While winter started a bit early with Friday and Saturday’s foot of snow, the Christmas season will start after Thanksgiving Thursday.

Black Friday will start in Platteville with the Platteville Regional Chamber’s Christmas in the Heartland showing of “Christmas with the Chipmunks” at the Avalon Cinema at 10 a.m. Admission is free with a canned good. Santa Claus will make his first area arrival in time for the City Park Christmas tree lighting at 5 p.m.

Small Business Saturday will be on Saturday nationwide.

In Belmont, Lions Club Christmas tree sales will start at Poller’s Parlor, 600 Wisconsin Ave., Friday at 10 a.m. Belmont’s first tree-lighting and Christmas carols will be held in Leahy Memorial Park (with activities moving to the Community Building in case of bad weather) Sunday at 5 p.m.

Several Christmas concerts will be held in Platteville starting next weekend. The UW–Platteville Holiday Gala will feature the UWP music department as well as the Platteville Cantabile, Choristers and Children’s Chorale Friday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. UW–Platteville will also host It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play in the Center for the Arts Little Theatre Dec. 4–6. 

The Rollo Jamison Museum will host the Coming Home for Christmas display from Dec. 4–23 and Dec. 26–31. The museum will also host the Platteville Children’s Choir Apprentice Singers Dec. 7, Choristers Dec. 8 and Cantabile Dec. 9, the Chorale Christmas Concert Dec. 13, and the Platteville High School Blue Notes Dec. 17.

On Sunday, Dec. 13, cantatas will be held at Belmont United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. and at Montfort United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. 

This is also the season for holiday fairs. The annual Platteville United Methodist Church Holiday Fair will be Saturday, Dec. 5. The Quota Club will hold its Fancy Cookie Sale and Holiday Craft Fair at Neal Wilkins Early Learning Center Saturday, Dec. 12.