All 525 Students in grades K-5 at Brook Knoll Elementary School in Scotts Valley this week joined their counterparts at Vine Hill Elementary and millions of other students across the world to participate in "The Hour of Code."

Scotts Valley officially kicks off its holiday season on Saturday, Dec. 3 with its biggest Christmas Tree Lighting Festival ever.Co-sponsored by the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce and Gateway Bible Church, the event at the Scotts Valley Community Center will feature carriage rides by Clydesdale horses, two entertainment stages, dancers, food, students singing Christmas carols and live bands.As he did in Felton last weekend, Santa will arrive on a firetruck, with plenty of photo opportunities.      The event is from 4 to 7 p.m., and the tree lighting is expected to occur about 6 p.m.

Tree-lighting ceremonies will be held at 5 p.m. tonight, Nov.25. in Boulder Creek, tomorrow, Nov. 26, in Felton, and Dec. 3 in Scotts Valley.

Mornings are easier for hundreds of parents and their school-age children in Boulder Creek.

Mountain Community Theater in Ben Lomond presents the acclaimed play Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz, directed by Peter Gelblum on stage at Ben Lomond’s Park Hall.

Jan Nelson

The Valley Women’s Club and the Monterey Bay Air Resources District again joined this year in honoring young artists in the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, grades K-12.