LECTURE SERIES: Toby Rodes will give a presentation on “The Six-Meter Class,” which will hold its world championship in Newport in 2009, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at IYRS Restoration Hall, 449 Thames St. The lecture event is part of “The Need for Speed,” a five-part series that hosts experts who each explore a topic of interest to many boating enthusiasts—the history and evolution of speed on the water.

The series is coordinated with a special dinner menu at Newport’s Café Zelda. For reservations at Café Zelda, call (401) 829-4002; for information on lectures, visit www.iyrs.org or call (401) 848-5777. Lectures are free for IYRS/Museum of Yachting members; $7 for nonmembers.

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BENEFIT CONCERT: Newport area musicians have joined together to hold a benefit concert for Lucy’s Hearth and the McKinney Shelter Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. at Channing Memorial Church, 135 Pelham St., Newport. Tickets are $10 and may be obtained in advance by calling (401) 849- 4250 or by email at Mgorman20@cox.net. There will be tickets available at the door, but seating is limited.

The line-up for this acoustic concert includes some of the area’s great musicians: Leroy White, Ray Davis & Charlie Meehan, The Elderly Brothers, Tom & Chris Perrotti, The Hurley Brothers, Pat Gorman, Ed Ledwith, Tom Irving and Rick Fetters. Call (401) 835-7209 for information.

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TOURS AND CAROLS: The Beechwood Foundation will present “Tours and Carols” featuring the talents of the local public school children Dec. 3 and 18 at 6 p.m. Guests will tour the mansion to view the holiday decorations then enter the ballroom for a concert. The Portsmouth High School Vocal Ensemble will perform Dec. 3 and Thompson Middle School will sing Dec. 18. Admission will be $10 for adults, $8 for youth or $5 for all seats with a donation of a canned good to benefit Lucy’s Hearth.

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CIVIL WAR HISTORIAN TO SPEAK: Local author Robert Grandchamp will discuss his new book, The Seventh Rhode Island Infantry in the Civil War, Dec. 4 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Newport Public Library, Spring Street. The book follows the lives of the brave Rhode Island natives who fought in some of the war’s fiercest battles. It is both a military and personal history, including fascinating excerpts from soldiers’ diaries and letters. Grandchamp’s talk will interest Civil War buffs and all Rhode Islanders, who may recognize many of the names.

Free and open to the public. Copies of Grandchamp’s book will be on sale for attendees. For more information contact the reference desk, (401) 847-8720 ext. 208.

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REDWOOD LIBRARY ACTIVITIES: Edward McCrorie and Norman Desmarais will present a theatrical reading of George Washington and Friends, Another Look at the 1770s, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. at Redwood Library, 50 Bellevue Ave. Frequent visitors to the Redwood may recall McCrorie’s talk on his landmark translation of Homer’s Odyssey a few years ago; he has since completed a story in verse about the battle of Trenton called Washington’s Night. He and Desmarais, a Providence College Librarian and author of a book on major battles of the Revolutionary War, will present some of the humor, drama and American values of those historic days, musket in hand. The program is suitable for both children and adults.

Also Dec. 4, the library will hold its Holiday Open House from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Included will be music, tours and children’s games as well as the 1747 Store which will be full of seasonal gifts and inspiration.

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ACTORS NEEDED: Boston Producer Robert Malin is looking for actors interested in participating in a dramatic reading of new material “John Brown’s: The Cost of America,” Dec. 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. and Dec. 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Firehouse Theater, Equality Park Place.

More than just another story about abolitionism and slavery, this play focuses on one of the most complex and controversial figures in American history, John Brown. With President Elect Obama ready to take the helm as leader of the United States, now is a great time to remember the history and heritage of African Americans in America.

WHEN: Thursday, December 4th (7-9 pm) andSaturday, December 6th (2-4 pm)WHERE: The Firehouse Theater, Newport, RINEED:

Actors needed are caucasian and African-American males ages 20 to 55; one caucasian female age 30 to 40 (preferably tall). Email headshots and resumes to: johnbrownsamerica@gmail.com.

