Time to CELEBRATE with Claudia Polzin, Independent Consultant

Hoping that this article finds everyone safe and recovered from our round of hurricanes this year. We certainly had our resilience tested in many ways this year of 2024. Now in December it is time to celebrate with music, live theatre and exciting events.

Two plays featuring the holiday spirit and season will be produced; one at the Sugden Theatre in downtown Naples and the second at TheatreZone in the auditorium at the Community School.

The Sugden will feature A Christmas Story: The Musical which will run through December 22. This play is based on the movie classic which runs on television twenty four hours a day during Christmas. The story is set in the 1940’s in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana. Nine year old Ralphie Parker and his quest for the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts an official Red Ryder carbine action 200 shot range model air rifle. In his attempts to secure this much desired gift he comes up with several schemes to achieve his dream of the coveted BB gun. All of the iconic scenes from the movie are in this stage production, Flick getting his tongue stuck to the flagpole, the bullies Farkus and Dill, the leg lamp award, the bunny suit and Christmas dinner and much more.

In addition to the Christmas Story production at the Sugden there will be the Trees and Tea Festival, through December 22. The Festival is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. This holiday event is a celebrated event; with spaces in the newly renovated theatre filled with gorgeous trees decorated by local artists.

The second theatrical production in December will be at TheatreZone – the traditional “Home for the Holidays” opens their 25th anniversary season. This production will be held on December 20-22. This is a Southwest Florida tradition and every year Mark Danni, TheatreZone’s founding artistic director, reimagines the show. However, it is always spectacular with sparkling and elaborate costumes, live orchestra and energetic dance routines which all combine to leave the audience filled with joy.

As always there are several events in Naples that are truly quality events and are free to the public, some asking for a donation, which is entirely voluntary. First there are the band concerts in Cambier Park held at 2 p.m. – December 1 – the Naples Big Band; December 8 – the Gulf Coast Big Band; December 15 – the Naples Concert Band and December 22 – the Dixieland Band.

In addition to the performances in Cambier Park –don’t forget to check out the concerts at the local churches – December 1 at 4 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church downtown Naples; December 8 at 4 p.m. at Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church and December 14 at 5 p.m. and December 15 at 4 p.m. at Trinity by the Cove Episcopal Church.

In December the City of Naples is host to several events focused on the Holidays – beginning on December 3 at 6:30 p.m. with the Christmas Parade. December 6-7 is the annual Fifth Avenue South Christmas Walk and Avenue dining. December 6 at 5–10 p.m. features a tree lighting in Sugden Plaza, a live Nativity and an appearance by Santa and all things Christmas; the event continues on December 7 from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

On December 7 at 7 p.m. you can plan to come to the Christmas on Fifth and then go to Martina Long’s Broadway Musical review at the Norris Center. Ms. Long has been sailing the seas with Celebrity Cruise Lines for the past three years but is now trying out her “land legs” with shows featuring Broadway Musicals.

For a completely different pace – December 13 at 6:30 p.m. in Sugden Plaza – enjoy A Tuba Christmas; and on December 14 at 6 p.m. is the Christmas Boat Parade with viewing at the Naples City Dock.

Enjoy December in Naples and look forward to a wonderful 2025.