“Art and the Animal,” an always popular traveling exhibit of works by members of the national Society of Animal Artists, runs through Feb. 21 at The Wildlife Experience, 10035 S. Peoria St., Parker. Several local artists have work in the show: Gerald Balciar, Parker; Janeice Linden, Littleton; Victoria Parsons, Parker, Kay Witherspoon, Englewood. A related catalog of the show is available in the museum gift shop. For hours, theater information and admission costs, see thewildlifeexperience.org or call 720-488-3300.

Popular local musician Chris Daniels, who has been battling leukemia, will return to Swallow Hill Music with Chris Daniels and the Kings, at 8 p.m. Dec. 10 for “An Acoustic Night with Chris Daniels and Friends.) Daniels was director of Swallow Hill at one time. Tickets: $15 advance/ $17 day of show. www.swallowhill.org, 303-777-1003 x 2.

Lights! Action!

“Trail of Lights at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield” runs 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday evenings Dec. 3 to Jan. 2 at 8500 Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton. Lighted trails, Childrens activities, historic homestead, music some evenings. www.botanicgardens.org. Tickets: $9.50/ $7.50 / $6.50 (members $2 off).

“Blossoms of Light at Denver Botanic Gardens York Street” is open 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. nightly Dec. 3 to Jan. 2 with more than 1 million lights, seasonal entertainment, ice sculptures and illumination of the Henry Moore sculptures at 1007 York St., Denver. www.botanicgardens.org. Tickets: $9.50/ $7.50 / $6.50 (members $2 off).

“Hudson Holiday” presented by the Museum of Outdoor Arts at Hudson Gardens and Event Center, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Hours: 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 18, then daily through Jan. 2. Lights through 15 acres, horse and carriage rides, music. Admission: $9/ $8/ $6, free 3 and under. 303-353-1715, www.hudsonholiday.com.

“Zoo Lights” brings animated animals leaping 5 to 9 p.m. nightly at the Denver Zoo Dec. 10 to Jan. 2, 2300 Steele St. in City Park. Ice Carving Garden Dec. 17-21. Carolers, warming station, Santa Dec. 10-23, Kwanzaa Dec. 26, Zoo Year’s Eve Dec. 31. Admission: $8/ $6/ $4 (members $2 off), $1 off for non-perishable food donation.

“Winter Wonderlights” takes place nightly 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 10-24 at The Wildlife Experience, 10035 S. Peoria St., Parker. Wildlife themed trail, Santa’s Village, reindeer. Screenings of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Admission: $9/ $8/ $6, free 2 and under. 720-488-3300. (Call for information about Santa Breakfast Dec. 4, 11, 18, 2

The Carousel Palette’s Friday Painters will hold a holiday art show and sale from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Carousel Palette , a historic house/art studio at 5650 S. Curtice St., Downtown Littleton. Susan Smith, Elizabeth Green, Ann Sherley, Fran Schroeder and Anita Winter are the Friday Painters. At 2 p.m., “Plunk and Toot:” flutist Rosanne Sterne (also a watercolorist whose paintings will be in the show) and pianist Lucy Garrett will play classical selections.

Music for the holidays

The South Suburban Community Orchestra performs at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at Grace Presbyterian Church, 251 E. Sterne Blvd., Centennial. Music by Waltefuel, Vaughn Williams, Brahms, Burt, Mozart, Bach, Respighi/Rossini. $5 donation requested. The orchestra is holding a silent auction with possible holiday gifts. www.ssorchestra.org.

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” by the Denver Brass 5 at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden Ave. Free/donation. Holiday Brass Fest invites brass players age 8 to 98 to participate Dec. 11 at the Denver Performing Arts Complex Galleria. “Twas the Brass Before Christmas” family concert 2:30 p.m. Dec. 12 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at Bethany Lutheran (above). “Hark! Brass and Angels Sing” Denver Brass and Colorado Chorale, 4 p.m. Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 22 at the Newman Center. 303-832-HORN, www.denverbrass.org.

“Holiday Lights” by the Colorado Wind Ensemble at 7:30 Dec. 11 at Littleton United Methodist Church, 5984 S. Datura St., Littleton. Music by Reisteter, Anderson, Kalman, Bass, Staffeldt. Tickets: $12/$10/$5.

