By WILMA NORTON, Times Staff Writer
Published November 25, 2005
CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY
Put away those turkey leftovers: The Christmas season has begun. Free festivities tonight kick off the holiday season in Tampa and St. Petersburg. The Snowfest Kickoff and Tree Lighting, with live music and Radio Disney, begins at 5 p.m. in St. Petersburg's North Straub Park on the downtown waterfront; the mayor throws the switch to light the displays at 7.
At Old Hyde Park Village in Tampa, the Enchanted Tree Lighting celebration from 6 to 8 features a reading of The Night Before Christmas, holiday music by the Valerie Gillespie Quartet and others and carriage rides through the historic neighborhood ($5). Holiday Snowfalls continue at 6, 7, 8 and 9 nightly through Dec. 31 in the Channelside area, adjacent to cruise terminals No. 2 and No. 3. (813) 223-4250.
And in Ybor City, the Spirit of Ybor Holiday Festival includes a tree lighting at Centro Ybor (6:30 p.m. Saturday), music, entertainment and trolley tours of the district from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, plus the Ybor City Main Street Holiday Arts & Crafts Fiesta, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Centennial Park, Ninth Avenue and 19th Street. Free. (813) 241-8838.
DECKED BOUGHS AND MORE
For more Christmas inspiration, tour the dozens of designer-decorated trees at the annual Festival of Trees, which continues through Sunday. The event, a fundraiser for the UPARC Foundation, features entertainment, gifts, crafts and Santa. Visit 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Or take in one of the special events:
Holiday Night Out with music, cash bar and food vendors from 7 to 9 tonight ($6) or the Santa breakfast, 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday ($10, reservations required). Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland St., Clearwater. $6, $5 seniors, $4 ages 3 to 16. (727) 797-8712.
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
Musical choices include young pop singer Ryan Cabrera, 7:30 tonight at Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin St., Tampa. $38.50. (813) 274-8981; the bluegrass-y Austin Lounge Lizards at 8 tonight at Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. $15. (813) 977-6474; and power pop twin sisters Tegan and Sara at 9 p.m. Saturday at the State Theatre, 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. $17. (727) 895-3045.
