December is a busy month and sometimes it can be difficult to decide what to do. Here are 10 things going on in the city that you should check out.

1. The Last Ever aceartinc. Winter Warmer
Friday, Dec. 2 to Thursday, Dec. 15, aceartinc.

Opening Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. with a launch party that will include music from DJs Maggie Mercury and StagPanther, this sale goes on until Dec. 15 at aceartinc. Open from Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., the exhibition showcases the works of some of the best artists in the city. The best part of the sale is that 100 per cent of the ticket price goes to the artists themselves. Whether you’re in the market for the next great local piece or just want to go and look at something other than snow, aceart is the place to be.

2. Adam Aleksander
Saturday, Dec. 3, Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall at the University of Winnipeg

When the San Luis Potosi Chamber Orchestra’s Canadian tour was kiboshed by the Mexican government (who failed to approve travel monies), Edmonton’s Dr. Adam Aleksander stepped in. Since the concert was almost sold out already, it’s a nice thing the good doctor was available. Critics have referred to Aleksander’s playing as “generous of feeling, mood and tonal resources” and “introspective and exhilarating!” Since the age of 14, he’s been performing with orchestras and has studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Chopin Academy in Warsaw and the University of Southern California. This guarantees to be an important and unforgettable show. Tickets are available by calling 204-786-9000 or emailing [email protected].

3. World on a Wire and The Tree of Life
Dec. 2 to Dec. 4, and Dec. 7 to Dec. 8, Cinematheque

Two classics, one old and one new, will grace Cinematheque’s screen in December. From Dec. 2 to Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. catch the remastered print of R.W. Fassbinder’s World on a Wire. This 1973 Hitchcockian German epic about a computer project that simulates reality deals with identity and paranoia and shouldn’t be missed. The modern classic, showing Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 at 8 p.m., is Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life - a film the elusive director has wanted to make since the mid ‘70s. The film stars Brad Pitt and Sean Penn in a tale of family, the universe and everything we’re made of.

4. Bullies: Not Cool! Web Series
Debuts Tuesday, Dec. 6 at www.bulliesnotcool.com

A collaboration between three of the most innovative women in the local film industry and the Academy of Broadcasting Corporation’s Faculty of Acting, the web series Bullies: Not Cool! promises to be a hilarious and poignant piece of local entertainment. Directed by Danishka Esterhazy (Black Field), written by ABC teacher/award-winning actress Rebecca Gibson and photographed by Rebecca Sandulak, the series is set in the 1980s and spoofs the instructional videos of that era. Featuring such characters as “Bo the Communist Skinhead” played by Clayton T. Stewart and Kristen Brown’s Madonna wannabe “Nadia” (both bullies), it takes a humorous look at a touchy subject.

5. Lemuria
Saturday, Dec. 10, Lo Pub

This punk band with indie leanings from Buffalo, New York has a leg up on most other acts out there - just try and find a genuinely sweet post-punk band that doesn’t take itself incredibly seriously. Going old school with a series of 7” releases and 2008’s critically adored full-length Get Better, this group will no doubt fit in with its Winnipeg openers, which include pop protester Ian LaRue & The Heartbeat City, punk break-up/re-uniters FISTS IN! and the unapologetic pop punk of Dangercat. Tickets are $10 and are available at Into the Music and Kustom Kulture.

6. Meaghan Smith Holiday Show
Sunday, Dec. 4, West End Cultural Centre

Juno-winner/Disney Princess come to life Meaghan Smith has been delighting audiences for a few years now, and this year the CBC favourite is set to make a few more new fans with her holiday album It Snowed. As far as holiday shows go, this is definitely one that you, your kids, your grandparents and even crazy Uncle Lonnie can enjoy, as London, Ont.’s Smith is as charming as they come. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door and are available at Music Trader, The Winnipeg Folk Festival Music Store, Ticketmaster or the WECC.

7. Holiday Belles
Thursday, Dec. 8, Prairie Theatre Exchange

This annual holiday event always features a few lovely ladies of various genres that entertain and get you into the spirit of giving. The acts include one of the most engaging songstresses in town - local singer Sheena Grobb, comedian Aisha Alfa (you know her hair and her dry comic wit from Free Press TV) and theatre actress/Winnipeg royalty Jennifer Lyon. If the entertainment isn’t enough for you, there’s also a Rainbow Auction. Tickets are $40 and go to support Winnipeg Harvest. Call 204-955-6318 or visit any Oakley Optical location.

8. Quinzmas
Friday, Dec. 16, Burton Cummings Theatre

Would it really be December without Quinzmas? Yes, Quinzy has only played a handful of shows in 2011, so this seventh Quinzmas is going to be one to remember. Traditionally held at the West End Cultural Centre (and that one time at the Park Theatre), this year’s Christmas spectacular will be held at the Burton Cummings Theatre. The quartet of brothers and cousins will, as is tradition, be joined on stage by roots group House of Doc, who always deliver a nice yin/yang to Quinzy’s upbeat pop rock. Whether it’s a visit from Spider Claus or the Decemberwolf, Quinzmas is always full of surprises. Everyone in attendance will also receive a copy of the band’s newest and fifth EP, The Flats. Tickets are $26 and available at Ticketmaster.

9. JD Edwards Band CD Release
Saturday, Dec. 17, West End Cultural Centre

A longtime fixture of the Winnipeg rock scene, the JD Edwards Band is about to release its third LP, Roads & Roads, on Dec. 17. Recorded this past March at the legendary Private Ear Studios, the disc includes guest spots from Lloyd Peterson, Jesse Ayre and Amber Neilson. No one knows when you’ll get the five-piece electric take or the laid-back, acoustic version of the JD Edwards Band, but no matter the incarnation, it’s Edwards’s unique and innovative songwriting that shines through. Tickets are only $10 and are available at the WECC, Into the Music and Kustom Kulture.

10. Guilty Pleasures: ‘90s Girlband Tunes featuring Alexa Dirks and Marti Sarbit
Wednesday, Dec. 21, Le Garage

Two of Winnipeg’s most talented vocalists will be getting their girl group groove on. No longer singing these tunes into hairbrushes in front of their mirrors, Alexa Dirks (Chic Gamine) and Marti Sarbit (Imaginary Cities) have no doubt had a great year, so why not have a little fun and sing along with them and some ‘90s songs? Imagine what Sarbit and Dirks will do with “classics” from TLC, Destiny’s Child, Britney Spears and more! Joined on stage by a band consisting of Joey Landreth, Dave Landreth, Alex Campballse and Ryan Voth, this night will get you feeling nostalgic and will take your mind off of that Christmas shopping you haven’t done yet. The show is at 9:30 p.m. and tickets are $15 at the door.

Read more Top Ten lists by Uniter staff and contributors at http://uniter.ca/view/7011, including lists of the best local food and theatre productions of 2011, as well as a look at the year’s fashion trends and music.

Published in Volume 66, Number 14 of The Uniter (November 30, 2011)