Weekend Planner: The Nutcracker, Betty Buckley, Canada Fest

What are your plans? Here's a sampling for Dec. 6-9

JIM POWERS Arts & Entertainment

CK Dance Company presents its 16th edition of the holiday classic, "The Nutcracker".
CK Dance

Thursday, Dec. 6
A free reception will be held at 5 p.m. to showcase the latest collection of CJ Rench at the Desert Art Collection & Sculpture Garden in Palm Desert. The fabricated metal sculptures display, titled "Hip'd", is being held in conjunction with Rench's sculpture installation in the new El Paseo Invitational Exhibition. There will be an artist reception from 5-8 p.m.

The holiday season would not be complete without an opportunity to see "The Nutcracker", which takes the stage at 7 p.m. at The Annenberg Theater of the Palm Springs Art Museum. CK Dance Company presents its 16th edition of the holiday classic.

"The Wizard of Oz" continues its run at the Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs. Show times are 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Friday, Dec. 7
Meet the Los Angeles Kings Ice Girls as part of a fund-raiser golf tournament for the Desert Blaze Hockey Club. Tee-off is 11:30 a.m. in scramble format at the Mission Hills Golf Resort – Pete Dye Course in Rancho Mirage.

Hear holiday songs sung by a variety of high school choirs from the Inland Empire over a one-week period at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Up first is Twenty-Nine Palms High School at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7.

Old Town La Quinta will brighten the holiday season with a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. Santa will be in attendance; music and activities for kids.

The hysterics of Bruce Vilanch comes to the Cascade Lounge of the Spa Resort Casino at 8 p.m. Vilanch is best known for his comedic writings for others, but he's also strutted his own stuff as Edna Turnblad in the stage production of Hairspray.

The Palm Springs Woman's Club hosts "The Mating Games", an evening of one-act plays by Dezart Performs exploring the challenges of couple-dom. Performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30.

Saturday, Dec. 8
Holiday shopping. Don't forget the Street Fair at College of the Desert or the new Open Air Market in Palm Springs. The COD Street Fair opens runs 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Open Market, located on Calle Encilia in a north parking lot of the Spa Resort Casino, is open 9 a.m. to 2:30 pm.

Canada Fest, the first of its kind in the Coachella Valley, celebrates our visitors to the north on Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Palm Springs Convention Center. There will be more than 350 vendors, seminars, beer garden, giveaways and drawings, and entertainment.

Have you ever eaten in the dark? The unique experience is available at 5 p.m. at the Annenberg Rotunda in Rancho Mirage. A blind waitstaff will serve you. The concept began in Germany and came to the U.S. in 2005. Benefits the Desert Blind and Handicapped Association.

Tony award-winning actress Betty Buckley will perform songs from her latest CD, Ah Men! The Boys of Broadway", at 8 p.m. at the Annenberg Theatre of the Palm Springs Art Museum.

Kevin Henry has been labeled "one of the town's hottest live acts" by the Los Angeles Times. He has had several songs be heard on TV, including "Next Year" on Friends. See him play from 6-8 p.m. in The Piano Bar Lounge at The Nest in Indian Wells, and 7 to midnight on Sunday and Monday.

Sunday, Dec. 9
Discover the true meaning of the holidays from "A Christmas Carol" as presented at the Indio Performing Arts Center. Show runs through Dec. 23. Sunday shows are at 2:30 p.m.; Thursday at 7 p.m. and Friday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Take a Drive
The Twentynine Palms Art Gallery will host its annual Holiday Art and Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at its historic adobe gallery, 74055 Cottonwood Drive, off National Park Drive, in Twentynine Palms. Featured in the sale will be paintings, art cards, jewelry, fabric art, dolls, scarves, hats, shopping bags, pillows, hostess gifts, carved wood, collectibles, glass, china, pottery, gourds, holiday ornaments and decorations, soaps, jams, jellies, baked goods, and much more.

For more events, visit our comprehensive calendar.