Our favorite season has arrived at Pinecrest Gardens and our programming is jam packed with wonderful events and performances for the entire family. Just walking the Gardens is a festive treat, with garlands and other holiday décor, and if you visit during the day, be sure to stop by the wonderful monumental sculpture — The Four Seasons located at the entrance to the meadow — that will be on exhibit until April 6.
Here’s a sampling of our happenings over the next two weeks.
FESTIVALS
Holiday Festival presented by First Bank Florida, Saturday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m.- 6:30 p.m.; Our featured December festival this year is bigger and better than ever. Join us for a day for the whole family to enjoy, when you can indulge in delicious food, take a photo with Santa, sing along with our carolers, enjoy live music, theater and dance, and immerse yourself in the holiday spirit!
The day features excerpts from The Nutcracker, performances from Miami Children’s Theater, a model train display, pictures with Santa, puppeteers, face painters, Greater Miami Youth Symphony & Jazz Band, pony rides, bounce houses, a Candy Land Café, fabulous food and the lighting of the holiday tree at sundown. Parking is free and overflow parking access will be available with the Pinecrest People Mover making continuous stops for pick-up and drop-off from 10 a.m.- 7:30 p.m. to Pinecrest Gardens from Palmetto Middle School, Palmetto High School and Pinecrest Elementary. General admission is $5 and children under 2 enter free.
MUSIC
Orchestra Miami presents Time Flies, A Family Fun Concert; Sunday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. Time Flies is a concert the whole family can enjoy, especially children 3-10. Artist Eric Rohmann’s award-winning picture book comes to life through a magical musical score that portrays a little bird caught in a dinosaur exhibit of a natural history museum. The performance is scored for 13 musicians conducted by artistic director Elaine Rinaldi and performed with projected images from Rohmann’s book. The concert runs 45-50 minutes. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for kids 12 and under, or buy a family-pack that includes two adults and two kids for $30. Tickets are available on the Orchestra Miami website or at the gate.
South Motors Jazz presents Dr. Ed Calle and His Holiday Divas; Saturday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m. — “Ed Calle has virtually flawless technique, outstanding control,” — Skip Spratt; Join Calle along with South Florida’s favorite jazz songstresses Joy Francis, Wendy Pedersen, Leslie Cartaya and Nicole Yarling accompanied by his Big Band in a festive and fun Holiday Jazz Concert. Saxophonist Ed Calle is known for his extraordinary ability to play bebop, Latin and contemporary jazz and pop. He appears on Grammy Award albums by Frank Sinatra, Vicky Carr, Arturo Sandoval and Jon Secada, as well as on numerous television and motion picture soundtracks. He has recorded and performed around the world with such artists as Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, Michael Bolton, Bob James, Bobby Caldwell, Rhianna, Extreme, and Vanessa Williams. Among his many solo recordings, Ed Calle Plays Santana garnered a Latin Grammy Award nomination in 2005. His 2006 release In the Zone features original compositions and jazz standards and earned a Latin Grammy nomination in 2007. For information about pre-concert dining, call 305-669-6990; for tickets call 877-496-8499.
Greater Miami Symphonic Band presents its annual holiday concert A Celebration of Christmas & Hanukkah, Sunday, Dec. 14, at 4 p.m.; Bring the entire family to a celebration of the Holiday Season. Enjoy many of your holiday music favorites (Christmas and Hanukkah) at this fun and festive concert. The Greater Miami Symphonic Band began in 1979. Since the first rehearsal with 45 musicians of diverse backgrounds and musical abilities, the band has grown to a membership of 85. The band performs publicly on a regular basis at various indoor and outdoor locations, giving residents of the area an opportunity to hear the beauty and diversity of the symphonic band repertoire. Tickets are $15 general admission and $5 for students with proper identification.
MOVIES
Family Friday at the Gardens — The Grinch Who Stole Christmas; Friday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m.; “A holiday gift, the Grinch just may steal the hearts of kids and grown-ups alike.” —Thomas Delapa, Gannett Newspapers. Ron Howard and Brian Grazer bring the world’s best loved grump to life in this hilarious celebration of the true holiday spirit, which stars Jim Carrey. Inside a snowflake exists the magical land of Whoville. In Whoville live the Whos, an almost mutated sort of munchkinlike people. All the Whos love Christmas, yet just outside of their beloved Whoville lives the Grinch. The Grinch is a nasty creature that hates Christmas, and plots to steal it away from the Whos, who he equally abhors. Yet, a small child, Cindy Lou Who, decides to try and befriend the Grinch. Flashlight tours begin about 7 p.m. and the movie starts about 8 p.m. Arrive early and snack on the best hotdogs and popcorn in town. General admission is $5; children under 2 enter free.
GARDENS GALLERY
Airielab 2014-15, through Thursday, Jan. 8; South Florida is home to the only subtropical wilderness area in the country, and Artists in Residence in Everglades (AIRIE) is the only program bringing artists to the Everglades. AIRIE’s purpose is to inform, connect and support artists, writers and musicians who wish to be ambassadors for the Everglades by providing month-long residencies in the park. AIRIELAB is the unique concept of exhibiting works from the Artist in Residence permanent collection alongside temporary installations from current AIRIE fellows. Artists will give presentations/talks about their creative process as experienced during their month long stay in our local wilderness. The Hibiscus Room at Pinecrest Gardens will become a lab which shares the current drawings, videos, journals, photos and paintings of the Everglades residents.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Gardening with Craig; Palms for the Home & Garden Landscape Wednesday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m.; Join our resident horticulturist Craig Morell in the Gardens Gallery Hibiscus Room for a workshop that will teach you all about palms for the home garden and landscape. Enjoy a field tour of Pinecrest Gardens to see palms in cultivation and take home palm seedlings to grow. Dress in comfortable shoes and clothing for garden tour. The workshop is limited to 10 people, so please register early by calling 305-669-6990. The workshop fee is $10 and refreshments and seedlings are included in the price.
Learning Made Fun — Creative Crafts, Holiday in the Tropics; Kids will enjoy making a red poinsettia holiday wreath complete with flowers made of recycled egg cartons; add some painted snow and glitter, then finish it off with a swan inspired by Pinecrest Gardens’ very own Don Swan for a very special seasonal decoration. During class time, parents may enjoy shopping at the Pinecrest Farmer’s Market just steps away from the crafts workshop area. All classes are taught by VSAFL’s certified teaching artist Yvette Cotera. There are two sessions offered and each contains four classes. Limited enrollment of 15 children per class; $52 per session. To pre-register, call 305-753-5341.
