What to do this weekend in Mat-Su (Nov. 27-30): Holiday cheer, bazaars, food & fun

What you need to know:

• Several free Thanksgiving events are planned in the Mat-Su, including a large community dinner hosted by Frontline Mission and a “Vetsgiving” meal for veterans at the local VFW post.
• Christmas-themed events are scheduled throughout the weekend, including craft bazaars in Big Lake and at Colony High School, a benefit concert and a community decorating event in Houston.
• Additional weekend festivities include stage performances of A Charlie Brown Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life, the Bright Up the Night light display at the Alaska State Fairgrounds, and family ice skating events in Wasilla and Palmer.

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Unpack those sweaters, cue that Christmas playlist and settle in for six weeks of cocoa and cookies. 

The wait is over, and the holidays are here. Ready to make them happy on a busy Thanksgiving weekend in Mat-Su? Here are some events you don’t want to miss. 

Want even more event options?

The Mat-Su Sentinel’s free community calendar features a wide variety of community events, with new activities added daily. 

Community Thanksgiving Dinners Planned

Frontline Mission will host its Giving from the Heart Thanksgiving Dinner from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at the Menard Center in Wasilla. The dinner is free to all, family-friendly, and aims to ensure no one spends the holiday alone. “Don’t stay home alone this Thanksgiving!” reads a flyer for the event. “Let us be part of your family.” 

The mission’s event is the biggest in the Mat-Su, but there’s a couple of other free holiday meals being served up for veterans and their families. On Friday, VFW Post 9365 in Wasilla (301 E. Lake View Ave.) will host a Vetsgiving event from 2 to 6 p.m. for veterans and active-duty service members who might not otherwise have somewhere to celebrate the holiday. 

Christmas Crafts Come to Colony

Ready to get serious about Christmas shopping? Tired of leftovers? Saturday is your lucky day when food and crafts from more than 100 vendors pack Colony High School for the annual Colony High Christmas Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the school located at 9550 E. Bogard Road. 

Admission is free.

Jingle (and Jam) the Night Away

Music lovers can rock out for a good cause Saturday night from 7 to 11 p.m. at the MTA Events Center in Palmer (1317 S. Kerry Weiland Court) at the 4th Annual Roland Roberts Christmas Jam. Featuring performances by the Roland Roberts Band, The Jephries, and Good Company – and lubricated with drinks from the Palmer Ale House – the event aims to raise money for the Mat-Su Special Santa Program. Must be 21 or older. Cost is $28.52 and tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Fairground Festivities

Get out of the house on Thanksgiving evening on the opening night of the Alaska State Fair’s Bright up the Night celebration. The annual holiday light show and festival continues through Sunday and will be held Fridays through Sundays until Dec. 7, then every day from Dec. 11 through the end of the year. Organizers describe the event as a “dazzling display of more than 70 sparkling light installations that bring the fairgrounds to life with festive cheer,” and it also includes entertainment, mulled wine, mocktails, and local food trucks. The cost for a regular vehicle (up to 8 people) is $22 if you purchase tickets online or $25 at the gate. Vans and limos (9 or more) are $35 online or $40 at the gate, and buses cost $70 for online tickets or $75 at the gate.

Houston for the Holidays

The Susitna Valley is getting festive this weekend with a pair of holiday-themed community events in the Big Lake/Houston Area. On Saturday and Sunday, the Big Lake Lions Club will host its annual Christmas Bazaar at the Big Lake East Lake Mall located at 3261 Big Lake Road. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 

The holiday cheer continues Sunday in Houston, which will hold its Houston Merry Makeover starting at noon at three locations around the community: Little Susitna Rotary Park, Houston FD Wayside Park and Houston Fire Station 9-1. 

Organizers describe the Christmas decorating event as “a magical day of community spirit and holiday cheer.” The event is free and will include festive Christmas music, hot cocoa and cider, snacks and snowman building (snow permitting, of course). Participants are asked to bring extra Christmas decorations to help celebrate the season. All are welcome at this free event. “Come in any time after noon; just look for the festive crowd and join in.” 

Christmas Takes Center Stage

Valley Performing Arts is currently showcasing a double dose of holiday cheer with weekend performances of a pair of iconic Christmas classics. Opening the double feature will be a stage adaptation of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the beloved television special, “in which Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang discover the true meaning of Christmas.” 

After the gang leaves the stage, VPA performers will present a live radio adaptation of the Hollywood favorite “It’s a Wonderful Life” performed as a 1940s radio broadcast. Directed by Laesa Denbleyker, the show runs weekends through Dec. 14. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Tickets are $25 for adults or $22 for military, students and seniors. 

Free Show and Skating at the Menard

Finally, what would a chilly holiday weekend be without some ice skating? On Saturday, the Menard Center in Wasilla will host Holiday Lights and Dancing Nights: A Cosmic Christmas Celebration. Beginning at 2:45 p.m., the event will feature an ice show by local Learn-to-Skate skaters as well as competition team solo skaters. After the performance, the ice will be opened up for a free family skate complete with cookies and plenty of hot cocoa.

Post-Thanksgiving Open skating will also be available in Palmer from 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. Friday at the MTA Events Center (1317 S. Kerry Weiland Court).

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