Dayton, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/05/2009 -- Victoria Theatre Association presents The Kettering Health Network’s Wintergarden Wonderland located inside the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, with FREE activities offered throughout the Holiday Season, November 25, 2009 – January 5, 2010, including beloved Dayton-area traditions, music, crafts and more!

The popular Rike’s Christmas Windows are once again on display in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center with new sound systems for each window, plus a few extra adjustments enhancing colors and the characters in the windows. The Christmas window displays are a re-creation from Rike’s department store which began over 70 years ago and attract annual visits from countless families.

Santa’s Secret

Hermie the Elf is new this year and his job is helping the little ones with the Santa’s Secret contest. Santa has once again hidden something special in each of the Wintergarden Wonderland windows. Each window has this secret in common. Look carefully at each window and identify Santa’s Secret, Fill out a form and drop it in the box. The winner will be drawn from the box on January 5, 2010 and will receive a Family Four-Pack of tickets to the Young at Heart Series for the rest of the season.

Additional Activities

Additional festival activities include The Tike’s Shop where children can shop for inexpensive presents for their families, crafts by K12 Gallery and live holiday music on the DP&L Stage, featuring the Schuster Center Broadway Children’s Choir and Celebration Choirs, instrumental ensembles and other Miami Valley arts organizations and artists.

2009 Wintergarden Wonderland Events

Rike’s Christmas Windows
November 25, 2009 to January 4, 2010 – Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The Tike’s Shop
This gift shop for children is located in the Berry Room near the Ludlow Street entrance to the Schuster Center. Face painting every Saturday and Sunday!

Friday, November 27, 2009- 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 28, 2009 - 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 29, 2009-12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 5, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 6, 2009-12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 12, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 13, 2009-12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 17, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Friday, December 18, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 19, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 20, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Monday, December 21, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009-10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Holiday Spirit
Stop in the Schuster Center for some Holiday entertainment on the DP&L Stage!

Miami Valley Chorale December 5, 2009 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Miami Valley Music Men December 5, 2009 1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Centerville Community Chorus December 5, 2009 2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Chinese Youth Orchestra December 5, 2009 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Cantare Con Amore December 6, 2009 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Rayette’s Dance Company December 6, 2009 1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Schuster Center Celebration Choir December 6, 2009 2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Bellbrook High School Jazz Band December 6, 2009 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Lauren Brenner December 13, 2009 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Classy Ladies December 13, 2009 1:15 p.m. – 2:00p.m.

Schuster Center Broadway
Children’s Choir December 13, 2009 2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Opus 4 December 13, 2009 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Michael and Sandy Bashaw December 20, 2009 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Oakwood Accordion Band December 20, 2009 1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Miami River Flutes December 20, 2009 2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Community of Song December 20, 2009 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Holiday Face Painting
Saturdays and Sundays during The Tike’s Shop Hours

Santa’s Hours
Visit Santa in the Berry Room near the Ludlow Street entrance to the Schuster Center!

November 28-December 20, Saturdays & Sundays – 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
December 21-23 – 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Uno’s Pizza with Santa
Tell Santa your Christmas wishes and enjoy some pizza at Uno Chicago Grill!

Saturdays, December 5, 12, 19 – 10:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. visit with Santa, 11:00 a.m. lunch

Some Fun at the Schuster Center (crafts with K12 Gallery)
Artists from K12 Gallery for Young People will be assisting children in making holiday ornaments in the Wintergarden. This decorating opportunity is FREE and open to the public.

Saturday, December 5 – 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Sundays, November 29, December 6, 13, 20 – 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.


For additional information on these events and others, visit www.victoriatheatre.com/wintergarden-wonderland

Kettering Health Network’s Wintergarden Wonderland is an annual Holiday gift to the community from Victoria Theatre Association and the Arts Center Foundation. It is provided FREE OF CHARGE to the Dayton community. Kettering Health Network’s Wintergarden Wonderland receives support from Kettering Health Network, The Kettering Fund, LINC Mechanical, the Ohio Arts Council and Montgomery County.

There are many other wonderful holiday activities taking place throughout downtown Dayton, as part of the Downtown Dayton Partnership’s Holiday Festival. Additional information is available online on the Downtown Dayton Partnership's Holiday in the City page.


For more information about Victoria Theatre Association’s entire 2009-2010 season, visit http://www.victoriatheatre.com.

About Victoria Theatre Association
Victoria Theatre Association is one of Dayton’s premier arts organizations, presenting the Miami Valley and Good Samaritan Hospitals Broadway Series, the Young at Heart Family Series, the Michelob Ultra Cool Films series, Star Attractions, the Universal 1 Variety Series, KeyBank African-American Arts Festival, and the Physicians for Kids Discovery Series, which features curriculum-enhanced live theatre productions for school children. Victoria Theatre Association is proud of its alliance with the Dayton Opera. In addition to the performances it presents, Victoria Theatre Association also manages the historic Victoria Theatre, the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, and the Metropolitan Arts Center, which houses The Loft Theatre. Victoria Theatre Association receives funding from a variety of diverse public, corporate, individual and private sources, including the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District and the Ohio Arts Council. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program or organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.