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HOLIDAY TABLETOPS: The Newport Art Museum will open its Holiday Tabletops exhibit with an evening of wine tasting Dec. 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibit will feature creative table décor and accessories by designers from the Newport Showhouse Guild. Also, guests at the opening will have the opportunity to place orders for featured wines at discount show prices. Proceeds will benefit the Newport Art Museum. Tickets for the opening are $45 each or $35 for museum members. Designer tabletop creations will be on view throughout the galleries of the museum’s Griswold House through Jan. 4. Admission to the exhibit after the opening event is through regular museum admission. For information, call (401) 848-8200 or visit www.newportartmuseum.org.

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BENEFIT WREATH SALE: Lucy’s Hearth, Newport County’s shelter for homeless women and children, will hold its eighth annual Designer Christmas Wreath Sale fundraiser Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Rotunda at Easton’s Beach, Memorial Boulevard. This event has been very successful in the past, selling wreaths and tabletop arrangements made and donated by local florists, designers and many talented organizations.

Lucy’s Hearth is a 24-hour emergency and transitional shelter for mothers and their children who are homeless due to economic hardship, family crisis, divorce, eviction, and the lack of safe, affordable housing. During the last 18 months, Lucy’s Hearth sheltered 62 mothers and 89 children for a total of 12,803 bed nights of shelter and served 42,147 meals. This year they will be celebrating their 24th Anniversary.

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AN EVENING OF ART & LITERATURE: Newport Round Table will host An Evening of Art & Literature Dec. 6 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Empire Tea, 22 Broadway. Local authors and artists will kick off the Christmas holidays by signing copies of Walls & Bridges, the anthology of the Newport Round Table., which features a volume of talent in the Round Table.

The Newport Round Table is a community organization that has promoted and supported writers and artists for the past four years. Moderated by local authors Mark Ellis and Melissa Martin-Ellis, the Round Table began as a small group which met at the Barnes & Noble in Middletown until they outgrew the space. In 2007, Newport Round Table moved to their permanent meeting place at Empire Tea, where it has met weekly every Monday at 7 p.m.

The Walls & Bridges anthology is so named because of the unifying theme of the stories. Anthology contributors who will be on hand to read passages from their work include Heather Sullivan, Assistant Creative Director of the Rhode Island Writers’ Circle, E. Bell Carroll, author of Chopin in the Attic, Susan West Kurz author of Awakening Beauty and Amy Machado author of Ninety-five Miles in Pleasantburg. Joining them are Kristi Petersen Schoonover, Jessica Grota, John Michael Skaggs, J.N. Day, Gil Paradis, Richard Scott, Sally Sanford, Ramona Perham, Barbara Moore and Nancy Driggs. Walls & Bridges features the work of photographers and artists from the local community, such as Jill Meyers, Sylvia Hampton, Donald Heywood and Melissa Martin-Ellis and numerous others whose work will be displayed.

Refreshments will be served. See www.newportroundtable.com for more information or call (401) 841-0225.

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SILVER TEA: Trinity Church, Queen Anne Square, will host its annual Christmas Silver Tea and Holiday Gifts Sale Dec. 6 from 1 to 4 p.m. in Honyman Hall.

The tea will include finger sandwiches, desserts and tea, coffee or warm cider. Gifts for Sale will feature handmade ornaments, gifts, fresh seasonal greens, and homemade baked goods including fudge, bourbon balls and decorated holiday cookies. Admission to the hall is free. An $8 donation will be collected for the tea. Historic Trinity Church will be open for visitors.

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EXCLUSIVE FILM SCREENING: Island Books will present the only Rhode Island screening of State by State, An Out-of-the-Book-Film, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theater, 49 Touro St. The event will feature special guest appearances by Jhumpa Lahiri, book contributor and Sean Wilsey, book editor, who will read and discuss the creation of the book and the making of the film.

