
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, November 24, 1995                   TAG: 9511240076
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE TIPOFF

BRANCH OUT: If you'd like to be inspired to a new look for your Christmas tree this year, here's an idea. In fact, here are 20 of them, comprising the 13th annual Festival of Trees, which opens today in the First Union Tower, Roanoke. The trees, decorated around a theme of "A Roanoke Holiday," will be displayed through Dec. 23, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays; 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; and noon - 4:30 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $1.50 for adults and $1 for children ages 5 through 12. Proceeds from the event, hosted by the Mental Health Association of Roanoke Valley, aid the association's community education and advocacy efforts. Call 344-0931.

Need further idea fodder? A tree festival is also underway at the New River Valley Mall - sort of- with four decorated ball trees in place and eight decorated cut trees scheduled to be placed on Dec. 1, which will comprise the Montgomery County Chapter of the American Red Cross' third annual fund-raising display. The trees, representing "Christmas Around the World," will be exhibited through Dec. 21, weekdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sundays, noon - 7 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed. Call 382-2361.

ENCHANTING CHAMBER: On Sunday at 3 p.m. the Garth Newel Chamber Players will present their annual holiday concert to benefit the Botetourt County Fuel Assistance Program. The concert will be held at Fincastle Presbyterian Church. Call 473-2042.

MAMA MARY: Barbara Johnson reprises her one-woman performance as Mary, mother of Jesus, telling her story to an offstage Luke, the physician and New Testament author. The ordinary Jewish mother, faced with extraordinary circumstances, touches many topics including why in light of her delicate condition, Joseph didn't make reservations at the inn and her disagreement with her son's choice of friends, especially "the locust-eating, camel's hair-clad John the Baptist."

"Woman In Light" will be performed in Virginia Western Community College's Whitman Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Dec. 1 and at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. Admission is $10. Call 362-2628 or 387-2517.

AFFORDABLE ART: Deck the walls with paintings, drawings, prints and crafts - framed, unframed, boxed and bare - up for purchase from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Center in the Square during the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge's second annual "Real Art, Real Cheap" show. Call 342-5790.

BIT O' BUBBLY: The Roanoke Valley Wine Society, for its annual holiday party Thursday at Corned Beef & Co., Roanoke, will select and supply Champagnes and sparkling wines to sample. Attendees are asked to bring conviviality and bubbly-friendly appetizers to add to those provided by the hosts. Nonperishable foods will also be collected for donation to RAM House. Festivities are from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person. Call 981-3318.

MARCH TIME: Marching bands, floats, clowns, antique cars and, of course, Santa, will all be on hand 7 p.m. Thursday for the Vinton Christmas Parade from the Old William Byrd high school, Gus Nicks Boulevard, to the Vinton War Memorial. The Southernettes baton twirlers and youth choirs from Vinton Baptist Church and Thrasher Memorial Methodist Church will provide pre-parade entertainment starting at 6 p.m. at the Vinton Municipal Building on Pollard Street. The "Housecall Hospice Memorial Dove Tree" - the town's Christmas tree, next door to the municipal building - also will be lighted at 6 p.m. Call 343-1364.

PAST-TIME PASTIMES: Tours of an 18th-century home, representatively decorated, and diversions from that same period, including an elegant tea and traditional and period music, will be the bill of fare Thursday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. through Dec. 3 at the Smithfield Plantation in Blacksburg. The 11-acre site, formerly owned by noted surveyor and Revolutionary War patriot WIlliam Preston, is near the Virginia Tech campus and features a main house, smoke house, weaver's cabin and kitchen garden. Tour tickets are $4 for adults; $1.50 for students. Tea tickets costs $6 adults, $4 students, or combination tour/tea tickets cost $8 for adults, $4.50 for students. Assorted decorative greenery also will be on sale. Call 633-0892.

RADFORD RENAISSANCE: Radford University's Madrigal Dinner will re-create the pageantry, music and food of Renaissance England. The menu includes roast beef, garlic potatoes, green beans, assorted breads and fruits and a dessert pudding. At least one day's advance reservations are required. Dinners will be held 6 p.m. Thursday through Dec. 2 Tickets , which tend to go quickly, are $18 for the public. Call Judy Wade at 831-5265.

Memo: ***CORRECTION***

by CNB