This week in the Arts:

Special Events

The Hunter Museum of American Art will host a Grand llumination: Holiday Member Night for museum members and their guests on Friday from 6-8 p.m. Reservations are required and may be made by calling 267-0968.

The Chattanooga Theatre Centre's Dinner with Charles Dickens: A Victorian Holiday Feast will be held Sunday, Dec. 6, at 6:30 p.m. For more information or to make reservations, please visit www.theatrecentre.com.

The Chattanooga Downtown Partnership hosts its annual Grand Illumination on the River on Friday from 6-9 p.m. at Ross's Landing. For more information, visit www.downtownchattanooga.org.

The Northshore Merchants Collective's special Holiday Open House will take place Friday-Saturday on the Northshore with local businesses providing in-store drawings, complimentary refreshments, live music and entertainment. For more information, visit www.northshorechattanooga.com.

My Color Image Boutique and Gallery will host a fundraiser event for the Alzheimer's Association on Saturday from 4-7 p.m. Call 598-6202 for more information.

The Chattanooga Market continues Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at First Tennessee Pavilion. For more information, visit www.chattanoogamarket.com.

Reda Mansour, Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern U.S., will speak at the Jewish Cultural Center Tuesday at 6 p.m. following a Foreign Policy Supper Club dinner, and a Holiday Bazaar, including bratsacks, fudge, beadwork, felted scarves, handmade jewelry and more, will take place at the Jewish Cultural Center on Thursday from 4-7 p.m. For more information, contact Ann Treadwell at atreadwell@jcfgc.com or 493-0270 ext. 13.

The Northshore Art Walk, featuring nine Northshore galleries offering the opportunity to meet local artists and learn more about them and their work, will take place Thursday, Dec. 3, from 5-8 p.m. on the Northshore. Call 643-0025 or email damson@smartfurniture.com for more information.

The Covenant College Music Department will present its Madrigal Dinners on Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 3-5, with dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the music department at 706 419-1453.

Craft Artists of Southern Tennessee will present the 13th Annual Holiday Studio Tour on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. CST and Sunday, Dec. 6, from 12-5 p.m. CST in Sewanee/Monteagle. Visit www.cast-taca.org for more information.

Visual Art & Film

AVA is offering its members an Intro to iPhone/iTouch Workshop with instructor Andrae McGary on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. To register, visit www.avarts.org/education or call 265-4282 ext. 102.

Studio Arts will host art classes for children on Fridays or Saturdays, classes for teens on Saturdays and classes for adults on Thursdays through Saturday, Dec. 12. For a complete schedule or more information, call Judith Mogul at 645-3418 or email studioarts_846@msn.com.

Friday Morning Art Group sessions with artist/facilitator Jas Milam continue through Dec. 18 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and art classes for kids continue through Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 3:45-4:30 p.m. at the Rivoli Art Mill. Call 322-2514 to register or visit www.jasmilam.com for more information.

River Gallery will host a Day After Thanksgiving Open House on Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and the opening reception for "Look Again" on Friday, Dec. 4, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Call 265-5033 ext. 5 or visit www.river-gallery.com for more information.

The submission deadline for photographers and digital artists to enter the Asher Love Gallery's "prospectus: The Sweet Baby Jesus Show" exhibit is Friday. For more information, email asherlovegallery@gmail.com.

The Jewish Cultural Center will present a three-week film series beginning with the showing of Praying with Lior on Monday at 7 p.m. Please contact Ann Treadwell at 493-0270 or atreadwell@jcfgc.com for more information.

The opening reception for "Earth" will be held Tuesday from 12-6 p.m. at the Tanner-Hill Gallery Warehouse Row Project Space. For more information, call 280-7182 or visit www.tannerhillgallery.com.

In-Town Gallery will host the opening reception for "Hard Lessons in Zoology" on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5-8 p.m. Call 267-9214 visit www.intowngallery.com for more information.

An Oracle: Clay Rune Workshop with Jas Milam will be held Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Rivoli Art Mill. Call 322-2514 or visit www.jasmilam.com to register or for more information.