The 40-minute film inspired by Sean Wilsey’s and Matt Weiland’s new book State By State : A Panoramic Portrait of America, is the third in the of Out-of-the-Book Film Series produced by Powell’s Books in Portland, Ore. It features readings from the book’s contributors Daphne Beal, Alison Bechdel, Will Blythe, Charles Bock, Anthony Bourdain, Susan Choi, Joshua Ferris, Dagoberto Gilb, Myla Goldberg, Paul Greenberg, John Hodgman, Heidi Julavits, Rick Moody, Susan Orlean, David Rakoff, Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, Ellery Washington as well as background discussion about creating the book from editors Matt Weiland, and Sean Wilsey.

Tickets are $5 each. For more information, or to reserve tickets, call (401) 849-2665 or email tickets@islandbooksri.com. Books are available now and will be available for purchase at the event.

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VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CONCERT: The Beechwood Theatre Company will spread Christmas cheer at its annual Victorian Christmas concert Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. Led by musical director Phyllis L. Spiece, the company will sing class Christmas carols both a cappella and accomopanied, in an hour-long concert. Guests will be treated to a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception following the concert. Tickets will be $10 at the door or online at www.astorsbeechwood.com.

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CHRISTMAS AT THE MANSIONS: Christmas at the Newport Mansions continues through Jan. 4 with The Breakers, The Elms and Marble House open daily and decorated for the holidays. The Breakers opens at 9 a.m. and The Elms and Marble House open at 10. The last tour admission at all houses is at 4 p.m., houses and grounds close at 5 p.m. On Christmas Eve, last tour admission at all houses is at 3 p.m. All properties will be closed Christmas Day.

Visit www.NewportMansions.org or call 847-1000 for the detailed operating schedule, and information about these and other events scheduled this season, tour packages and ticket prices. Tickets can be purchased online, at all of the houses, and at the Newport Visitors Center. Schedule is subject to change.

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MUSE STUDENTS EXHIBITION: The opening reception of an art exhibition curated by students from three Newport County high schools will be held Dec. 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Ave.

The show features work by current students and alumni of Rogers High School, The Met School and Portsmouth High School and is the culminating project for young people enrolled in MUSE, the Museum’s innovative museum studies program. The exhibition will be open from Dec. 5 to Jan. 8 in the Museum’s Griswold House.

Launched in 2005, MUSE introduces students from Aquidneck Island public high schools to careers in museum management and historic preservation. The program promises hands-on experiences led by managerial, curatorial, library, marketing, education and archival staff representing a variety of cultural organizations. The Newport Art Museum recently received a $134,000 “Museums for America” grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to continue and expand the MUSE program.

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HOLIDAY ART SHOW: IYRS and the Museum of Yachting will open a holiday art show Dec. 12, with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. The collection includes maritime paintings from Michael Florio and Quester Gallery and a collection of one-of-a-kind ship models, half hulls and eagles from the American Marine Model Gallery and R. Michael Wall. The show will continue Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Reservations are required to attend the opening reception and can be made by calling Deirdre Opp 848-5777 ext. 217.

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CHRISTMAS AT THE TENNIS HALL OF FAME: The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, 194 Bellevue Ave., has announced its schedule of events for the 2008 Christmas in Newport celebration commencing December 1 to 31.

A special “Director’s Tour,” guided by museum director Doug Start, will be held Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Included will be information on museum operations, where items on view originate, where the money to operate a museum comes from and how museums store and take care of the objects within the collection.

Holiday Movie Classics and Cartoons will be shown on the Hall of Fame’s big screen in the USTA Wing of the museum Dec. 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All are welcome to drop in for a craft activity including making a holiday Nutcracker or tennis ornament for the Christmas tree. A special Guided Tour will be given on both days at 1:30 p.m. Movies, activities and tour are included in regular museum admission.

The museum’s annual outdoor lighting ceremony, “Deck The Hall,” will be held Dec. 7 at 530 p.m. in the Hall of Fame Courtyard. The Cluny School Choir will be on hand to perform holiday carols, and following the lighting, enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or cider provided by LaForge Restaurant. This event is free and open to the public.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the museum will be held Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. Included will be a chance to see what’s hidden behind the doors, or what is on the third floor above the Museum. Guided by the Hall of Fame’s curator Nicole Markham and manager of Education & Public Programs Nichole Smith, the tour is limited to 12 people, first come, first served. The tour will last about an hour and a half and photography of “behind the scenes” locations is strictly prohibited. Call Nichole Smith in advance at (401) 849-3990 to reserve a spot for this tour.

