SAN LUIS VALLEY — On Christmas Day in 1900, ornithologist Frank M Chapman, with the newly formed Audubon Society, proposed an annual holiday tradition of counting birds, and the Christmas Bird Count began. This year, the Christmas Bird Count in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve continues the tradition on Dec. 31.
SAGUACHE – The Saguache Sagebrush Quilters held its annual Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Mountain Valley school gymnasium. The gymnasium was decked out with Christmas decorations, a Christmas tree and Santa Claus sat in the middle of it all.
MONTE VISTA – On Dec. 6-8, the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce held its annual Holiday Bazaar at the Ski-Hi Complex. Hundreds of people came to the bazaar each day that featured more than 100 vendors.
MONTE VISTA – Approximately 100 people were all smiles and waiting in happy anticipation, as Christmas carolers began to sing at Fullenwider Park on Saturday Dec. 7, at the seventh annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Monte Vista.
A snowy sunrise scene on the morning of Dec. 10 in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. This early morning photo includes pine trees in the foreground, dunes, and 13,345-ft Mt. Herard in the background surrounded by clouds.
ALAMOSA – The Adams State University 2024 Fall Commencement Ceremony begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, in Plachy Hall. Colorado Representative Shannon Bird is the commencement speaker.
ALAMOSA — Spark the Change Colorado, a leading volunteer nonprofit dedicated to service and community health invites the public to its monthly speaker series, “Spark Speaker Series: Empowering Aging in Colorado.”
The SLV Symphony under the direction of William Lipke, conductor, will join with the Valley Community Choir, Nancy West, director, for a 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6, performance of Handel’s Messiah at Richardson Auditorium on the Adams State University campus.
SAN LUIS VALLEY — The San Juan Nordic Club is holding its annual Ski and Gear Swap on Dec. 7 at the Alamosa Family Recreation Center as a fundraiser to repair and replace its ski trail grooming equipment.
SAN LUIS VALLEY — The Valley Humane League is collecting blankets for dogs who are left outside in these freezing winter conditions.
ALAMOSA — A Christmas Cantata, "Wise Men Still Seek Him," will be presented Sunday, Dec. 15, at 6 p.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 927 Weber Dr., Alamosa. The program will be a musical tribute to the birth of the Savior.
ALAMOSA — An artist’s reception for the Narrow Gauge Books December Artist of the Month, Perla Kopeloff, will be on Dec. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m., at Narrow Gauge Books in Alamosa.
FORT GARLAND — Join the Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center staff for the Artisan's Winter Market on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Shop for unique holiday gifts created by local artisans and crafters, and enjoy a day filled with musical entertainment, prizes, and delicious food. Doors open at 11 a.m., with parking and entrance at the front of the museum.
CENTER – On Nov. 22, a fundraiser dinner was held at Center Consolidated School District’s cafeteria for beloved former teacher and baseball coach Lloyd Garcia. More than 300 people attended the spaghetti feed, and many people who were standing in line spoke of how much they cared about Garcia, and hoped he would get better soon.
MONTE VISTA – The Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce and the OptiMystics Citizens Action Network hosted a ribbon cutting at 1000 Grande Ave. for Drift Away Coffee.
CREEDE – Creede Repertory Theatre (CRT) Artistic Director Emily Van Fleet sat down with the Mineral County Miner to talk about the coming 60th season at the small-town theatre and is excited to bring a new twist to the productions audiences have come to love time and again.
WOLF CREEK – Wolf Creek Ski Area is thrilled to celebrate its 85th anniversary with special happenings throughout the 2024-25 season. Fun activities will offer skiers and snowboarders a variety of prizes along with swag giveaways. Every event will have a free sticker for participants to collect.
ALAMOSA – San Luis Valley Trout Unlimited invites all interested individuals to their annual "Flies and Lies" Holiday Social at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, at Spare Keg Brewerks, 625 Main St., Alamosa.
ALAMOSA — The San Luis Valley Symphony will join the Valley Community Concert Choir in a performance of “Messiah," and the iconic Hallelujah Chorus by George Frideric Handel on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in Richardson Hall on the campus of Adams State University in Alamosa. The symphony will have an encore performance with piano at Sacred Heart Church in Alamosa on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m.
ALAMOSA — The ASU Percussion Ensemble, ASU Steel Pan Ensemble, and the ASU Grizzly Ensemble dazzled the audience at Richardson Hall on the campus of Adams State University on Nov. 20.