The Month Ahead

If you like to plan ahead, this monthly feature will be your guide and calendar. Just snip it out of the paper and attach it to the fridge.

To contribute suggestions for next month’s calendar, send a letter by Dec. 19 to the Month Ahead, Los Angeles Times, 93 S. Chestnut St., Ventura 93001.

For information, call 653-7570.

Dance Theater

Dec. 5-6

The Moorpark College dance program and the In Motion Dancers will present “Battle in the Land of Snow,” a children’s production set to Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker,” at the college’s Studio Theater, 7075 Campus Road. Show times are 10 and 11 a.m. Dec. 5; 11:30 a.m. and 1, 2:30, 7 and 8:30 p.m. Dec. 6. $5. Tickets: 378-1485.

‘A Christmas Carol’

Dec. 5-21

Ebenezer Scrooge will make his annual visit in the Santa Susana Repertory Company’s production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5-7, 11, 13-14 and 17-20; 2:30 p.m. Dec. 7, 14, 20 and 21. $25 general, $22 seniors, $15 children. Tickets: 583-8700.

‘Little Women’

Dec. 5-21

The Xanadu Theatre Company will present Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” at the Arts Council Center, 482 Greenmeadow Drive, Thousand Oaks. The show will run Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. $10 adults, $8 seniors and students. Tickets: 381-2747.

Parade of Lights

Saturday, Dec. 6

More than 35 boats are expected to participate in the 21st annual Ventura Harbor Parade of Lights beginning at 7 p.m. Best viewing of the two-lap parade will be off Spinnaker Drive, between the Four Points Hotel and the Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center; along the Ventura Harbor Village promenade; and near the launch ramp on Schooner Drive. Free. Information: 644-0169.

Kwanzaa Celebration

Saturday, Dec. 6

Cal Lutheran University will celebrate the holiday of Kwanzaa with activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Preus-Brandt Forum on campus, 60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks. There will be African dance, storytelling and jazz and gospel music. Free. Information: 493-3151.

Holiday Music

Saturday, Dec. 6

Emmy-winning actress Kay Lenz, tenor Jong-Heon Lee, the Los Robles Children’s Choir and a handbell duo will present a “Christmas Celebration” concert at 8 p.m. at Ascension Lutheran Church, 1600 E. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. $15 adults, $12 seniors, $8 children and students. Information: 482-2866.

C Street Parade

Saturday, Dec. 6

The Oxnard Downtown Christmas Parade will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. along C Street, from 9th Street to 3rd Street. Parade entrants will offer their interpretations of the theme “Hollywood by the C Street.” Free. Information: 385-7545.

Rudolph Staging

Dec. 6-14

Illusions Theatre will present “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at the Ojai Center for the Arts, 113 S. Montgomery St. The production will run Saturdays at 2 and 4 p.m., Sundays at 4 p.m. $7 general, $4.50 seniors and children under 12. Information: 646-0566 or 646-8334.

Street Festival

Sunday, Dec. 7

About 500 arts and crafts vendors are expected to sell their work at the 21st annual Holiday Street Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street between Ventura Avenue and Fir Street in downtown Ventura. Entertainment will be provided by the Flying Lindy Hoppers, the Ventura College Recorder Ensemble, the Channelaire Chorus and other groups. Free admission. Information: 654-7830.

Celtic Tunes

Monday, Dec. 8

Scotland’s Battlefield Band will perform ballads, reels and other styles of Celtic music at 7:30 p.m. at Matilija Junior High School, 703 El Paseo Road, Ojai. The group will play a variety of traditional and modern instruments including the Highland bagpipes, fiddle and flute. $13 advance, $15 at the door. Tickets: 646-5163.

Santa Lucia Festival

Wednesday, Dec. 10

The traditional Swedish Santa Lucia Festival will be re-created at 10 a.m. at Cal Lutheran University’s Samuelson Chapel, 60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks. The ceremony will feature the lighting of the Santa Lucia crown of candles and celebration of the attributes of faith, hope, charity and compassion. Free. Information: 493-3151.

Nativity Scenes

Dec. 12-14

Hundreds of nativity scenes from around the world will be on display at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 2304 Antonio Ave., Camarillo. The “No Room at the Inn” show will be open from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 12 for guests with special needs, followed by an opening gala from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The regular show will run from noon to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 13-14. $12.50 for the gala; $3 adults, $1 children for the regular show. Information: 484-0530.

Boat Parade

Saturday, Dec. 13

Lighted boats, decorated for the holidays, will set sail as part of the Channel Islands Harbor Holiday Parade of Lights at 7 p.m. Under the theme “Hollywood by the Sea II,” the boats will pay tribute to movies and television shows filmed in the area. There also will be an arts and crafts show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 13-14. Free admission. Information: 985-4852.

Readings, Songs

Dec. 13-28

The Santa Paula Theater Center will present “A Christmas Memory,” a collection of holiday readings, carols and sing-alongs, Saturdays at 2:30 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. at 125 S. 7th St. The program will include a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” $10 adults, $8 seniors and students, $6 children. Reservations: 525-4645.

Dickens Festival

Sunday, Dec. 14

Theatre-By-The-Sea will present “A Victorian Christmas & Dickens Festival” from noon to 4 p.m. at Fisherman’s Wharf at Channel Islands Harbor, Channel Islands Boulevard and Victoria Avenue, Oxnard. There will be carolers, crafts and readings of works by Charles Dickens. Free admission. Information: 382-9538.

International Christmas

Sunday, Dec. 14

The Camarillo United Methodist Church Chancel Choir will present a “Sounds of Christmas” concert at 7 p.m. in the church sanctuary, 291 Anacapa Drive. The ensemble will perform holiday music from throughout the world. Free. Information: 482-4312.

Hanukkah Festival

Sunday, Dec. 21

Storyteller-musician Karen Golden will be among the performers featured at the Conejo Valley Community Hanukkah Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Community Center, 2525 N. Moorpark Road. There will be a boutique, crafts and Israeli folk dancing with instructor Dale Alpert. Free admission. Information: (818) 879-0880.

Menorah Lighting

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Chabad of The Conejo will present a menorah-lighting ceremony to celebrate Hanukkah from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Oaks shopping center, 222 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. The 18-foot menorah will be on display at the mall through January. Free. Information: 495-4628.

‘Fiddler on the Roof’

Dec. 31-Jan. 31

Comedy Tonight Productions will present “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, 3050 Los Angeles Ave. The show will run Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. The New Year’s Eve show will include dinner and dessert at intermission. A cast party, with dancing until 1 a.m., will follow the show. $55 advance, $65 at the door for the New Year’s Eve performance; $15 general, $12 seniors and students, $8 children thereafter (with $2 discounts on all tickets for Thursday performances). Reservations: 581-9940.

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Compiled by LEO SMITH / Los Angeles Times