A group of dedicated student dancers will bring their talents to Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre on December 19 and 20 when Monmouth, Illinois' Dancer's Studio presents two performances of The Nutcracker, the timeless holiday ballet by composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

A two-evening celebration of the Swedish tradition based on the legend of Saint Lucia, Queen of Light, the 2025 Lucia Nights Festival in Bishop Hill will, on December 12 and 13, deliver a seasonal treat featuring live music, a barn dance, a chili supper, a tree-lighting ceremony, carriage rides, and much more.

On December 13 and 14, one of the Quad Cities' most adored holiday traditions returns to Davenport's Adler Theatre when the professional talents of Ballet Quad Cities perform Tchaikovsky's holiday dance classic The Nutcracker. This eagerly awaited family experience boasts original choreography by Artistic Director Courtney Lyon, live musical accompaniment by Orchestra Iowa, a cast of 60, and the return of popular guest artist Domingo Rubio, the longtime portrayer of the company's dancing Dracula.

Beloved for playing the obsequious standup Kenny Bania, one of Jerry's many nemeses, on the sitcom smash Seinfeld, touring comedian Steve Hytner kicks off the 2025-26 "Laugh QC" Thursday Night Comedy Series in the Davenport RiverCenter's Mississippi Hall, his December 11 show treating fans to a night with the funnyman also seen on such Emmy-winning series as Modern Family, Friends, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.