FRIDAY
Holiday: It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Lake Lanier as the Magical Nights of Lights spectacular gets going this weekend, for those who like to start their holiday activities a little early. The display happens nightly beginning tonight and running through Jan. 1
Dance, holiday: Ballethnic Dance Company’s “Urban Nutcracker” might be the earliest “Nutcracker” of the season, but it’s definitely the most Atlanta- centric. The annual production relocates “The Nutcracker” to Atlanta’s own Sweet Auburn Avenue in the 1940s. Performances takes place at Georgia Tech’s Ferst Center for the Arts Nov. 18-20.
Comedy: Former “News Radio” star and Kids in the Hall member Dave Foley comes to the Laughing Skull Lounge at the Vortex in Midtown this weekend, with two show per night Nov. 18-20.
Music: You won’t need two tickets to paradise to see Eddie Money, but you will need tickets to Wild Bill’s in Duluth, where he’ll perform at 9:30 p.m. Nov. 18.
Stage: The beloved Rankin-Bass cartoon “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” comes to life in this puppet-tastic version from Jon Ludwig at the Center for Puppetry Arts. The show continues through Dec. 31.
Stage: Theater Emory offers a new adaptation of Austen’s final novel with “Jane Austen’s Persuasion.” The show continues through Nov. 20 at Emory University’s Mary Gray Munroe Theater.
Stage: “Glimpses of the Moon” is a romantic music and dance extravaganza that follows the jazzy whirl of New York high society in the Roaring ’20s. The Georgia Ensemble Theatre production runs through Nov. 20 at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center.
Stage: Lionheart Theatre Company presents the Pearl Cleage drama “Blues for an Alabama Sky” through Nov. 20 at Norcross Cultural Arts and Community Center.
Stage: The Atlanta Shakespeare Company continues its chronological run through Shakespeare’s comedies with “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” See it through Nov. 27 at the New American Shakespeare Tavern.
Kids: An Atlanta holiday tradition continues atop the Lenox Road parking deck at Macy’s Lenox Square through Jan. 1, where you can hitch a ride with Priscilla the Pink Pig.
.Visual art: The High Museum of Art explores some of the highlights of the art of the 20th century with “Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters.” The show runs through April 29. See our review.
Holiday, families: At Stone Mountain Christmas, Crossroads at the base of Stone Mountain is decked out with more than 2 million lights. The park also offers many more Christmas-themed activities and entertainment options. The season continues through Jan. 1 at Stone Mountain Park.
Stage, music: The Atlanta Opera opens its season with “Lucia di Lammermoor,” Donizetti’s chilling tragedy about an arranged marriage that leads to murder and madness. Performances are at 8 p.m. Nov. 18 and 3 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
SATURDAY
Books: Actress Dyan Cannon appears at 8 p.m. Nov. 19 as part of the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta with her memoir “Dear Cary: My Life With Cary Grant,” in which she shares the story of her magical romance and stormy marriage to screen legend Grant.
Holiday: The Atlanta Botanical Garden kicks off the holiday season with Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, a dazzling show that features nearly 1 million lights crafted into displays inspired by nature. The show runs Nov. 19 through Jan. 7.
Comedy: Comedic ranter extraordinaire Lewis Black brings his show to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre at 8 p.m. Nov. 19.
Music: Atlanta’s Please PleaseRock Me, an offshoot of Yacht Rock Revue, performs the Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” at 8 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre in Marietta.
Music: The Gwinnett Choral Guild’s “Gloria: Songs of Angels and Animals” will include excerpts from “Gloria” by Vivaldi and “Messiah” by Handel. The concert begins at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at Buford First United Methodist Church.
Music: The Ludwig Symphony Orchestra welcomes pianist Ning An for a performance of Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1, in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center in Duluth.
Music: Diminutive guitarist Kaki King is an Atlanta native and Westminster graduate who has earned a place among the best contemporary six-string players. She’ll play the Loft at 9 p.m. Nov. 19.
Music: The folks at Jazz 91.9 WCLK are sponsoring the Partners With a Passion for Community Benefit Concert at 8 p.m. Nov. 19 at Variety Playhouse.
SUNDAY
Movie premiere: Be among the first to see “An Elf’s Story,” the new animated film based on “The Elf on the Shelf” book by suburban Atlanta mother and daughter team Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell. The movie premieres at 4 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Fox Theatre.
Books: Just two days after his final “Live With Regis and Kelly” airs, talk show host and author Regis Philbin stops by the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center to talk about his memoir “How I Got This Way.” It happens at 3 p.m. Nov. 20 at the center’s Zaban Park facility in Dunwoody. Check out our interview with Philbin on Rodney Ho’s Radio & TV Talk blog.
Music: The Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra will offer a concert of overtures, with works by Liadov, Stravinsky, Frank and Beckel. The concert begins at 3 p.m. Nov. 20 at Atlanta Symphony Hall.
Music: Northside Drive Baptist Church’s Music on the Hill series continues with Piano-Violin Sonatas by Brahms and Debussy at 3 p.m. Nov. 20.