Holiday Festival 2023: 7:30 p.m., Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder. Be immersed in the comfort and joy of twinkling lights, seasonal greenery and beautiful music at CU Boulder’s Holiday Festival. The longstanding celebration brings together student choirs, bands and orchestras — along with world-class faculty performers — for a winter concert of holiday favorites and a few fresh delights. $23-$77, 303-492-8008, cupresents.org.
Artist reception at pARTiculars Gallery: 4:30 p.m., pARTiculars Gallery, 401 S. Public Road, Lafayette. Ann Barnsley, long time owner/artist of pARTiculars Gallery, will have an artist reception featuring her whimsical pottery. Visitors can also enjoy a Holiday Faire with special arts and crafts from local artists. Free, 720-472-4990, particularsart.com.
Facebagel at BOCO Cider: 6 p.m., BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Matthew White, aka Facebagel, is a singer-songwriter, didgeridoo player and percussionist based out of Golden. Free, 720-938-7285, bococider.com.
Barbara Paris & Friends at R Gallery: 7 p.m., R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder. Born in Denver, Barbara Paris remembers hearing Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, Mel Torme and Frank Sinatra from an early age. During a vacation in St. Thomas, she met Eddie Shu, a veteran multi-instrumentalist, who encouraged her and told her that all she needed was a band. She hasn’t stopped since. Free, 303-444-4146, rgallery.art.
Dead Floyd at Boulder Theater: 8 p.m., Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. Dead Floyd is a celebration of the music of two of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest bands, The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd, mashed together into one high-energy, unpredictable show. Drawing from both extensive catalogs of music, the Dead Floyd performances include early rarities to modern classics and everything in between. $15-$18, z2ent.com.
Upcoming
Japanese Flower exhibition: 10 a.m. Saturday, Boulder Public Library, Canyon Gallery, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder. Celebrate the season with a multi-cultural flower show. Over 50 beautiful ikebana flower creations will be featured. On display will also be Edo Period scrolls and holiday art works from Japan. For those interested in the history of Japanese flower arranging over the last 600 years, there will be a lecture and demonstration at at 2 p.m. in Canyon Auditorium. Free, 303-264-4287, ikebanaikenobokado.com.
Freezie Fest: 11 a.m. Saturday, 1300 Block of the Pearl Street Mall, 1325 Pearl St., Boulder. Celebrate winter and all things snowmen at this snowman extravaganza, which includes free train rides (weather permitting), visits with Santa and reindeer games. Free, 303-449-3774, boulderdowntown.com.
Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair at Eldorado Ashram: noon Saturday, Eldorado Mountain Yoga Ashram, 2875 Co. Road 67, Boulder. Find the perfect, peace-filled gift at the ashram’s Holiday Craft Fair. All proceeds goes towards supporting the ashram’s year-round yoga, meditation and family programs. Free, 808-854-1807, facebook.com.
Boulder Concert Band’s “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!”: 7 p.m. Saturday, First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder. Director Jon Borodach has favorite holiday music and lots of fun surprises in store for all ages, including a very special holiday story, “The Mouse’s Gift,” that takes place in Boulder. Free-$10, 303-478-3044, BoulderConcertBand.org.
Trace Bundy’s Acoustic Holiday: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. Internationally-acclaimed guitar virtuoso Trace Bundy must be seen, not just heard. His music uses harmonics, looping and multiple capos, and his unique banter and stage presence deliver an unforgettable live concert experience. $26-$38, z2ent.com.
The Good Kind’s Holiday Bash: 8 p.m. Saturday, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. The members of Boulder-based The Good Kind (guitarist and vocalist Russ Grabski, bassist John Kang, guitarist and vocalist Drew Michael and drummer R.T. Weber) are live music fanatics who have seen hundreds of live shows performed by some of the greatest musicians of the last 50 years. These experiences fire the band’s rockets to create the ultimate live music show featuring a constantly rotating repertoire. $15-$120, eventbrite.com.