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Now, gawking at animals is healthier than ever! The Oklahoma City Zoo, 2101 N.E. 50th, recently unveiled nine newly mapped walking trails. Ranging in distance from .32 miles to 2.87 miles, the trails provide scenery and safety. Park admission is $5-$8. Call 424-3344 or visit okczoo.com.

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A mammoth wearing a Santa hat? Mr. and Mrs. Claus mingling with dinosaurs? And yet, visitors to the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History at 2401 Chautauqua on Thursday will see just that. The Norman venue’s annual Holiday Happening happens from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., with live holiday music, crafts, storytelling and more. Admission is free. Call 325-4712 or visit snomnh.ou.edu.

Thursday

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Gazette staff
Perhaps this meets with your Approval: Local author Judy Savage will sign her children’s book, Rossi the Approval Poodle, from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway in 50 Penn Place. Call 842-2900 or visit fullcirclebooks.com. And then from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, she’ll also sign at the gift store of Integris Baptist Medical Center at 3300 Northwest Expressway.

Saturday,
Wednesday, Dec. 12

OKG7 things to do
Gazette staff

For a unique, handmade holiday gift, consider the items at City Arts Center’s 15th annual pottery sale. Located at 3000 General Pershing, the venue has bowls, platters, mugs, teapots, ornaments and more, all benefiting the center’s ceramics education program. Through Dec. 21, the sale runs from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Call 951-0000 or visit cityartscenter.org.

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Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City’s annual poinsettia sale just isn’t the same this year — for the better, that is! Appropriately enough, the color orange has been added to the traditional holiday array, all available at $9 per pot at the campus’ John E. Kirkpatrick Horticulture Center, 400 N. Portland. The sale continues from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today through Friday, then 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Call 945-3358 or visit osuokc.edu/agriculture.

Wednesday-Saturday

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Looks like 2013 will be colorful, judging from Tribes 131’s calendar. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, the gallery at 131 24th Ave. N.W. in Norman hosts its 19th annual calendar signing. With the American Indian artists’ signatures, the months become that much more valuable! Calendars are $15 each. Call 329-4442 or visit tribes131.com.

Saturday-Sunday

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Promoting two 2012 discs — Paralytic Stalks and the Daughter of Cloud rarities collection — psych rock’s Of Montreal returns to ACM@UCO Performance Lab, 329 E. Sheridan, for a Thursday concert. When the indie band was in town last spring, front man Kevin Barnes told the Gazette that its music is “not meant to appeal to stupid people,” so stupid people should stay home. All others, doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18-$20. French Horn Rebellion opens. Visit ticketstorm.com.

Thursday

Hey! Read This:
• French Horn Rebellion interview   

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Gazette staff
Those with fond memories of Koyaanisqatsi will thrill to Samsara, a visually sumptuous journey through 25 countries in 102 minutes. Free of dialogue, the documentary took five years to shoot. See the fruits of that labor at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday at Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch. Tickets are $5-$8. Call 236-3100 or visit okcmoa.com.

Thursday-Sunday

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Tune your eyes in to the Real Music Weekend at Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch, where three rockumentaries will screen. On the dial are Radio Unnameable at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Searching for Sugar Man at 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and Big Easy Express at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The latter features Mumford & Sons and Old Crow Medicine Show. Tickets are $5-$8. Call 236- 3100 or visit okcmoa.com.

Thursday-Saturday

Hey! Read This:
• Old Crow Medicine Show interview
• Searching for Sugar Man film review    

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Gazette staff
Branford Marsalis was in Edmond earlier this month, and now his little brother Delfeayo follows! (Your turn, Wynton!) A Grammy-winning trombonist, Delfeayo Marsalis performs with the UCO Jazz Ensembles at 7 p.m. Saturday at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Mitchell Theater, 100 N. University in Edmond. Tickets are $15- $20. Call 974-3375 or visit uco.edu.

Saturday

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Sleigh bells ring — are you listening? You better be, because it’s not every day you get to hear Broadway actress Michele Ragusa perform with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. The Young Frankenstein star sings at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday for The Christmas Show at Civic Center Musical Hall, 201 N. Walker. Tickets are $15-$52. Call 842-5387 or visit okcphilharmonic.org.

Thursday-Saturday

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Gazette staff
See how residents of one of the city’s most historic neighborhoods deck their halls, at the 35th annual Mesta Park Holiday Home Tour. From 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, the fundraiser features five architecturally notable houses and one porch party. Tickets are $5-$15, including shuttle service and refreshments. Visit mestapark.org.

Saturday-Sunday

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Two troupes join for one enduring holiday tale as TheatreOCU and Oklahoma Children’s Theatre present Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The stage production can be seen at 11 a.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 9, at Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center at Oklahoma City University, 2501 N. Blackwelder. Tickets are $7-$12. Call 951-0011 or visit oklahomachildrenstheatre.org.

Thursday-Sunday

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With a new album, book, tequila and cigar to promote, politically feisty singer-songwriter Kinky Friedman returns to town on his BiPolar World Tour: A Fact-Finding Mission. Speaking of facts, doors open at 7 p.m. Sunday at The Blue Door, 2805 N. McKinley. Acoustic guitarist Brian Molnar opens the show. Tickets are $30-$35. Call 524-0738 or visit bluedoorokc.com.

Sunday

Hey! Read This:
• Kinky Friedman interview      

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Gazette staff
Contemporary Christian artists Sanctus Real, Sidewalk Prophets and pictured Dara Maclean headline the nationwide Acoustic Christmas Tour, which kicks off in the 405. The concert runs from 7 to 9:15 p.m. Thursday at Bethany First Church of the Nazarene, 6789 N.W. 39th. Tickets are $15-$40. Visit acousticchristmastour.com.

Thursday