Theatre, Music & Dance

A Christmas Carol opens Friday and continues through Sunday, Dec. 20, and Madeline's Christmas opens Friday, Dec. 4, and continues through Sunday, Dec. 20, at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. For more information, call 267-8534 or visit www.theatrecentre.com.

Auditions for the Chattanooga Theatre Centre's production of Our Town will be held Sunday - Monday at 7:30 p.m. Visit www.theatrecentre.com for more information.

Ballet Tennessee's production of The Nutcracker will be held Friday - Saturday, Dec. 4-5, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. at the UTC Fine Arts Center. Call 425-4269 or visit www.utc.edu/finearts to purchase tickets.

The Chattanooga Girls Choir presents their annual winter concert, Pictures of December, at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church on Friday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call the choir office at 629-6188.

CSO Maestro Bob Bernhardt's Musical Boot Camp 2 will take place Saturday, Dec. 5, at The Walden Club. For more information, call 267-8583.

The Chattanooga Boys Choir Singing Christmas Tree will be held at the Tivoli Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, please visit www.chattanoogaonstage.com or call 642-TIXS.

Paul Geremia will perform at the Barking Legs Theater on Friday at 8 p.m. For ticket information, call 624-5347 or visit www.barkinglegs.org.

The Community Players will present The Best Christmas Pageant Ever on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. at The Colonnade Civic Center. Call 706 935-9000 for more information.

Destiny Theatre Company will present Driving Miss Daisy Friday - Sunday, at Stage Left at Loose Cannon Studios. Visit www.destinyentertainment.org for more information.

The Gem Players will present their production of Little Women Friday - Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Gem Theater in Etowah. Visit www.gemplayers.com for more information.

The Oak Ridge Boys will present their Christmas show concert at Memorial Auditorium on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be online at www.chattanoogaonstage.com or by calling 642-TIXS.

Comedian Rickey Smiley, with special guests Special K and Lavar, will appear at the Tivoli Theatre on Saturday at 7 p.m. Visit www.chattanoogaonstage.com or call 642-TIXS for more information.

Jim Brickman will present his "Beautiful World Christmas" concert on Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Tivoli Theatre. Visit www.chattanoogaonstage.com for ticket information.

The Lee University Wind Ensemble will perform Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Conn Center on the Lee University campus. For more information, contact the Lee University School of Music at 614-8240 or music@leeuniversity.edu.

The Center for Creative Arts Vocal Music Department will present a concert of holiday music featuring five choirs in music of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Center's auditorium. Call 209-5942 for more information.

Contemporary Christian supergroup Skillet, with special guests Hawk Nelson and Decyfer Down, will perform at Memorial Auditorium on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. Visit www.chattanoogaonstage.com or call 642-TIXS to purchase tickets.

Gift of the Magi will be presented Friday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. at the Tennessee Valley Theatre. Call 365-PLAY for reservations.

Behold the Lamb of God: the True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ will be presented at Ripple Theater Friday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2:30 p.m. Visit www.rippletheater.com or call 475-5006 for ticket information.

The Lee University School of Music will present its 21st annual "A Classic Christmas" concert on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m. in the university's Conn Center. For ticket information, call 614-8343.

The Chattanooga Firefighters Benefit Concert featuring The New Rascals will be held at Memorial Auditorium on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door or can be purchased by calling the Chattanooga Firefighters Association at 899-4990.

Writing & Literature

The Southern Literature Book Club will meet and discuss Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns on Monday at 6 p.m. at Rock Point Books. For more information about this book club, please contact e-mail Abbie Tilley at southernlitclub@comcast.net.

Sam Beall, author of Blackberry Farm's cookbook and the Farm's chef, will share the cookbook's history, recipes, and the story of the farm on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. at Rock Point Books. Visit www.rockpointbooks.com for more information.

Rock Point Books presents Fun Fridays, a fun children's reading hour, beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 4. For more information, please visit www.rockpointbooks.com.