General Interest

A wrapped toy is the admission price for the December 11 Chicken House Opry Christmas show when Mission Police Department officers will be on hand to receive the gifts for their annual Kops for Kids toy drive. The toys will be distributed at the Mission P.D.’s annual event on Dec. 21.

The Chicken House Opry is a Branson, Missouri-style family comedy and music show located at 8049 N. Bentsen Palm Drive, six miles north of Expressway 83.

Read more: Chicken House Opry performance benefits Kops for Kids

The stage is set for the winter season opener at the Santa Maria Bullring on Sunday, Dec. 4, when the event brings in the largest bulls ever presented in a world-class bloodless bullfight in the United States. The pure-bred Spanish bulls are out of the stock of Don Rafael Mendoza.

The Santa Maria Bullring is located just northwest of Mission, on FM 1017 in La Gloria.

Read more: Santa Maria season opener brings out the bulls

Country artist Lee Brice, with Stoney LaRue and Bo Garza, are coming to Mission for a performance at Las Palms Race Park, 7509 N. Taylor Rd. in Mission, on Friday, Nov. 25.  Gates open at 7 p.m., and tickets are $20 plus a service fee.

The South Carolina native played football at Clemson before leaving to pursue his career in music.  He is a three-time ACM nominee and released his debut album “Love Like Crazy” in June of 2010.  The title track of the album, "Love Like Crazy," reached the top five on the charts and was named Billboard’s #1 country song in 2010.  It currently holds the record for the longest charting song in the history of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.  The song was nominated for the 2011 CMT Music Awards’ USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year award.

Read more: Country artist Lee Brice to perform in Mission

The First Presbyterian Church of Mission hosts vocalist Yumi Castro in a concert this Sunday, Nov. 20, at 6:30 p.m. in the church’s sanctuary located at 1102 Ash. The concert is open to the public and free of charge as a community service to Mission and the surrounding area.

“Yumi Castro has a voice that you will want to hear!” stated Pat Hudsonpillar, director of music and worship at the church.

Read more: Yumi Castro in concert at First Presbyterian

The Sharyland High School choir and theater departments will present the musical production of “Little Shop of Horrors” in the school auditorium this weekend.

The production revolves around a worker in a florist shop who discovers and raises a plant that feeds on human blood, not knowing that the plant is actually from another planet with a plot to take over the world. The musical is based on a 1960s black comedy film by director Roger Corman. It was turned into a rock musical production in 1982 by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman.

Show times are 7 p.m. for the Friday, Saturday and Monday performances, Nov. 11, 12 and 14, and at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors. For reservations, call 956-580-5300, Ext. 1108 or 1109.

McALLEN – The International Museum will be holding its opening celebrations for its second annual “El Festival de las Veinte Flores: Day of the Dead Celebration” this coming Sunday, Oct. 30, from 1-5 p.m. The opening celebrations will kick off the week-long festivities at IMAS, which will all culminate in the closing ceremonies on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011.

Activities will include face-painting, sugar skulls decorating, Day of the Dead Bingo, performances by UTPA’s Ballet Folklorico, papel picado and paper flower making, and more. Visitors will have the opportunity to take their pictures with the IMAS “Catrinas” and learn about the IMAS Altar, which will be honoring 10 visionary artists of Mexico.

Read more: Week-long event celebrates ‘Day of the Dead’

It’s that time of the year when ghosts, globins, witches, and friendly monsters will visit Speer Memorial Library Children’s Department to participate in the 7^th Annual Halloween Costume Contest.  Moms and dads are asked to share the coolest and cutest costumes they’ve whipped up for their munchkins.  We want you to show us your amazing kids’ Halloween costumes, and if you manage to manifest something especially imaginative, your child could win one of many exciting prizes.

Ghosts, globins, witches, and friendly monsters will all be judged based on the Most Original and the Most Appealing Costume entry.  The entries will be awarded in four categories:  Toddlers 1 to 3 years old and able to walk, Pre-Kinder–Kinder, 1^st – 3^rd graders, and 4^th – 8^th grade friendly monsters.  The judges for the evening will be Jennifer Venecia, Marketing Director for Chick-fil-A, Jose Uribe, Park Naturalist from Estero Llano Grande State Park, and Berta Filut, Executive Director, Texas Citrus Fiesta.  The judges will be impartial regardless of the number of treats.

Read more: 7th Annual Halloween Costume Contest at Speer Memorial Library Children’s Department

The International Museum of Art & Science Guild is seeking entries for their annual Christmas Tree Forest. Schools and organizations are encouraged to participate in decorating a Christmas tree inspired by this year’s theme, “The Joy of Christmas.”

All decorations must be 100 percent handmade to be considered eligible to take part in the competition held on Nov. 19.

Entry forms are available at the front desk at IMAs or download one from www.iasonline.org and turn it in before 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1. All Christmas trees will be on display from Nov. 19 through Jan. 1, 2012.

For more information, contact Aleida Garcia at 682-0123.