Tim’s Picks: It must be Christmastime
It’s not all holidays around here, but pretty close. How about five choice ideas for what to do this weekend?
Today’s edition is sponsored by 11th Annual Indiana Makers Market-Holiday Market, heading into the second of three weekends, Friday-Sunday at Wea Creek Orchard, 5618 S. County Road 200 East, just south of Lafayette. Head out to Wea Creek Orchard and enjoy Friday Night Drinks! The market will have a FREE Hot Chocolate Bar with all the fixins and the shop will be restocked with new items from the artists and makers. Saturday features Papa Macs food truck during lunch and live music from Keegan Taylor. Family Day is Sunday with FREE kids activities. Check here for more details.
Thanks also to sponsor, Stuart & Branigin, for continued support of the Based in Lafayette reporting project.
And now, with five suggestions for things to catch this weekend, it’s …
By Tim Brouk / For Based in Lafayette
Spin Class with Sweater Disco, DJ Little Town and Polychromatic, 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, The Spot Tavern, 409 S. Fourth St., Lafayette — Get off that couch and shake the temptation of winter sedentarism with the return of The Spot’s Spin Class, a monthly dance night featuring a variety of regional DJs. The December edition will feature a trio of Indianapolis beatmakers: With more than a dozen years spinning Indy and beyond, DJ Little Town’s vast array of styles has allowed her to share stages with hip hop legend Kool Keith and Indy DJ heavy hitters Indiana Jones and Gabby Love. Little Town is known for rap, house and baile-funk, which speaks on her Brazilian roots. Andres Calvo, also known as Polychromatic, specializes in house, techno and tech house, and Sweater Disco will make his return with a set of acid techno and tech house. The young musician will also judge the night’s ugly Christmas sweater contest. $10.
Latin Dance Party with Clave Caribe and DJ Nutt, 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, North End Pub, 2100 Elmwood Ave., Lafayette — The temperature outside may be freezing, but it will be hot, hot, hot inside North End Pub thanks to Clave Caribe, the local purveyors of live salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia and other danceable Latin music. A familiar band in Lafayette when the weather is warm and outdoor concerts are plentiful, it’s cool to see Clave Caribe perform when we need them most to dance away December dreariness. Plus, North End Pub is a mostly new venue to the band, and it just so happens to have a spacious dancefloor. Pub resident DJ Nutt will spin some hot Latin beats, too. $12. Tickets.
Purdue Christmas Show, noon and 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, Elliott Hall of Music, Purdue University — It’s Christmastime for most in Lafayette, but it’s Super Bowl weekend for the hundreds of Purdue students — and their fans — in Purdue Musical Organizations (PMO). The 91st annual Purdue Christmas Show will present your favorite Christmas songs on the region’s largest stage complete with live music and a set that will be a feast for the eyes. The tunes will be sung by members of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club, the Purduettes, University Choir and other smaller ensembles within PMO. And be sure to watch for Santa Claus’ big entrance. $17-$44. Tickets.
Downtown Lafayette holiday events, Saturday, Dec. 7
Holiday Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — Local vendors will offer seasonal produce, handcrafted goods and other holiday items, providing an opportunity for early gift shopping while supporting the region’s small businesses. This first Saturday in December is always a highlight on the downtown calendar with offerings in the morning like this one and in the evening like …
Greater Lafayette Christmas Parade, 5:30 p.m. — Around 150 entries will show their Christmas spirit in the form of floats, marches and candy for the (nice) kids at the annual Christmas Parade. With the theme “A Very Merry Main Street,” expect our Main Street to be buzzing because when the weather is good (for December), about 20,000 spectators line the streets for this cherished event, making it Indiana’s largest Christmas parade.
Holiday Brass, 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, First Baptist Church, 411 N. Seventh St., Lafayette — Hear your favorite holiday tunes in a brassy way when a quintet of area musicians presents their brass arrangements of carols and classics. Presented by the Tippecanoe Chamber Music Society, the lineup will consist of Suzanne Rice (horn), John Huntoon (trombone), Thomas Sims (tuba), and trumpeters Bruce Knepper and Mo Trout. $15, free for students Tickets.
Tim Brouk is a longtime arts and entertainment reporter. He writes here (almost) weekly, tracking things to do for Based in Lafayette.
DECK THE BiL HOLIDAY/SEASONAL PLAYLIST
The Based in Lafayette Holiday/Seasonal Playlist is growing by the day, thanks to BiL readers. Listen and bookmark it here.
Your turn: What’s on your list?
Through Christmas (and maybe beyond), Based in Lafayette will curate three songs a day from readers. The assignment isn’t necessarily about the best or most iconic songs of the season. Just songs that you’d want in the mix and why they belong. What to get on board? Here’s what we need:
Three songs and the artists.
One or two sentences about why you chose each one – could be a memory or a short history or review about why that track belongs in your mix and why you’d recommend it to others.
A little bit about you to let readers know who’s making the picks.
Send to: davebangert1@gmail.com
Thanks, again, to Stuart & Branigin for sponsorship help with today’s edition.
And thanks to the 11th Annual Indiana Makers Market-Holiday Market, heading into the second of three weekends, Friday-Sunday at Wea Creek Orchard, 5618 S. County Road 200 East, just south of Lafayette. Check here for more details.
Thank you for supporting Based in Lafayette, an independent, local reporting project. Free and full-ride subscription options are ready for you here.
Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.