The Ballet Company of East County presents

The Nutcracker

Friday, December 16 at 7:00 pm

Saturday, Dec. 17 at 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm

Sunday, Dec. 18 at 12:00 pm  & 4:00 pm

Reserved Seating

Performance Length: 1 hour 15 mins.

Tickets: Orchestra (Ground Level): $20; Loge (1st Level Upstairs): $18; Opera (2nd Level Upstairs): $16

Scouts can receive a patch. Remember to order it while checking out.

The Ballet Company of East County is celebrating its 11th Anniversary presentation of The Nutcracker. This timeless holiday classic is sure to delight your entire family! Special meet and greet opportunities! (Before the Saturday 7:00 pm Sunday 4:00 pm shows).

El Campanil Theatre is located at 602 W. 2nd Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.

For tickets call (925) 757-9500 or visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com/the-nutcracker.html.

Santa rocks out with Lori, RJ and the Dancing Trees at Somersville Towne Center in Antioch, Saturday, December 10, 2016. Photo courtesy STC

The Breakfast with Santa Claus at Antioch’s Somersville Towne Center on Saturday morning, December 10th, was a huge success, with well over a hundred people from Antioch and East County in attendance.

The Soca Sisters and Company steel pan band performed for holiday shoppers at the mall.

“Lori and RJ were amazing as always,” said mall Marketing Manager Shannon Skinner. “We had the Tap Dancing Trees join them, as well.

Delta Bowl supplied the breakfast and Starbucks provided the coffee.

“Everyone had a wonderful time,” she added.

That afternoon, holiday shoppers also enjoyed free entertainment with the joyful sounds of the  Soca Sisters and Company steel pan band.

There’s more to see, do, enjoy and buy at East County’s only enclosed mall including the Musical Toy Soldier Guard, this Saturday, December 17 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Somersville Towne Center is located at 2550 Somersville Road in Antioch. For more information “like” their Facebook page and click on Events, or visit www.somservilletownecenter.com.

Get on the Howl-A-Day Express and enjoy the annual Happy Howl-A-Days event at the Antioch Animals Services shelter from 10 am to 4:30 pm, this Saturday, December 17.

Be sure to bring a camera for free photos with Santa from 2-4 pm. Plus enjoy treats, give-a-ways and FREE pet adoptions, too. The shelter is located at 300 L Street, corner of West 2nd Street, next to the Antioch Police Facility.

It’s the friendly, caring folks at Antioch Animal Services’ way of saying, “Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas” to Fido and your calico, or whatever kind of feline you fancy.

At Tuesday night’s Antioch City Council meeting, Antioch Police Lieutenant Tarra Mendes announced that pet adoptions at Antioch Animal Services (AAS) will be free to the public, with fees subsidized by ARF and supported by a generous grant from Maddie’s Fund, during the “Home for the Holidays” promotion from December 17 until January 14. In addition to waived adoption fees, adopters will receive a $30 gift card courtesy of Pet Food Express to help with the cost of food or supplies for the new family pet. Standard adoption criteria apply, and all animals will be spayed or neutered prior to being released to their adoptive homes in accordance with California State law.

Also, from November 21 to December 15, ARF is granting 501(c)(3) animal rescue group partners a $100 incentive for each “harder to place” animal transferred from AAS, including pit bulls, animals with one or more treatable medical conditions, and animals over five years of age.

Both of these promotions are an effort to further reduce AAS’s shelter animal population and to provide these animals a loving home for the holidays.

Additionally, beginning December 20, AAS will only be accepting animal surrenders by appointment so that ARF’s Pet Safety Net program can work with pet owners to provide some resources to the public in an effort to help citizens keep their pets in their existing homes. Drop-off or same-day owner surrenders to AAS will not be accommodated in order to preserve space for animals in critical need, such as stray or injured animals, who will continue to be accepted without an appointment. Citizens who need to surrender their pet must submit an inquiry on the AAS website and a representative will arrange for further resources or an appointment for surrender.

The City of Antioch is dependent on the public’s help in lowering the shelter population to allow for important changes and ensuring positive outcomes for Antioch’s animals now and in the future. Community support is critical to AAS’s success.

Donations to support improvements at AAS may be made to a restricted fund, which will solely support operations and capital improvements for the AAS shelter, online at www.arflife.org/help/antioch.

Antioch Wesleyan church invites you to this lively, 20-minute interactive biblical era drama and market place with crafts food and music. Travel back in time lead by shepherds in search of the new born Messiah.

If you haven’t ever seen it, this is the year. All are welcome. Invite your friends and family to this Christmas tradition. Drop in anytime between 6-9pm.

The church is located at 2800 Sunset Lane in Antioch.

You now have MORE TIME TO VOTE in the Antioch Rivertown Holiday Store & Window Décor contest!

Be entered to win prizes from Rivertown merchants just for voting and turning in your ballot to a participating merchant by Saturday, December 17 at 5:00 p.m.

Download and print out ballots for you and a friend, by clicking here: 2016-holiday-window-decor-contest-extended-ballot

Then head down to Rivertown, take a look around and make your choice. Do a little Christmas shopping and dining while you’re there! You might also want to drive by the businesses after dark to see the wonderful lights at night.