Yes, we know it has been only six days since Halloween, but Christmas is up and running today at the Richmond Raceway Complex. The Craftsmen’s Christmas Classic celebrates its 30th anniversary through Sunday with the usual showcase of art, pottery, jewelry, toys, foods, clothing and more from about 450 artists and craftsmen. Craftsmen’s Classics are staged throughout the year in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina by Gilmore Shows.

The 30th annual show featuring pottery, jewelry, toys, furniture, clothing, fine art, food and more.
  When: Today, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  Where: Richmond Raceway Complex, 602 E. Laburnum Ave.
  Tickets: $7 for adults, $1 for ages 6 through 12; under 6, free; admission good all three days with a free return pass from the show desk. Free parking.

Thousands of people will step back in time this weekend as they converge on downtown Richmond for one of the mid-Atlantic’s largest street festivals.  The Second Street Festival returns for the 21st year Saturday and Sunday in historic Jackson Ward, the neighborhood bounded by Interstate 95 to the north, East Broad Street to the south, Fourth Street to the east and Belvidere Street to the west.

ABINGDON—This little town might be the next Asheville, at least according to the buzz downtown. It has been a sudden, subtle change, but seemingly overnight, the same sort of art galleries and crafty, eclectic shops that define that North Carolina tourist center are popping up in Abingdon—another artsy mountain town that some say is on the verge of discovering its creative economy.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST—Creative Arts Ministries is seeking actors for this Disney musical to be presented at its summer camp for youths ages 8 to 21.

Valentine history center: Pay what you can         Times are tough. A couple of local museums do not think they should be any tougher.  So through Labor Day, the Valentine Richmond History Center is instituting Give What You Can Sundays. On Sundays, the regular admission will be waived ($8 adults, $7 seniors, students and children), and patrons will be encouraged to give whatever they can—all the way down to nothing.

Let’s take a straw poll: All those in favor of putting Dick Cheney in charge of the nation’s arts and culture, please raise your hand. Anybody? Okay, how about Mike Huckabee? Pat Robertson? Rick Santorum? Thought so. The ascension of Barack Obama to the Oval Office has been accompanied by a growing chorus clamoring for the creation of a Cabinet-level arts overseer.

Anew building can be a blank canvas for an academic program. Henrico County’s new visual arts building in the Center for the Arts opened this month already embellished—with a reputation for producing noted works by teachers, students and alumni. Center director Lee Hanchey, who guided the program and the construction of the facility, says there is much more to come.

You can take the boys out of Danville, but the Page Bond Gallery’s current exhibition suggests you can’t take Danville out of the artists the boys become. “Maggie” presents 27 silver-gelatin prints and one color print that illuminate the indomitable spirit of a Danville woman, Margaret Ennis Booher Cooper, who will turn 100 this year.

Two musical performances by the Modlin Center for the Arts and Swift Creek Mill Theatre have been postponed. The Modlin Center’s “Winterreise” by baritone James Weaver and pianist Joanne Kong, scheduled for tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Booker Hall of Music, will be rescheduled for a later date. The James River Harp Ensemble, slated to appear in “Dancing with the Harps,“ at Swift Creek Mill Theatre, has been postponed until June 5 and 6.

Glave Kocen Gallery in the city’s Uptown area recently opened “Size Doesn’t Matter,“ a show of small works. The exhibition includes more than 70 works from sculpture to paintings by 28 artists. The annual show is part celebration of favorite artists from the past year, part opportunity to exhibit new artists. According to co-owner Jennifer Glave, old favorites, such as Steven Walker and Farida Hughes, will share space with first-time and recent exhibitors, including Deane Bowers, Karen Kohtz and Sallie Grant. Part of the fun of the show, says Glave, is that “some artists don’t work on a small scale except during this time of year for our show. It’s fun to see what they do in experimenting with the smaller size.“ Through Feb. 3 at 1620 W. Main St. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call (804) 358-1990 or visit http://www.glavekocengallery.com.— Jo Lord

A Midlothian woman plans to show off her pig’s painting abilities at a fundraiser in March for the Langhorne House. Fran Martin taught Smithfield, her 11½-year-old Vietnamese potbellied pig, about 10 years ago to pick up a brush with his mouth and stroke colors onto a canvas. The pig has appeared on YouTube, on talk and entertainment shows, and in newspapers and has performed for charities.

Volunteers developing a Cultural Action Plan for the Greater Richmond Region invite the public to speak at four meetings next week. “We want the public to come forward and ask questions or offer thoughts on what we’re doing,“ said John Bryan, president of the Arts Council. “We want to provide a platform for everyone.“ The community meetings will be:

WHAT’S HAPPENING The Junior Board of Sheltering Arms Rehabilitation Hospital hosted a coffee Dec. 19 at its Mechanicsville facility to introduce its slate of sponsors for the 2009 Bal du Bois, the annual fundraiser now beginning its 53rd season. Funds raised by the Bal support many of the hospital’s programs including acute care, inpatient, outpatient, and Partner for Life. It contributes to the purchase of state-of-the-art rehabilitation equipment and offers assistance to underinsured patients.

The Richmond Ballet is more than ready for its silver anniversary production of “The Nutcracker.“  This year, the company already has four performances under its tutu belt, having collaborated with the Virginia Ballet Theatre to present the seasonal tradition at Norfolk’s Chrysler Hall during the past weekend. SLIDESHOW: 25 Seasons of the Nutcracker