The Capitol stage is a historic one that has shined the spotlight on hundreds of actors, musicians, and special guests during the past century! It continues to showcase an impressive array of presentations, musical celebrations, and movie events coordinated by the Warren County Public Library. Read on for December’s highlights!
Inspirational speaker and author Chris Singleton will share his amazing message of resilience and hope at a free presentation Thursday December 5, at 6pm, preceding his Friday engagement at the Chamber of Commerce’s Coffee Hour. Singleton is a former professional athlete drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2017. After he lost his mother in a racially-motivated mass shooting in South Carolina, Chris became an inspirational speaker and best-selling author, sharing his message of unity and racial reconciliation with groups all over the country, including NFL and NBA teams as well as multiple Fortune 500 companies. 100 copies of his book Your Life Matters will be given away at the event! Reserve a ticket for his Capitol presentation through the library’s calendar of events.
We are looking forward to the festive activities at Downtown BGKY Lights Up, especially what we have scheduled at the Capitol. On Friday, December 6, the library will welcome folks downtown for a Grinch Storytime and Meet & Greet, with one session starting at 4pm and the other at 5pm. Learn how Dr. Seuss’ famous killjoy stole Christmas before magically reforming, then stick around to watch the lights on Fountain Square and the Capitol illuminate at 6pm! Be sure to let us know which Grinch session you plan to attend and register online for each member of your family through the library’s calendar of events (warrenpl.org/events), so we can get an accurate count of how many to expect!
Experience the joy of giving at It’s a Wonderful Holiday Toy Drive, Saturday, December 7. We will accept donations at the 2pm matinee and the 6:30pm evening show to support this season’s “Affordable Christmas” project by Hope House. While not required, we are encouraging donations of new toys or funds to help purchase them. Those donations will provide the opportunity for low-income parents to get gifts at a lower, affordable price, empowering them to give their children nice gifts while maintaining dignity as providers for their families. Your heartstrings will be stretched even further at the 1946 Frank Capra film that’s scheduled. See if you can guess the title from its description: Oscar nominee James Stewart stars as George Bailey, a decent small-town banker who learns what life would have been like if he’d never been born after he unwittingly becomes involved in a mistaken case of bank fraud, which threatens his spirit and tests his will to live. A wise angel intervenes and compels him to see how his presence has made an incredible impact on the people of Bedford Falls. NOTE: Tickets are not required for either show.
You won’t want to miss the seventh annual Music for the Solstice: A Celtic Celebration, Sunday, December 22, at 7pm. You’ll be entertained by an evening of beautiful Celtic music and inspirational readings at this quintessential solstice celebration! The evening will feature the musical talent of Rebecca Baumbach on fiddle, Skip Cleavinger on Irish pipes and tin whistle, plus a number of special guests. The event has become a wonderful winter tradition and is always a warm, welcoming community gathering. Free tickets are available at capitolbg.org.
You asked for it; we scheduled it! On Monday, December 30, at 6:30pm, join fellow creatives at our first ever Craft & Movie Night! Bring a portable project – knitting, crochet, or other lap-friendly craft – to work on during the movie. You’ll enjoy a productive, fun, relaxing evening while you watch Robin Williams and Joan Cusack on the big screen in a quirky story about a passed-over heir to a novelty company who tries to stop his uncle from manufacturing war toys. Register via the library’s calendar of events (warrenpl.org/events) to let us know you’re coming, then spread the word to your crafty friends so they can attend, as well!
In addition to free library events, the Capitol also hosts ticketed shows by concert promoters and producers through the year. While we don’t include those in our list of activities here, a complete schedule can be found at capitolbg.org/get-tickets, as well as on our social media pages (@capitolbg on Facebook, Instagram, and X). To keep up with all the Capitol’s events, you can also sign up for our email newsletter (tinyurl.com/CapitolBGNews). And finally, if you want to see the name of any movies we have scheduled, our public performance license allows us to advertise the titles in-house on posters and fliers and on our website, but not on social media nor in outside publications. There is also a movie link on our website (capitolbg.org), or you can give us a call during business hours (10am to 4pm) Monday through Friday to inquire.
-by Ashley Fowlkes, Digital Content Manager
