Weekend Top 5

3 Penny Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story for Christmas” will take place at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at The Gayton Kirk Presbyterian Church, 11421 Gayton Road. In this one-person show, actor Ray Carver will tell the classic story as Scrooge’s creator, Charles Dickens. He will play all the characters himself – from Scrooge to the ghosts and the whole Cratchit family – over 40 different characters in all. 3 Penny Theatre practices Radical Hospitality so ticket prices are “pay what you want” – audience members can name their ticket price. All guests are required to wear masks. For details, call 741-5254 or visit 3pennyplays.org.

The Safe Space Market RVA at Lakeside Farmers Market will host a winter solstice celebration on Friday, Dec. 17 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Come out for local holiday shopping with over 40 LGBTQ+/BIPOC vendors, food trucks, music and more. Have your picture taken with Safe Space’s Snow Queen; all proceeds benefit Project Community. Support Richmond LGBTQ+ youth and young adults through the HoliGay Giveback mutual aid initiative. All ages welcome. Admission is free. Masks required. The Safe Space Market RVA is a queer/Black-led bimonthly market convening to celebrate and support Black, Queer, Trans, Indigenous, Disabled and other underrepresented Richmond creatives. For details, visit safespacerva.com or facebook.com/safespacerva.

KOS and Susan Greenbaum return for their annual combined Christmas concert at the Henrico Theatre, 305 East Nine Mile Road. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Dec. 17 and 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 18. Tickets are $5. For details, call 652-1460 or visit henricotheatre.com.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will present the Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights nightly from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Nov. 22 to Jan. 9 (closed Thanksgiving and Dec. 24-25). The annual event features one million lights, botanical decorations, model trains, holiday dinners, family activities and more. The theme for 2021 is “Naturally Connected.” New this year is a community-created Poems of Positivity light installation from Orlosky Studio. Tickets are $5 to $18 (children under three are free) and can only be purchased online. Each ticket has an arrival time. For details, call 262-9887 or visit lewisginter.org/visit/events/dominion-gardenfest-of-lights.

DEC. 19

The David Esleck Trio, named “Best Jazz Group in Richmond” by Style Magazine, will perform a selection of jazz Christmas songs on Sunday, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. at The Tin Pan, 8982 Quioccasin Road. Canned food will be collected to benefit the Gayton Care Ministries. Tickets start at $30. Proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result taken within 72 hours is required for entry. For details, visit tinpanrva.com.