Artie Gras is the weekly outdoor artist bazaar in the Quaker Steak & Lube parking lot in

Artie Gras is the weekly outdoor artist bazaar in the Quaker Steak & Lube parking lot in downtown Sharon. It’s held during the warm months but will return 5-10 p.m. Thursday for a special Christmas Artie Gras. Artists and artisans from Pennsylvania and Ohio will be on hand to sell their handmade art and antiques.

B.E. Taylor was a pillar of Pittsburgh’s rock scene a couple of decades ago, but these days he’s known for his Christmas concerts. The Youngstown area will finally get a glimpse of what the fuss is about when Taylor comes to Victory Christian Center, 3899 McCartney Road, Coitsville, at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Call (330) 536-2280. Story, D8

jNorth Carolina’s excellent Holy Ghost Tent Revival returns to Cedars Lounge in Youngstown Friday night. Musically, HGTR blends Appalachian bluegrass, folk, New Orleans jazz, even Barbershop, in crafting up-tempo songs that demonstrate its sense of showmanship. The coolest band from another time and place. Show starts at 10 p.m. with opening act And the Money Notes. Cedars is at 23 N. Hazel St.

Christmas shows abound on area stages. Here’s a sampling:

“A Christmas Carol,” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Salem Community Theatre, 490 E. State St., Salem; (330) 332-9688.

“Believe: White Christmas,” by Move Over Broadway Productions, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday, at St. Michael Church, Route 46 Canfield; (330) 533-3181.

“How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas,” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Oakland Center for the Arts, 220 W. Boardman St., Youngstown; (330) 746-0404. Story, D7

“In the Spirit of the Season,” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday, Main Street Theater, 5 N. Main St., Columbiana; (330) 482-9647. Story, D9

“Nativity,” by Top Hat Productions, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, at Fairview Arts and Outreach Center, 4220 Youngstown-Poland Road, Youngstown; (800) 838-3006.

Former boxing champion and Youngstown native Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini will return to L’Uva Bella Winery at 5 p.m. Saturday to sign bottles of his Southpaw wine, along with T-shirts and baseball caps. L’Uva Bella is at 6597 Center Road (Route 224), Lowellville; call (330) 536-6450.

The Downtown Youngstown Christmas Parade used to draw tens of thousands of spectators, but it petered out when the city’s fortunes fell and was a thing of the past by the early 1990s. That changes Saturday, when the parade is resurrected. It steps off Andrews Avenue about 3 p.m. and goes down East Federal Street before ending on the city’s Central Square. The city’s Christmas tree on Central Square will be lit about 4:30 p.m. to culminate the day.

Tajci was a pop star in Europe before she was 20 years old but left her war-torn homeland of Croatia in the early ’90s for America, where she was an unknown. These days, Tajci brings her Christmas show, a storytelling event of the Nativity, to churches and other venues. She’ll be at Sts. Peter and Paul church, 421 Covington St., Youngstown, at 1 p.m. Sunday. Story, D12k

The Butler Institute of American Art will have its annual holiday arts and crafts show this weekend. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The museum is at 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown. Call (330) 743-1107.

Riverdance is coming to Powers Auditorium in Youngstown on Feb. 23-25. Tickets range from $35 to $55 (plus fees) and go on sale at 9 a.m. Monday at the Powers box office, by phone at (330) 744-0264 and online at youngstownsymphonysociety.com.

The touring company bringing Broadway smash “Wicked” to Cleveland this week will host Wicked Rocks, a night of rock music, at the Hanna Theatre. The event will feature cast and crew members of the company in performances of classic-rock songs. The net proceeds of this event will benefit the Brian Werbel Memorial Fund. Call the box office at (216) 241-6000 for more information. “Wicked” will be at the State Theatre through Dec. 13.