You don’t have to travel far from Lewiston-Auburn to find an array of holiday entertainment offerings suitable for families. Here are a few upcoming events that you won’t want to miss.

Pathway Vineyard Church – “The Nativity” December 6 through December 8

Pathway Vineyard Church, located at 12 Foss Road in Lewiston, will present their sixteenth annual community Christmas event, “The Nativity”, beginning on Thursday, December 6th through Saturday, December 8th. The church will open their Lewiston campus for a presentation of the historical Nativity story.

This year’s event, which has become a yearly holiday tradition for thousands of Central Maine residents, is filled with drama, cultural music, dance, and, as always, live animals.

Following the unique half hour presentation, guests will be invited into the festively lit foyer decorated in the theme “Through the Eyes of A Child.” There they can enjoy complimentary cider and cookies and caroling.

Draft horse wagon rides around the lighted Lewiston Campus will also be featured along with a live petting zoo and an outdoor Christmas village.

The weekend events will be presented Thursday (Dec.6) and Friday (Dec. 7) at 7 p.m. and Saturday (Dec. 8) @ 2:00pm and 5:00pm. As always this event is open to all ages and is free of charge. Ample parking is available and doors will open one half hour prior to each performance.

For more information, call 784-9500 or visit Pathway Vineyard Church online at www.pathwayvineyard.com.

A Christmas Carol – A Christmas Favorite at The Public Theatre – Dec. 7 & 8Come celebrate the holidays with mezzo-soprano Joëlle Morris and pianist Bridget Convey as they set the mood for Christmas by featuring colorful carols from France and Quebec. With beautiful lyrical melodies such as “Cantique de Noel,” familiar to Anglophones as “O Holy night,” to sparkling folk tunes such as “Il est né le divin enfant” and “Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle;” our beloved duo will enchant you with the lively, joyful tunes of your youth.Come celebrate the holidays with mezzo-soprano Joëlle Morris and pianist Bridget Convey as they set the mood for Christmas by featuring colorful carols from France and Quebec. With beautiful lyrical melodies such as “Cantique de Noel,” familiar to Anglophones as “O Holy night,” to sparkling folk tunes such as “Il est né le divin enfant” and “Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle;” our beloved duo will enchant you with the lively, joyful tunes of your youth.

Christopher Schario’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol has been performed as far away as England, the Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, and in many parts of the United States.

However, A Christmas Carol first appeared in December 1993 at The Public Theatre in Lewiston where Schario serves as Artistic Director.

“There’s always something new in the production. This season we have a new Scrooge with actor, Joel Leffert.” said Schario. “He’ll be the 7th actor to play Scrooge for us, a highly coveted role in the industry.”

The play follows the story of Scrooge, a lonely miser, who, through the help of spirits and visions from his past, present and future, becomes a generous human being just in time for Christmas.

Focusing on Dickens’ powerful language, humor, and warmth, this charming version of A Christmas Carol simply and directly tells the story as originally written by Charles Dickens.

Performances are slate for Friday, December 7 at 7 p.m., Saturday, December 8 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturday, December 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults and $5 for students under 18 at all performances. You may reserve your seats for any show at any time by calling 207-782-3200.

A Heritage Christmas – Androscoggin Chorale Dec. 8 & 9 at the Franco-American Heritage Center and Dec. 15 First Congregational Church, 17 East Main Street, South Paris.

This year the voices of the Androscoggin Chorale will be joined by those of the Lewiston School Chamber Choir under the direction of Darren Avery. Each choir will perform works of its choosing and then the choirs will combine to celebrate music of this holiday season.

Favorites of the season will include Carol of the Bells, Ding Dong Merrily On High, and many more. Aided by the talented Bridget Convey, accompanist, the Chamber Choir and Chorale will conclude the concert with the incredible Hodie! by Z. Randall Stroope. Then to complete the concert the audience will be invited to sing several traditional Christmas carols with the combined choirs.

Presented by The Maine Music Society, performances on December 8 in Lewiston and December 15 in South Paris begin at 7:30PM and December 9 in Lewiston at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, $9 for students, and free for children 12 and under. (Prices $2.00 more at the door) To purchase tickets please call L/A Arts at 207-782-7228 or visit online at www.MaineMusicSociety.org