By Chip Chandler — Producer
Here's a quick take on your 10 best entertainment bets in the next 10 days.
1. Knives Out
Sharpen your senses for this all-star comedic whodunnit from director Rian Johnson (Brick, Star Wars: The Last Jedi). Also in theaters:
- This week: A trio of raved-over movies — director Pedro Almodovar's Pain & Glory, Korean black comedy Parasite and romantic drama Queen & Slim;
- Dec. 6: legal drama Dark Waters and animated film Playmobil: The Movie;
- Special engagements: 30th anniversary screenings of romcom When Harry Met Sally on Dec. 1 and 3; faith-based film Love and Mercy: Faustina on Dec. 2 (encoring Dec. 10); Char's Counterattack, a 40th anniversary Gundam celebration, on Dec. 5; and an encore screening of Peter Jackson's World War I documentary They Shall Not Grow Old on Dec. 7 (plus Dec. 17 and 18);
- Other special events: a screening of The Polar Express at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Mulkey Theatre, 110 S. Kearney St. in Clarendon; and a meet & greet with actor Tommy "Tiny" Lester of Friday at 2 p.m. Dec. 7 at Amarillo Premiere 6 Westgate Mall, 7701 W. Interstate 40.
2. Christmas Cash Barrel Racing
Watch top riders compete in the 15th annual running of this three-day competition, set for Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 in the Amarillo National Center on the Tri-State Fairgrounds, 3301 S.E. 10th Ave.
3. Bloodline
Christian dance company Doxa will stage this original contemporary ballet about five biblical women at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St.
4. First Thursday Art + Music
Kick off December with the newest monthly display of artwork by Shanda O'Neill and tunes from Derek Porterfield & All of His Friends at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at The 806 Coffee + Lounge, 2812 S.W. Sixth Ave. Other art shows of note: the opening of the I Am Route 66 Visitor Center & Gallery, 1900 S.W. Sixth Ave., at 10 a.m. Dec. 5, and a Yellow City Arts art show at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at Chalice Abbey, 2717 Stanley St.
5. Nibbler
TheatreAC will stage this dark comedy about a mysterious encounter shared by five high school friends from Dec. 5 to 8 in the Amarillo College Experimental Theatre on the Washington Street campus. Also on stage: touring comedian Corey Evans' Black Friday Comedy Show, a Yellow City Comedy production, at 9 p.m. Nov. 29 at RR Bar, 701 S. Georgia St.; and Amarillo Little Theatre Academy's sold-out stagings of Frozen Jr. from Dec. 6 to 15.
6. Christmas Open House
Enjoy holiday crafts, seasonal role players, children's choirs and photos with Santa Claus on Dec. 6 and 7 at this annual event at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, 2503 Fourth Ave. in Canyon.
7. Electric Light Parade
Amarillo's official holiday kick-off event will begin at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at 11th Avenue and Polk Street and wind its way downtown to the Amarillo Civic Center Complex, 401 S. Buchanan St., featuring a March of the Toys-themed parade, food vendors, music and the lighting of the city Christmas tree. Other holiday events on tap will include:
- Final Friday Art Bazaar: 5:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 29 at Gallery on 7th, 513 S.W. Seventh Ave.;
- Tangled Lights holiday display: 7 p.m. to midnight Nov. 28 to Jan. 6 at 11816 Flying W Trail;
- The Lights at Town Square: 5 to 9 p.m. Nov. 29 to Jan. 31 at Town Square Village, 9181 Town Square Blvd.;
- Breakfast with Santa: 9:30 a.m. Nov. 30 at Westgate Mall, 7701 W. Interstate 40;
- Christmas in the Gardens: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays from Nov. 30 to Dec. 22 at Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive;
- Poinsettia Luncheon and Style Show: 11 a.m. Dec. 3 at Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive;
- Bishop Hills lights: 6:30 to midnight Dec. 6, continues nightly through Dec. 25. (806-418-4192)
- Brunch with Santa: 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Sundays from Dec. 7 to 22 at Starlight Canyon Bed and Breakfast, 100 Brentwood Road;
- Panhandle Potters' Holiday Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 7 at Amarillo Art Institute, 3701 Plains Blvd.;
- Santa's Jolly Jamboree: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Don Harrington Discovery Center, 1200 Streit Drive;
- Christmas in Canyon: 4 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7 in downtown Canyon;
- and Shine Christmas production: 7 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8 at First Family Church, 6101 S. Bell St.
8. Josh Ward
The Texas country star will perform at 10 p.m. Dec. 6 at Hoots Pub, 2424 Hobbs Road. Other concerts of note:
- Texas musicians Aeryk Cox and Cooper Gentry at 7 p.m. Nov. 29 at Bar Z Winery, 19290 Farm-to-Market Road 1541;
- Amarillo party band The Tweeks at 8 p.m. Nov. 29 and a 12-year reunion show for Amarillo rock band Indeavor at 8 p.m. Nov. 30 at Smokey Joe's, 2903 S.W. Sixth Ave.;
- Amarillo combo Polk Street Jazz at 9 p.m. Nov. 29, Amarillo duo Neal Nossaman and Keralee Clay at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 and Lubbock combo Luna Jazz at 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at Esquire Jazz Club, 626 S. Polk St.;
- Amarillo-based Americana band Comanche Moon at 10 p.m. Nov. 29 at Hoots Pub, 2424 Hobbs Road;
- Travis T. Warren of Blind Melon at 10 p.m. Nov. 30, Lubbock country act Jordan Robert Kirk at 10 p.m. Dec. 6 and Americana singer Jon Young with Texas Love Company at 10 p.m. Dec. 7 at Golden Light Cantina;
- country band Barn Noize at 9 p.m. Nov. 30 at Broken Spoke Lounge, 3101 S.W. Sixth Ave.
- Amarillo country band Chad Miller & The Good Fortune at 10 p.m. Nov. 30 at Whiskey River, 4001 S.W. 51st Ave.;
- singer-songwriter Kim Matsler at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Fire Slice Pizzeria, 7306 S.W. 34th Ave.;
- pianist Andrey Ponochevny for the AC Piano Series at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 in the AC Concert Hall Theatre on the Washington Street campus;
- blues act Tony Holiday & The Soul Service at 10 p.m Dec. 3, roots band Tail Light Rebellion at 10 p.m. Dec. 4 and rock band The Ahhfugyeahs at 10 p.m. Dec. 7 at Leftwoods, 2511 S.W. Sixth Ave.;
- and Amarillo rock band Jonathan Guidi & Touching Voodoo at 10 p.m. Dec. 6 and a reunion show for Amarillo rock band Indeavor at 10 p.m. Dec. 7 at Skooterz, 4100 Bushland Blvd.;
9. Eveline Rivers Benefit Drag Show
Prepare to have your wig snatched at 212 Club's major annual holiday drag show fundraiser for the Eveline Rivers Christmas Project, set for 10 p.m. Dec. 6 at the club, 212 S.W. Sixth Ave.
10. Messiah sing-in
Professional and amateur singers will join together for this second annual Amarillo Opera event at 11 a.m. Dec. 7 at First Presbyterian Church, 1100 S. Harrison St.
Chip Chandler is a producer for Panhandle PBS and a member of GALECA. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and on Facebook.
