Choral concert

The Fox Chapel Area High School Choral Music Department will present its annual “Sounds of the Season” concert on Dec. 16. The concert will include performances by the Fox Chapel Area High School choral ensembles (the Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers, Vulpes Cantantes, and the Men’s Ensemble). Special professional guest artists include the Carnegie Brass Quintet. The concert will also include an appearance by the Dorseyville Middle School Honors Choir. Additionally, the choral department’s singers and alumni will perform the program’s traditional finale, Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.”

The concert will begin at 7 p.m. at Fox Chapel Area High School. In addition to the concert, there will be a preconcert recital by the Carnegie Brass Quintet beginning at 6:40 p.m. The Fox Chapel Choral Family Association will honor all the performers at a reception immediately following the concert. Everyone is invited to attend.

The public may purchase general admission tickets for the concert for a donation of $5 each, plus a $1 convenience fee, for a total of $6 per ticket. Tickets are available online at fcahsmusicdepartment.ludus.com, and will only be sold at the door pending availability.

Light Up the Wall

Aspinwall’s Light Up the Wall celebration is set for 5-7 p.m. Dec. 6 by the borough building along Commercial Avenue. Activities include face painting, airbrush tattoos, caroling and a visit from Santa. Fireworks close out the event.

More information is available at aspinwallpa.gov.

Cookie Tour

Best of Blawnox will host its annual cookie tour from 1-4 p.m. Dec. 6.

The event runs at the same time as the borough’s holiday celebration.

There will be an information booth at the monument along Freeport Road with a map to the businesses with cookies. Participating businesses will also have a balloon at their main entrances.

The borough celebration will take place at the Hoboken Presbyterian Church along North Avenue. There will be face painting, airbrush tattoos, balloon art, a visit from Santa and more.

No formal tree lighting is planned. However, borough holiday lights will be turned on at dusk.

Food & toy drive

The Township of O’Hara is holding a Spread Cheer food and toy drive on Dec. 7 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. to support the local food bank, with donations collected in the municipal building parking lot. They are requesting nonperishable food items, paper products and new toys, games or sports items. Donations can also be dropped off at 325 Fox Chapel Road from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. until Dec. 9.

Christmas bird count

The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania’s 126th annual Christmas Bird Count is set for Dec. 27 at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve.

The CBC is the world’s longest-running citizen science project. People of all ages and birding experience levels count birds that they see on the count date, then the data is compiled and used to measure changes in the environment and in bird populations. This wealth of information paints a clear picture of bird distribution and abundance while aiding in the understanding of the urgency of bird conservation.

Participation is free and prior experience is not necessary – new birdwatchers can be teamed up with experienced birdwatchers. Find CBC training classes on ASWP’s website on the events calendar at aswp.org. Kids’ Christmas Bird Count programs are also available.

For more information, contact Brian Shema at 412-963-6100 or bshema@aswp.prg.

Light recycling

O’Hara is partnering once again with Michael Brothers to recycle holiday lights to benefit Project Bundle-up.

People can drop off the lights from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the township office, 325 Fox Chapel Road.

Collection runs through Feb. 15.

Aspinwall Neighbors toy drive

Aspinwall Neighbors is again teaming up with Play It Forward Pittsburgh to collect, package and deliver toys to local children and families, giving toys a second life and spreading a lot of holiday cheer.

Play It Forward Pittsburgh is a regional toy donation effort that collects gently used and new toys so that every child can experience the joy of the holiday season, no matter their family’s circumstances. Since its start, this volunteer-driven project has helped thousands of families find holiday gifts, all at no cost.

Neighbors can drop off gently used or new toys in good condition at Aspinwall Presbyterian Church through Dec. 6 and Aspinwall Neighbors will deliver donations to Play It Forward Pittsburgh’s main sorting site in early December, where volunteers organize and prepare them for families across the region to “shop” for their children.

For specific drop-off dates and times and more information, visit aspinwallneighbors.org.

Optimist Foundation toy drive

Pittsburgh North Optimist Foundation is holding its annual Toy Drive on Dec. 6 from noon-3 p.m. in the Lauri Ann West Community Center’s parking lot.

It is a drive-thru event this year. Unwrapped toys and gifts, as well as monetary donations, are welcome. All donations will be given to Sharpsburg Family Worship Center’s Give a Gift program.

For more information, visit pittsburghoptimist.com/toy-drive.

Christmas concerts

Get in the mood for Christmas with a free concert of seasonal favorites by the Pine Creek Community Band on Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. in Saint Mary Church, 210 Garnier St., Sharpsburg.

Join us for The True Meaning of Christmas: A Concert of Carols, Anthems, and Readings on Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. in Saint Joseph Church, 342 Dorseyville Road. Christ the King Parish’s Choir will perform traditional carols along with uplifting readings to help prepare you for the arrival of the Christ Child.

For more information, call 412-963-8885 ext. 110.

Glitter & Glow

Fox Chapel Garden Club’s holiday event, Glitter & Glow, returns 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Fox Chapel Golf Club. It’s a festive evening to enjoy cocktails, appetizers and desserts while shopping member-created live arrangements, flowering holiday combination planters, fresh cut greens and other unique gift ideas for home and family. A silent auction and teacup offers one-of-a-kind items from artwork and needlepoint to services utilizing members’ horticultural and beautification talents. For additional information, visit foxchapelgardenclub.org. Reservations are $40.

To have your news or event listed in our briefs section, email editor Katie Green at kgreen@triblive.com.

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