52 Days Till Christmas!

Happy November! This is when the Christmas events really start to pick up...

Trans-Siberian Orchestra is coming to the Nutter Center again this year. If you've never had a chance to see their show before, trust me when I say that it is incredible! TSO's rock and roll take on Christmas backed up by stunning laser special effects is unsurpassed in putting you in the holiday spirit. They even make it snow inside the Nutter Center! Their shows in Dayton this year are on January 4th, which unfortunately is after Christmas and the very last stop on their tour. Their shows in Cincinnati at U.S. Bank Arena also happen after Christmas, on January 2nd. There's no doubt these shows will still be amazing, but since they're bound to be a little better when paired with the Christmas anticipation, I'll be attending one of their shows in Columbus on Saturday, December 20th at Nationwide Arena. If none of these dates work for you and you're willing to travel even farther, they'll also make appearances in Youngstown, Cleveland, and Indianapolis. Full information about their music and tour can be found here, and info about the Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton shows has been added to the Christmas Events Calendar. I really cannot say enough about how awesome TSO shows are, and I am so excited to see them again this year!

Also, while I'm on the topic of TSO, if you're handy with your Christmas lights, then consider entering the Symphony in Lights contest. The house best decorated with lights set to a Trans-Siberian Orchestra song could win a $300 mall gift certificate or even a trip for two to Chicago to see a TSO concert on New Year's Weekend. Basically, all you have to do is decorate your house to one of their songs and upload the video to YouTube. They'll be accepting entries from November 1st through December 12th. This contest is particularly exciting because the Symphony in Lights show is designed by Carson Williams. Mr. Williams is perhaps best known for his Christmas light display set to the TSO song "Wizards in Winter" at his home in nearby Mason, Ohio that was featured in a December 2005 Miller Lite commercial.

Eventually his light show became so popular that traffic in his neighborhood was a huge inconvenience to the neighbors and had to be moved to the nearby Heritage Oak Park in Mason. The show was changed to a drive through format and a $15 admission was charged. This year, however, Mr. Williams' main sponsor, Festivals of Mason Inc., could no longer afford to support him and unless another sponsor steps forward soon, the show will not be happening this year. This is a huge disappointment, and if I hear anything else about the status of his show, I will of course let you know.

As it stands, the closest place we can see Mr. Williams' work is now the Columbus Zoo at their Wildlights event. From November 21st through January 3rd, the zoo will be covered in more than 3 million lights, some of which are set to music by Mr. Williams' company. There will be other Christmas events including pictures with Santa, and the cost is covered with admission to the zoo, $7 for ages 2-9 and 60+, $10 for everyone else. The event takes place from 5 PM-9PM every Sunday through Thursday, and 5PM-10PM every Friday and Saturday, excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas.