The beloved poem “The Night Before Christmas” will come alive on Saturday when award-winning dance company Borealis Dance takes center stage at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center.

Regarded as the most famous poem about the Christmas season, “The Night Before Christmas” was written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1822, and it was published by a family friend the next year.

Now, nearly 200 years later, Danielle Ricci and her dance company will present the poem through dance.

The production is filled with laughter, beautiful sets and costumes and wonderful holiday music. Audiences can expect to see dancing sugarplums, along with Santa and his tiny reindeer, who are brought to life through the magic of dance.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. The Marion Ross Performing Arts Center is at 147 N. Broadway.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors and $10 for children 10 and under.

The following is a roundup of other events taking place this weekend:

 

Friday

• The Freeborn County Arts Initiative’s all-member show will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 224 S. Broadway.

• The Albert Lea Art Center’s Christmas on Clark Street will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 226 W. Clark St.

• The American Red Cross will host a blood drive from 1 to 7 p.m. at Bridge Community Church.

• The Albert Lea Art Center’s Winter Wonderland Festival of Trees will be open from 1 to 7 p.m. at Northbridge Mall.

• Ben Marx will perform live from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Interchange Wine & Coffee Bistro.

• The Girl Singers of the Hit Parade Christmas show will be at 7 p.m. at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center.

Sold out last year, entertainers Colleen Raye, Jennifer Grimm, Debra O’Keefe and Sophie Grimm will return singing popular Christmas songs made famous in the 1950s by the Lennon Sisters, Andrews Sisters, McGuire Sisters and the King Family. Costumed in classic ‘50s ball gowns, this production takes the audience back to a simpler time with a feeling of family and warmth, as well as laughter.

Tickets are $20.

 

Saturday

• The Albert Lea Art Center’s Christmas on Clark Street will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 226 W. Clark St.

• The Albert Lea Farmers Market will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Northbridge Mall.

• The Albert Lea Art Center’s Winter Wonderland Festival of Trees will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. at Northbridge Mall.

• The Freeborn County Arts Initiative’s all-member show will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. at 224 S. Broadway.

• Three Oaks Wine will have a wine release from 2 to 6 p.m. Four new red wines and two white wines will be available to taste.

• A burger basket night benefiting competition teams from Unlimited Possibilities Dance Studio will be from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Moose Club in the Skyline Plaza. Cost is $8.

 

Sunday

• The Alano Society of Albert Lea will host a breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon at 1005 N. Ulstad Ave. Menu includes french toast sticks, pancakes, toast, eggs, sausage, hash browns, juice and coffee. Cost is $6 for all you can eat.

• The Albert Lea Masonic Lodge will host an amaranth pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the lodge above the community theater. Menu includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee. The Albert Lea cross country teams will be waiting tables.

• Phil Steele, formerly of Alden will speak at 10:30 a.m. at Our Father’s House in Albert Lea about how God is reaching people in Nashville, in Central and South American countries and others.

• A candy cane hunt will be from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Fairlane Building. Fee is $1 per child. Event is open to all children. Santa and his elves have hidden hundreds of candy canes. Come out and see how many you can find. There will also be hot chocolate, treats, games and a craft.

• Harmony Junction and the United Methodist ladies will perform at 3 p.m. at United Methodist Church and 7 p.m. at St. Theodore Catholic Church.

• Bolshoi Ballet will present live in high definition at 5 p.m. at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center.