A holiday open house will be held Dec. 13 and 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donate a non-perishable food item and receive free admission (food donations will benefit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center.) Also, special Guided Tours of the Museum will be held at 1:30 p.m. each day as well as daily family-friendly activities such as scavenger hunts, do-it-yourself crafts or play Wii tennis on the Hall of Fame’s big screen.

The annual reading of A Visit from St. Nicholas will be held Dec. 13 at 2:30 p.m. A tradition started by Hall of Fame founder Jimmy Van Alen, this classic reading will be done by storyteller Cindy Killavey with caroling by members of the Swanhurst Chorus. In addition, Mr. & Mrs. Claus will stop in to say hello.

The Hall’s drawing contest will be held Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can try their hand at drawing any of the unique items on display in the Hall of Fame Museum. Drawing materials are provided and results will be announced at 4 p.m. Open to all ages; age groups to be determined.

Rounding out the Christmas in Newport activities will be a Victorian Christmas Display on view Dec. 20 and 21 with a special guided tour each day at 1:30 p.m.

The above programs, with the exception of the Open House food donation and the Deck the Hall event, are free with regular Hall of Fame Museum admission, which is $10 for adults, $5 for children (16 and under), $8 for seniors/military/students with ID and $25 for a family.

For a full listing of Christmas in Newport activities and programs, call (401) 849-6454 or visit www.christmasinnewport.org. For information on the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and its programs, visit www.tennisfame.com or call (401) 849-3990.

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HOLIDAY LANTERN TOURS: The Newport Historical Society continues its holiday lantern tours Fridays at 5 p.m. through Dec. 26 in colonial Newport. Learn how select colonial Newporters celebrated the holidays as early as the 18th century and learn why other Newporters scorned these celebrations. The tour includes a visit inside the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, the oldest museum house in Newport.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for children and NHS members. All tours are weather permitting and depart from the Brick Market Museum and Shop, 127 Thames St. For information, call (401) 841-8770.

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FACULTY HOLIDAY EXHIBITION: Many of the region’s finest working artists are exhibiting their work in a Faculty Holiday Exhibition at the Newport Art Museum’s art school, the Coleman Center for Creative Studies, now through Jan. 5. Included are paintings, drawings, sculpture, jewelry and other fine craft items.

The Coleman Center is located in the Gilbert S. Kahn building, part of the Museum’s three-building campus at 76 Bellevue Avenue. Center hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information call (401) 848-2787. Admission is free.

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TASK FORCE TO MEET: The Newport Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force will meet Dec. 15 at 12:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the Newport Police Department, 120 Broadway. The public is invited. For information, call (401) 849-3915.

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LUNCH WITH THE ARTIST: The Newport Art Museum’s next monthly lunch hour discussion, Lunch with the Artist, will meet Dec. 16 to discuss “Vincent van Gogh: The art of the emotional surprise.”

The discussions are led by Richard Tyre and feature a different artist, period or genre every month. Attendees are welcome to bring a lunch and meet in the museum’s John Griswold House, 76 Bellevue Ave. The talk begins at noon and is free for museum members, $5 for non-members. For information, call 848-8200.

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AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES AVAILABLE: The Automotive Technology Program at the Newport Area Career and Technical Center, located behind Rogers High School, is offering automotive services to the public. The programs automotive classes perform brake and suspension services, wheel alignments, engine tune-ups and many other offerings. The progam has the most up-to-date diagnostic equipment to serve the needs of current technologies found in today’s automobiles. The shop is in operation from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday from early October through May each year. To schedule an appointment, or for information, call 849-3608 ext. 2909.

Patrons are reminded that the students in these programs are in training for their future careers. Patience, understanding and support are appreciated.