“Festival of Carols” with Littleton United Methodist Church’s three choirs, Colorado Chamber Orchestra, Chancel Ringers at 8:30 and 11 a.m. Dec. 12: Carols, sacred poetry, scripture, music. LUMC, 5984 S. Datura St., Littleton. Free. 303-794-6379. “A Littleton Christmas” with the Littleton Symphony and Young Voices of Colorado will have two performances: Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m. at Littleton United Methodist Church, 5984 S. Datura St., Littleton and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 8817 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch. Bach, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, seasonal favorites. Tickets: $15/$12/ free 21 and under. 303-933-6824, www.littletonsymphony.org. (Cash/check only at door).Holiday Concert by the 50-year-old Denver Concert Band, which includes many south area musicians, including Music Director Jacinda Bouton and Associate Director Ken Kopatich, at 2 p.m. Dec. 11 at Central Presbyterian Church, 1660 Sherman St., Denver. Tickets: $10/$5. www.denverconcertband.org. Singers and non-singers will gather at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 for “Messiah Sing Along” at Littleton United Methodist Church, 5894 S. Datura St., Littleton. The Colorado Chamber Orchestra and soloists will perform Handel’s beloved oratorio, which has a long history of being performed as a benefit. This 2010 concert will help children suffering from HIV/AIDS in Africa and India, through the Center for the Church and Global AIDS. Suggested donation: $20. 303-794-6379. (See related story).“Carols by Candlelight” is the title for the Littleton Chorale’s holiday concert, accompanied on several pieces by the Classical Brass Quintet, at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 3 p.m. Dec. 5 at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 1401 E. Dry Creek Road, Centennial. Inspirational readings and poetry will be interwoven with choral music from a variety of traditions. Members of the audience will join the chorale on traditional carols. Dr. Michael Todd Krueger is director of the chorale, which started in 1978. Tickets: $15/$10, free under 12. 303-973-9593, www.littletonchorale.org.The Lone Tree Symphony’s Holiday Concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at Cornerstone Baptist Church, 9941 Lone Tree Parkway, at Lincoln. The program will include Grieg’s “Morgenstimmung and Tanz in der Halle des Berkonigs” from the Peer Gynt Suite, Jessel’s “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” Smith’s “Jingle Bells Forever,” Tchiakovsky’s “Dances from the Nutcracker Suite,” Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.” Admission is free, but a $5 donation is appreciated. www.lonetreesymphony.org.“Christmas in Colorado Concert” by the Sound of the Rockies barbershop style chorus will be at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Newman Center, 2344 E. Iliff Ave., University of Denver. Tickets: 303-933-3501.“A Concert for Children” with the Moses Brings Plenty Band and flutist Eric Many Winds Herrera will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Palmer High School Auditorium, 19255 Monument Hill Rd., Monument. Native American song, dance, culture and World music. The concert benefits children on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where Lakota Nation member Moses Brings Plenty grew up. Tickets: $20/ advance/ $25 door. Monument Chamber of Commerce, 719-481-3282.A Dec. 7 benefit concert for Urban Peak, which helps homeless youths, will include Arapahoe Community College musicians at 7 p.m. at the D-Note, 7519 Grandview Ave., Arvada . In addition to ACC’s Songwriting class and Pop/Rock Ensemble directed by Michael Engberg (started by Chris Daniels), Steve Werges of Colorado Music Business Organization will play his guitar and sing and Zazemi, a jazz quintet, will play. Donation at the door, $10. Musicians are donating their time. www.dnote.com.The Parker Writer’s Group will hear a program on “Make Your Pitch” (to agents) by Kimberlee Gard and Jennifer Turano, when it meets from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Parker Library, 10851 S. Crossroads Dr., Parker. The meeting is open to all. Bring a pitch to practice and get feedback. The annual, informal holiday potluck will be held. Bring a dish to share. Gard, coordinator for the writers group, is a published author and former newspaper reporter. Turano, a group member has recently signed a contract with a New York agent to pursue her novel. Information: parkerwritersgroup@gmail.com.The “North Pole at Tri-Lakes Craft Show,” sponsored by the Monument Hill Kiwanis Club, will be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 4 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 5 at Lewis Palmer Middle School, 1776 Woodmoor Drive, Monument. Santa will visit 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. both days. Admission is a donation of non perishable canned or dry food for Tri-Lakes Cares.Casting call: “Speed the Plow” by David Mamet auditions by the newly-formed Edge Theatre at the E Project will be noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 4 and 5 at 9797 E Colfax Ave., Denver. Bill Smith directs. Prepare appropriate two minute monologue. (The role of Bobby Gould has been cast). Call 303-521-8041 for appointment. Production opens March 11 for five weeks. Actors will be paid a minimum honorarium plus box office bonus. Actor Ed Cord will appear as Oscar Wilde in “Oscar Wilde — Reflections on Aesthetics and America” at the December 4 meeting of the Wales, Ireland, Scotland, England Family History Society, which includes many south area members. Wilde traveled in Colorado in the 1880s and Cord will present a speech he made here and further reflections after he returned to England. The meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. at Central Denver Public Library, Gates Conference Room, 5th Floor, 10 W. 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver. All are welcome. Bring a holiday treat to share, to reflect your family heritage. www.wisefhs.org.The Historic Downtown Littleton Merchants announce the 5th Annual Old Town Holiday Shopping Evening from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 4, with special prices and refreshments, strolling carolers and visits with Santa in the parking lot at Reinke Brothers. Individual merchants will have additional extended hours. Inquire locally or see the Downtown Littleton website.