Christmas calendar

Martinez parade

The annual Martinez Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Merchants Association of Columbia County, will begin at 2 p.m. today at Columbia Square Shopping Center and head east on Washington Road to the county line. For information, call Billy Becton, 863-7645, or Key Kernaghan, 650-5700.

Santa Paws

The Columbia County Humane Society's Pictures with Santa Paws at PetsMart in the Augusta Exchange shopping center continues today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and again Dec. 13 and 14.

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All pets are welcome to pose with Santa. The cost per package is $9.95 for two Polaroid pictures in holiday frames, with $5 of each purchase supporting the Humane Society. For more information, call 860-5020.

Christmas musical

Stevens Creek Community Church, 600 Stevens Creek Road, will wrap up its presentation of the Christmas musical Scrooge! with a 3 p.m. matinee and at 7 p.m. performance today. For information, call 863-7002.

Thomson parade

The annual Thomson Christmas Parade begins at 3 p.m. today. For more information, call (706) 597-1000.

Harlem UMC drama

Harlem United Methodist Church will present the Christmas drama Beginning of the Way at 6 p.m. today and Monday. The church is located at 115 Milledgeville Road in Harlem. For more information, call 556-6885.

Christmas pageant

Trinity Baptist Church, 4594 Columbia Road in Martinez, will hold its seventh annual Christmas pageant at 6 p.m. today. Admission is free, and a nursery is provided. For more information, call 863-1222.

Christmas pageant

Trinity Baptist Church, 4594 Columbia Road in Martinez, will hold its seventh annual Christmas pageant at 6 p.m. Dec. today. Admission is free, and a nursery is provided. For more information, call 863-1222.

Lakeside performances

The Lakeside High School Chorus will hold a holiday concert at 7 p.m. today at the Lakeside High auditorium. Admission is free.

The Lakeside Concert Choir will join the Augusta Collegium Chorus for A Festival and Nine Carols at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Sacred Heart Cultural Center. Admission is $15.

The Lakeside High School Band will hold its annual Christmas concert 7:30 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church of Augusta, 3500 Walton Way. The Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony and Jazz Band will perform.

Holiday concert

Greenbrier High School will hold a holiday concert at 7 p.m. Thursday in the school's auditorium. Call 650-6040 for more information.

Christmas musical

North Columbia Elementary School pupils will perform a musical Christmas program at 6 p.m. Thursday.

LMS concert

The Lakeside Middle School 8th-grade band and Ladies Ensemble will perform a Christmas concern at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the school. For more information, call 855-6900.

Christmas performances

Selah, a contemporary Christian singing group from Nashville, will perform a Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at First Baptist Church in North Augusta. Ron Jones Augusta Dance Theatre will perform O Holy Night, a ballet choreographed especially for this event. All proceeds support Laban Ministries, a missionary effort in Congo, Africa. For more information, call 278-7379.

Volunteers sought

The Salvation Army of Augusta is seeking volunteers to help with its annual Christmas distribution program. Volunteers are needed 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 17-19 at the warehouse/distribution center, 1384 Greene St., Augusta. For more information, call 826-7933.

Dessert musical

The Paul Knox Middle School Chorus will present its fourth annual dessert tasting and musical, A Winter Fantasy, at 7 p.m. Friday at the school's cafetorium, 1804 Wells Road, North Augusta. For more information, call 442-6300.

Live nativity

Christ's Sanctified Holy Church of Evans will hold a live nativity 7-8:30 p.m. Dec. 17-19 at the church, 136 Belair Road in Evans.

Christmas play

Sharon Baptist Church will present its annual living portrayal of the life of Christ from 7-9:30 p.m. Dec. 18-21 at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. Visitors will ride a hay wagon to each live scene. Area church choirs will perform, and free hot chocolate will be available. For more information, call 541-1532 or 556-3034.

Surfin' with Santa

The Family Y will offer Surfin' with Santa, a dive-in movie 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at the heated indoor pool of the Wheeler Branch, 3532 Wheeler Road. For information, call 738-6678.

Art exhibit

Two Painters and a Potter, a holiday exhibition and sale of artwork by Bea Kuhlke, Elizabeth Moretz-Britt and David Stuart, will be 6-10 p.m. Dec. 11 in the north tower of Enterprise Mill. For more information, call 279-7813.

Christmas story

The Young Artists Repertory Theatre Company, Inc., will present The Homecoming, a Christmas story, Thursday-Saturday in the Goodwin Commons at Augusta Preparatory School. Dinner and dessert will be served at 6:30 p.m., with the performance at 8 p.m. Tickets and reservations are available by calling 210-8915.

Crafters needed

Crafters are being sought for Christmas in the Heart of Downtown Harlem, an event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in conjunction with the Harlem Christmas parade. Space rentals are available for $10. For more information, call 556-0401.

Augusta Chorale

The Augusta Chorale's annual Christmas concert will be 4 p.m. Dec. 14 at Gilbert Lambuth Chapel at Paine College. Admission is $15 for adults, $5 for children, and may be purchased at the door or from any Chorale member. For more information, call 733-7809.

Christmas service

Bible Cathedral, 1116 Furys Ferry Road, Evans, will hold a candlelight and communion service at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Holiday camps

The Family Y will hold holiday camps for kids and teens and a gymnastics camp Dec. 19-Jan. 2 at the Wheeler Branch, 3532 Wheeler Road, Augusta. For more information, call 738-6678.

Choral music

The Augusta Museum of History will present the Augusta Collegium Musicum, an a cappella vocal group, in the seventh annual Concert of Holiday Music: Choral Music for Advent and Christmas at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at the museum, 560 Reynolds St., Augusta. For more information, call 722-8454.

Creative Impressions

The youth musical group Creative Impressions will perform Behold the Star at 8 p.m. Dec. 20 at Bell Auditorium. Dinner precedes the show at 6:30 p.m. Individual tickets for dinner and the performance are $50, and may be ordered at 722-3521. Corporate tables also are available.