During the holidays, Harlem thrums with even more excitement than usual, offering up hundreds of events that locals and visitors alike look forward to all year round.

Check out the Made in Harlem Art & Gift Festival for the holidays at Casa Frela Gallery. This weekend festival will feature 17 local artisans whose work is chosen especially with holiday shoppers in mind.  The festival will be held on Saturday, December 4th – December 5th, 2010, from 10AM – 7PM.

The holiday train in Harlem stops at Music at Morris-Jumel Annual Holiday Concert with the Brooklyn Baroque and friends present the annual Holiday Concert at the Morris-Jumel Mansion in Harlem, Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM.

The 15th Annual Black Nutcracker Gala Benefit Fundraiser at the Apollo Theater for dance lovers everywhere and of all ages to enjoy! Come join the Uptown Dance Academy for a day of dance and celebration on Thursday, 7 pm, December 16, 2010.

Super Holidays at El Museo del Barrio in Harlem art lovers everywhere and of all ages can enjoy free concerts, exhibitions, gallery tours, art making workshops, walking tours, film screenings, and spoken word recitals at El Museo’s Super Holidays! Come join them for a full day of cultural expressions and the latest in Latino art on December 18, 2010.

As the weather gets cooler and the sun sets earlier, Iris House has begun planning for the holiday needs of our clients. This year we are asking you to help by volunteering for the Iris House Children Holiday Party and Luncheon. Come help decorate, serve food and make our clients feel extra special. Read holiday stories, build ginger bread houses, play games and help make our children’s holiday party a day our kids will remember. Children Holiday Party-Thursday, December 16th; 4pm-7pm and Holiday Luncheon-Friday, December 17th; 12:00pm -2:30pm.

The Harlem School of the Arts will produce its annual Holiday Show in December 17th and the 18th.  Two identical performances of the show, “Holidays in Harlem: A Global Celebration” will take place in The Gathering Space of the School, 645 St. Nicholas Avenue, on Friday, December 17 and Saturday, December 18, 2010. Both shows will begin at 7:00pm.

The Apollo Theater celebrates the first day of Kwanzaa with the renowned and energetic New York-based dance company Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre. Enjoy this exciting evening of dance and music honoring the principles of Kwanzaa – family, community and culture. Hosted by Imhotep Gary Byrd. Special guests are master drummer Kimati Dinizulu, Urban Word Poets and featuring DJA-Rara who performs music from Haiti on Sunday, December 26th, 2010.

TARGET FREE SUNDAY, December 26, 2010
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Harambee! The History of Kwanzaa

Come learn more about Kwanzaa with an informative presentation of its history. The presentation will conclude with a libation ceremony and a lighting of a Mishuma (candle) for the first principal of Kwanzaa, Umoja (unity).

Got an event for Harlem For The Holidays from Thanksgiving to the New Year and we’ll post it. Send it to hwcontact@yahoo.com