City to ring in holidays

Dec. 5 will be Hospitality Night in Laguna Beach, when Santa will make his grand entrance on Forest Avenue — which will be closed from 5 to 9 p.m. — and shops and restaurants will stay open until 9 p.m. to welcome holiday revelers.

City Hall’s beloved pepper tree will be lighted for the holidays at 6 p.m. by the mayor and other dignitaries.

All along Forest, music and entertainment will be offered by various performing groups:

5 p.m.: Bell choir and sing-along;

5:15 p.m.: Laguna Beach Community Band

5:30 p.m.: Thurston Middle School Band

5:50 p.m.: Lagunatics

6 p.m.: Santa arrives; national anthem sung by Taryn Dicterow

6:10 p.m.: Laguna Tunes

6:15 p.m.: Laguna Beach High School band

6:30 p.m.: Anneliese’s Choir

6:40 p.m.: San Clemente Scots Bagpipers

6:45 p.m.: Catherine Itnyre

7 p.m.: O’Mally Jones

8 p.m.: Brandy Scott-Moss

The evening will culminate in a showing of the holiday classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” at 9 p.m.; free tickets available at the Chamber of Commerce office on Glenneyre Street.

Presbyterian offerings

Laguna Presbyterian Church, 415 Forest Ave., will serve tamales and hot chocolate from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m., as well as mini-quiches, cider and cookies, and also present a Christmas sing-along in the Rose Garden. The church will also sponsor an art exhibit, and live piano music in the parlor at the corner of Forest Avenue and Second Street.

French carols

The Laguna Beach Sister Cities Assn. will wish everyone a “Joyeux Noël” (Merry Christmas) with a concert of carols in French, to honor Laguna Beach’s sister city, Menton, France, during Hospitality Night. The concert will take place at the flower stand on Forest Avenue at 7 p.m.

The concert features singer/musicians Lisa Morrice and Chic McDaniel performing Christmas standards. A former marketing consultant to a French company, Morrice is fluent in French and an accomplished singer/actress.

She performed the “Habanera” from Bizet’s “Carmen” with the Laguna Beach Community Band at Irvine Valley College’s Performing Arts Center and produced and performed in “Broadway on the Beach,” a free concert by Gallimaufry Performing Arts. A former aerospace professional, McDaniel has dedicated himself full time to pursuing his passion for music. He performs locally, playing guitar and singing.

“This is just the beginning of a cultural exchange program that will enrich the lives of residents of Laguna Beach and Menton of all ages,” said Karyn Philippsen, president of the Laguna Beach Sister Cities Assn.

CINDY FRAZIER is city editor of the Coastline Pilot. She can be contacted at (949) 494-2087 or [email protected].