5 Things

The holidays soldier on, with their lights, their improv festivals, their crafts, and their Molly Ringwalds.

December 12, 2013; 6:42 AM • by Susan Howson

This weekend settles down a little bit, because it knows you have one thousand cocktail parties to attend. But when you’re sick to death of your friends wearing sparkly clothes and handing you drinks (actually, that sounds pretty great, I’ll stand in for you), get a load of these things to do!

Family-oriented? Check out 5 Things for Families, then pack the kids in the sleigh and tell Rudolph to get a move on!

1. Dominion GardenFest of Lights

As I keep saying year after year (and maybe day after day, YOU don’t know), it’s a garden, it’s a fest, it’s lights. It’s GARDENFEST OF LIGHTS. When I was a kid, I was crazy about Christmas, and especially things that involved cold nights and glowy things. Start a tradition with your child or walk around with your loved one or just occupy yourself with a lot of counting (if you lose track, you have to start over, sorry).

Through January 13th • 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Avenue
$11 for adults, $7 for children (kids three and under free!)

2. Improv Festivus 2013

Who’s to say that the Festivus for the Rest of Us doesn’t involve a lot of healthy improv? ComedySportz invites you to an entire weekend of enough spontaneous comedy to keep you satisfied until next year. In addition to your fave locals, 23 other troupes will be gracing the stage, doing short- and long-form, and even some Airing of Grievances. You wouldn’t want to miss it, and trust me, I’m familiar with improv. I’m improvising this whole column as we speak.

Thursday, December 12th – Saturday, December 14th • see site for times
ComedySportz Improv Theatre, 8906-H W. Broad Street
$10

3. Molly Ringwald: A Winter Wonderland

Molly Ringwald’s no longer just pretty in pink, she’s pretty in red and green. And also she sings, and also she likes the holidays. Plus, she’s still funny. Her jazz cabaret celebrates the holidays, and I hear you like things that celebrate the holidays.

Friday, December 13th • 7:00 PM
Gottwald Playhouse, 600 E. Grace Street
$38 – $50

4. Handmade Holiday Craft Show

The holidays are so much nicer when they’re handmade. And, like, actual handmade. Not bought from Martha assembled at home and photographed for Instagram handmade. If you can’t make your own gifts for your family and friends (don’t feel bad, I’ve never made anything but trouble), stop by the Richmond Craft Mafia’s Handmade Holiday Craft Show and do your shopping in the least store-bought way possible.

Saturday, December 14th • 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Dogtown Dance Theatre, 109 W. 15th Street
Free to attend!

5. Matthew E. White’s Triumphant Return to RVA

Matthew E. White is bringing his hair, his beard, and his whole entourage back to town to play a show at Strange Matter. I know, I know we’re just little peasants compared to this now-famous dude, but he doesn’t always remind us of that—sometimes he’s perfectly nice and down to earth. And, more importantly, his music is pretty dang good.