It’s time to blow the doors off 2023. Jim Drake gives us a nice little tour of what is happening in the Gorge to ring in the new year. Check out the shows and parties coming up this Saturday, Dec. 31.

Santa has sent us letters and drawings from local 2nd and 3rd graders to help us rekindle the magic of this holiday season through these innocent and hopeful writings. Santa has quite a group of pen pals from The Dalles, Dufur, Mosier and Lyle. Check them out here.

“We love to hear people say they drove by our house and they loved the decorations or that their kids really like Frosty,” said Stephanie Hoffman. “I would miss coming home in the evening or leaving in the morning and seeing the lights. I would miss watching cars slow down to look at the lights. I believe the decorations help people get in the Christmas spirit. As a kid, my parents used to drive us around to look at lights. It was one of my favorite things to do.” 

“It’s kinda hard for me to do this—it’s a lot of work—but I do enjoy doing it, and I do it because the kids come by and they like seeing everything. I have people who will pull up in front of the house at night and stay for 5 minutes just taking it all in,” said Dorothy Waters. “Some years I think, Well, maybe I shouldn’t…But I always do. Recently a neighbor said, Boy, I’m glad you do this every year, it’s so nice to look at.”

In Avatar: The Way of Water, we marvel at the beauty of the ocean, as well as the power, majesty and intelligence of its inhabitants. The gift of spending time in Cameron’s alternative world is being able to return to our own and recognize it as just as beautiful, and dangerous, and precious.  

“My husband Nathan and I started decorating the year we purchased our home (2003),” said Nancy Hansen. “We started out with a lot of inflatables and then slowly moved to what you see today in our yard and part of our neighbor’s yard. (Yes, part of what’s in her yard we do for her since we had extras, and she loves it. She added the snowman this year.)”

All that shopping and sweating the little stuff needs to take a break. Find a live show or a movie in this week’s roundup of Gorge Entertainment. Jim Drake also offers a little New Year’s Eve Planner to get you thinking.

Mid-Columbia Community Concert Association (MCCCA), is proud to bring back by popular demand, the ninth Annual Dancing With The Gorge Stars competition on January 13th, 2023 at 7 p.m. in the The Dalles High School auditorium.

For years, our columnist Sarah Cook and her partner have made popcorn and hot chocolate hopped in their tiny Subaru, put on All Classical Portland, and driven around The Dalles as they pretended to assign trophies to the most spectacularly decorated houses.  This year Sarah is handing out accolades in CCCNews with four awards. First up: Best Tree goes to the Hutesons.

Entertainment in the Gorge is hitting a fevered pitch in the next couple of days as opportunities for live music, entertainment, comedy and local concerts are coming down the chimney like a bag of toys. Check out the offerings and opportunities for holiday fun here.

This week, I sat down with comedian Jon Bennett, an Australian storyteller who gives an amazingly sordid and bizarre story of his brother’s life with poignant reflection. Bennett will be performing twice this weekend - Tonight, Dec. 16, at the Granada in The Dalles and on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Bingen Theater. Tickets are still on sale. Click here to find out more.

The Hares have been spearheading a collaborative effort between local restaurants and musicians to bring live music every night to The Dalles. It’s getting noticed. And now it’s getting statewide coverage.

A bunch of energetic Colonel Wright Elementary students - 20 to be exact - were caroling throughout the community last week in The Dalles. It was a cool 10-show, city-wide tour as they performed for different groups, ranging from retirement homes to service groups to public locations. Another public performance is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 15.

Mary and Dennis Davis have greeted a lot of people in their service with The Dalles Floozies and Friends. And this year was no different as some 150 boats brought thousands of tourists to the community. Estimates put the total drop in our community around $700,000. But Dennis and Mary’s commitment to teasing tourists? Priceless!

We’re coming into a manic weekend as the days count down to Christmas. And the presents are already dropping as art, music and entertainment are piling up like packages at the post office. This weekend brings us Brewer’s Grade, Anna Veimeister and Aaron Myer to name just a few. Check our latest here and stuff your stocking with some good times.

Cascade Singers to spread the music with six concerts in TD

Moe Dixon and Tess and Patrik Barr will play a free show at Riverside Community Church in Hood River on Friday, Dec. 2nd at noon. Dixon will also play The Pines in HR starting at 6 p.m. Miles From Nowhere, a four-piece band from Central Oregon will bring a set filled with Classic Rock, Blues, Country and Alternative to Zim’s in TD on Saturday, Dec. 3, starting at 7 p.m.

Where the movie actually sings is in its dark meditation on grief, loss, and the weight of responsibility left to the living. Overall, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is an interesting entry in the Marvel universe, but a mixed bag to be sure.

The Snow Sisters and Goldendale Reindeer Farm are creating a ton of holiday magic for local youths this Christmas Season as they offer events around the Gorge. Tegan Shermikas takes along for the ride as the Sisters work their magic. Sounds pretty fun. We wish we were 5 again.

Mt. Adams Institute presents a Sense of Place lecture featuring the historic Mitchell Point Tunnel past and present. The presentation will occur in-person at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, Oregon, and via livestream on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at 7 p.m.