Music, Parade and Celebration

The holiday season express keeps rolling this weekend. Within a few hours and a few miles, you can see Santa Claus, watch a parade and hear favorite holiday music. Here are a few of our weekend picks:

Santa comes to Union Grove.  Jolly Old Saint Nick is set to arrive on a fire engine for Union Grove's annual Christmas tree lighting ceremonies. The fun starts at 5:30 p.m. Thursday December 1 at the Village Square. Santa will distribute candy filled stockings to children (courtesy of the Lions Club) and adults will have a chance to win a Christmas basket filled with gift items and gift certificates donated by local businesses.

Christmas musical favorites. The Racine Symphony Orchestra presents its "Christmas from Around the World" pops concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday December 2 at Festival Hall, 5 Fifth St. RSO Director, Pasquale Laurino, conducts the orchestra and vocalists through a variety of worldwide Christmas music, including an audience sing-along. John Komasa, one of the Midwest's leading vocal teachers, is the guest vocalist. And the Christmas Festival Chorus, 100 area high school students, will get your holidays on a high note. For tickets, call 262-636-9285 or visit www.racinesymphony.org

One more time. The final First Friday of 2011 runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Downtown Racine. Everyone is welcome to stroll Main and Sixth streets and visit the shops and galleries for special offers and artist demonstrations. You'll want to get in one more carriage ride because First Fridays will go on hiatus until April.

Gifts galore. You'll have a chance to find that unusual, special gift at the 8th Annual Holiday Gift and Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday December 3rdat Union Grove Elementary School, 1745 Milldrum Street. Santa will be back for photos from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for $1 or a canned goods donation to the Union Grove Food Pantry.

Bright lights and a parade. Welcome in the Christmas season at the 13th Annual Waterford Winter Wonderland Parade starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown Waterford. You'll see bands and floats and even Santa Claus (that guy does get around!). After the parade, stick around for the lighting of the Community Christmas Tree at Village Hall.

A Stash Bash! Mustache mania arrives on Saturday as the Kenosha and Racine Mustache Association (KARMA) present the 2011 Stash Bash. Starting at 7 p.m., participants are invited to Ivanhoe Pub, Evelyn's Club Main, Ricky's Place and The Envi Ultra Lounge. There are official T-shirts available and raffles for a big screen TV and other prizes. At midnight, there will be a mass mustached gathering at Monument Square where a trophy will be presented to the bar that raises the most money and the owner of the best mustache will be crowned. Organizers are hoping to raise $5,000 for the Health Care Network, including a program to provide treatment for local men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Visit the KARMA Facebook page for details.

Congratulations!  Real Racine congratulates the winners of our "North Beach:  A Great Place to Be" photo contest. Prizes were awarded in four categories plus a grand prize for the best photo among all entries. Category winners received restaurant gift certificates and the grand prize winner was awarded a six-month Kringle of the Month Club membership. The winners are:

• Grand prize, Courtney Carson of Mount Pleasant
• Nature's Beauty category, Shelby Chmielewski of Racine.
• Kids and Families category,  Lisa Madsen of Franksville.
• On Land and in The Sand category, Jenn Demerath of Janesville
• Water Sports category, Heather Rayne Geyer of Mount Pleasant

We plan to include the photos in the 2012 Real Racine Visitor's Guide, which comes out about mid-January. More about the winners and their photos can be found on the Real Racine Facebook page.

To keep up with activities in Racine County, visit our website at www.realracine.com or "like" us on Facebook,. www.facebook.com/realracine