Irish music and dance for St. Stephen's Day
You can celebrate St. Stephen's Day the Irish way at not one, but two events on Monday.
The Irish Cultural Collective is holding a St. Stephen's Day Ceili, where they'll teach you how to dance the traditional Irish way — that is, ceili — and encourage you to sing along with holiday favorites at a family-friendly event at Hard Rock Cafe. 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Monday, Hard Rock Cafe (upstairs), 415 E St. Free. (907-278-7637 or Irish Cultural Collective on Facebook)
Just a few blocks away, the Northern Lights Celtic Dancers and the Irish Dance Academy will hold a St. Stephen's Day Hooley at McGinley's Pub. Enjoy Irish music and dancing with the family. 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Monday, McGinley's Pub, 645 G St. Free. (an@finkak.com)
SantaCon '16
If you're hanging out downtown on Friday, Dec. 23, be prepared to see lots of Santas, Mrs. Clauses, elves and reindeer spreading out across the bar scene. Or dress up and join them and get a chance to win this year's SantaCon. You just have to dress up and visit all the locations on the official Christmas Crawl map to be entered to win "Santa's Sack." The grand prize is $1,000 cash for completing Santa's route. A portion of proceeds raised will go to Covenant House of Alaska. Search "Anchorage Santacon: Christmas Crawl 2016" on Facebook for details. 8 p.m. Friday, downtown. For ages 21 and over, clearly.
Neon Santa dance party
Feeling some fatigue from the cozy, wooly, cutesy side of Christmas? Head to Williwaw for something more … electronic. There will be DJ sets from Clint Samples, De Pips, and Haunted Surfer; a light show; hot snacks; and adult beverages. It's timed to coincide with the SantaCon, so there will probably be lots of silly costumes to liven things up as well. 9 p.m. Friday. Free to get in. (21 and over).
Christmas Hoedown
If you need to blow off some holiday steam the old-timey way, Danny Booth and Amanda Kerr, The Hannah Yoter Band and Big Chimney Barn Dance will bring a romp stompin' time to Tap Root Public House. Doors at 8 p.m., show starts at 9 p.m. Friday Tickets $6 at taprootalaska.com.
'Santa and Death' plus animated shorts
Santa and the Grim Reaper both show up on Christmas Eve at the home of a young widow and her little boy. Both have business with mom. Not everybody lives happily ever after, but it is a comedy. On the bill with the animated shorts from 2016 Anchorage International Film Fest, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Friday, Alaska Experience Theater, 333 W. Fourth Ave. $10. (907-272-9076, holmstrom@alaskalife.net)
Feliz Blah-Be-Blah Comedy Show
Check out a special guest from Seattle, Alyssa Yeoman, and Alaska comics Rudy Ascott and Justin Lawrence Hoyt at this Christmas Eve show at 10 p.m. Saturday at Koot’s. Tickets $5.