–8283 or visit www.pomona.edu/museum.
• Santa Claus is still at Michael Negrete’s photography studio, 1420 N. Claremont Blvd., Suite 202B, ready to take holiday photos with you and your family. But Saturday, December 18, is his last day before he returns back to the North Pole. To schedule a photo appointment, visit www.michaelnegrete.com.

Sunday, December 19

• Between 8 a.m. and noon on Sunday, December 19, families are invited to St. Joseph Pomona School’s Auditorium, located behind the school at 1200 W. Holt Ave., to take photos and enjoy a pancake breakfast with Santa Claus. Tickets can be purchased by contacting the school office at (909) 622-3365. Attendees can also buy tickets to enter Sunday morning’s raffles for a chance to win big Christmas presents.

Monday, December 20

• The final day to make a donation to Our Lady of the Assumption Church’s Alternative Gift Christmas Market is Monday, December 20. The church is asking for gifts that will be given to those in need in and around the area, and the world. Residents can view the list of requested items by visiting www.olaclaremont.org.