Events on this Day

pas.tiche  /pa'steSH, pä'steSH/  -an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.   7 artists interpreted 8 works of art ranging from Matisse and Van Gogh to more contemporary artists in a variety of media.   Bethany Bachmann  Cindy Coleman  Linda Geer  Janet Kenna   Amanda Preston Araujo  Jenny Treanor  Amy Vaclav  Upstairs gallery at the Smiley Building. Drinks and snacks provided.

Curious about the lost wax process of casting… Here is your chance to explore & practice this creative art. A group of six individuals in a one on one personal instruction for 2 whole days. You will create your own design, carve that design into purple wax, then we encase it into a special type of casting investment. I personally bake it overnight within a kiln. Afterwards, you will melt your provided sterling silver & feel the floor Rumble…. Clean your artwork & Voilà your piece is ready to wear!   All materials provided. COST: $225.00, with $100.00 down to reserve a seat. Class handout will be sent via email once payment is received. JP Designs LLC www.artbonnet.com

Join us during Noel Night, Durango's annual community Holiday Party, featuring the fine art gourds of Robert Rivera. These one-of-a-kind, handcrafted bowls, masks, rattles, figures, ornaments and more can be found at the gallery through the holiday shopping season, into the New Year, and beyond.

For the Month of December the Upstairs Gallery is featuring the fine art of 35 Local Artists. It is a Christmas Soiree of delightful new Creations for the Season by the Artists of Create.

It's that time of year when lights twinkle, magic and cheer are in the air, and snow begins to fall. When everyone starts thinking about those they love, they begin their gift-shopping extravaganza! During this time, make sure you stop into DAC to shop in our new Gift Gallery!    The Gift Gallery will also be open during Downtown Durango's Annual Noel Night, where a hot chocolate bar for both adults and kids will be ready to warm you up as you shop from our local artists!

Need a Christmas Tree? Choose between our locally harvested white firs (harvested by a team of staff volunteers from the San Juan National Forest) or sustainably farmed Wisconsin balsam firs.    Your purchase will help improve forest health, support San Juan Mountain Association's stewardship and conservation education!    Wait...you might be thinking...is it a good thing to cut down fresh trees from our public lands?? Well, Yes! Thinning white fir trees improves forest health by reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire. While some fire is very helpful and necessary for the forest, young white fir can act as "ladder fuel" which means they allow fire to climb from the underbrush to the crowns of the tallest trees. Crown fires can spread more quickly and are harder to control.

Experience the magic this holiday season! Join us for a truly magical recreation of the classic holiday story, THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride. Climb aboard a vintage steam train as it departs our Durango Depot for the North Pole to pick up Santa Claus himself. Upon arriving at our depot, you'll be immersed in the story as our chefs serve you hot chocolates and sweet treats while the conductor recites a reading from the Polar Express book. After arriving at the North Pole, you'll enjoy an incredible light show set to holiday music. On the return trip to Durango, Santa will visit each coach and hand out the first gift of Christmas to each passenger. Trains depart at 5:15pm, 6:50pm and 8:20pm.

View all the entries in our annual Gingerbread House Competition, vote for your favorite in the People's Choice Contest, and be there to see who will be named winners of each category. Plus enjoy a free glass of sparkling wine or a free hot chocolate on us!   All proceeds from this year's gingerbread house contest will benefit the HomesFund Serving Southwest Colorado.

Join us for a relaxing evening of art, with an experienced teacher to give you guidance along the way.   Glass Ornament Painting! Get comfortable with acrylic painting techniques and enjoy the process of completing a painted ornament showing any holiday scene of your choice. Techniques, color, and value will be explored.    Beginners are welcome! This class is also perfect for adults with previous painting experience. $35.00 Per Participant.

Live music hosted with Tyler Reed Smith and friends

This is a benefit event to support Durango Theatreworks and its upcoming production of A Christmas Carol-A Radio Play. In addition to the entertaining production, attendees will partake of holiday beverages and delicious treats from Hermosa Cafe.

Join us for a holiday concert and shopping event! The evening kicks off with music performed by the DHS Concert Band and Jazz Band, then continues with a dessert bar and silent auction. We have over 90 items, services, and certificates available in the silent auction, with retail value over $10,000.    All money raised from this event will do directly towards the DHS Concert Band trip to San Diego, CA in March 2023 for competition. Help us send these students on an amazing trip!

Music and Lyrics by QUEEN  Story and Script by BEN ELTON  Young@Part Edition adapted by Marc Tumminelli originally workshop at Broadway Workshop in NYC   Featuring more than 20 hit Queen songs including "Another One Bites the Dust," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Killer Queen," "We Will Rock You," "Somebody To Love," "We Are the Champions," "Don't Stop Me Now," and many more, WE WILL ROCK YOU follows two revolutionaries as they try to save rock 'n' roll in a post-apocalyptic world. In an age where algorithms predict our every preference, WE WILL ROCK YOU is a musical for our time: a fist-pumping, foot-stomping anthem to individuality.   House opens 30 minutes before the listed start time.   General Admission $15  Student $10

Featuring the San Juan Symphony. No holiday season is complete without a trip to the theatre to see The Nutcracker! Enjoy this magical story that is a favorite for audiences of all ages.

Doors Open: 7:00 PM  21+ / $17 / $20  Paper Tickets available at Animas Trading Company    Elder Grown Bio:  Family and community are the roots of the band Elder Grown. A band of brothers and sisters. Though the group is made up of five guys from Durango, Colorado, they consider every audience to be their 6th collective member; their heartbeat, medicine and reason for song.    Funk meets Pop, Rock meets Hip Hop, Jazz meets Reggae. Elder Grown uses the freedom of improvisational jams as their foundation to create their captivating, soul-inspired sound. From the set opener to the fourth hour, Elder Grown encourages you to break down your ideas of genre with your hips and heartbeat. The band takes listeners on a genre-bending rollercoaster through rule-breaking sound, often switching instruments mid-song. Start with groovy, funk inspired bass lines reminiscent of Motown meeting the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Then, add screaming lead guitar and bossy sax lines reflective of Pink Floyd and Maceo Parker. Finish it off with inspiration from Rage Against the Machine, Atmosphere, and Sublime and you are beginning to understand the sound that is Elder Grown. Brothers and Sisters, you are invited to embark on a journey into the unrecognizably familiar.    https://www.facebook.com/ElderGrown/  http://www.eldergrown.com/  https://www.reverbnation.com/eldergrown   Graham Good & The Painters  Graham Good is hailed as the Messiah of Modern Rock (Nick Stock, jambands.com) due to his infectious energy and classic song writing. Specializing in Feel-Good//Funk-Folk-Rock, this group touches on a plethora of genres that help make them an easy band for any new fan to instantly connect with. The band has played iconic Denver venues such as Red Rocks, The Ogden, The Gothic, and The Bluebird opening up for acts such as Caamp, Andy Frasco, Satsang, and Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers. The Painters are a band of trained musicians who aim to pull the heartstrings of their audiences to step up and live life fully. This band is the ultimate feel good experience and perfect for any private party or festival lineup   https://grahamgoodmusic.com