A reading and signing for Dewey: There's A Cat In The Library by Vicki Myron will be held at two different locations: 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at Barnes & Noble, 4400 Sergeant Road, and 1 p.m. Dec. 5 at Book People, 2923 Hamilton Blvd.

This heartwarming adventure is told from Dewey's point of view as he journeys from abandoned kitten in the library book drop slot to most famous library cat in the world. In the end, Dewey discovers that his mission is to help people big and small by sharing his special brand of feline love with the town of Spencer, Iowa, and beyond.

During his lifetime, Dewey appeared in dozens of national magazines and hundreds of newspapers. He was the spokes-cat for a year-long national library campaign and the subject of a popular documentary in Japan. When Dewey died in 2006, his obituary appeared in over 250 newspapers, including USA Today and the New York Times.

North High School presents Sioux City's longest running 29th annual Renaissance evening, complete with candlelight, costumes, minstrels and thespians. The North Star Chorale who will sing literature from several genres of music.

The evenings are Dec. 8, 10, and 11 at the Sioux City Convention Center. Seating will begin at 6 p.m. and the program will start at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $23 for adults and $16 for students with a student ID. Reservations may be made by calling 239-7020 or by filling out a reservation form at North High School and mailing to: Madrigal Dinner, North High School Choral Dept., 4200 Cheyenne Blvd., Sioux City, IA 51104. Seating is by reservation only.

MAURICE, Iowa -- The senior high youth group of Maurice First Reformed Church will host its 17th annual Traveling Nativity from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 12-13 at the First Reformed Church.

A freewill donation will be accepted and go toward the high school youth's summer missions trip.

Choralation of Siouxland presents "Christmas Splendor," under the direction of Janet Fredricksen at 2 p.m. Dec. 6 at the South Sioux City Middle School Theater. 3625 G St.

The group has been performing for audiences for over 31 years and consists of Siouxland talent. Patty Boyle is the group's accompanist. There is no admission charge, but a free-will offering is suggested, of which a portion will be donated to the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. Refreshments will be served following the performance.

ORANGE CITY, Iowa -- Northwestern College's music department will present its annual Christmas Vespers services at 7 p.m. Dec. 5, and 3 p.m. Dec. 6.

Members of the A cappella Choir, Women's Choir, Heritage Singers, Chamber Orchestra, and brass and chimes ensembles will perform a variety of carols. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend.

The concert, entitled "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols," follows the pattern of the traditional service at King's College Chapel in Cambridge, England. Nine Scripture lessons are interwoven with the musical selections.

The Morningside College Jazz Band will have a concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Morningside College in Buck's snack bar in the lower level of the Olsen Student Center, 3609 Peters Ave. This event is free and open to the public. Buck's will be open for food and drinks.

The Morningside Jazz Band will be performing Christmas jazz arrangements in addition to traditional jazz music. Katie Rasmussen of Jefferson, Iowa and Nolley Vereen of Sioux City will perform vocals for this event.

SPENCER, Iowa -- Singer/songwriter Chad Elliott will perform live at the Clay County Regional Events Center Nov. 28. A dinner will be catered before the show beginning at 6 p.m. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Jesse Dagel will perform an opening act before Elliott takes the stage.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster as well as through the Clay County Regional Events Center at spencerevents.com. Ticket price for dinner and the concert is $35. Tickets for just the concert are $15.

VERMILLION, S.D. -- Three University of South Dakota students will present their bachelor of fine arts graduation exhibition "Enclosed & Exposed" Nov. 30 through Dec. 4 at the John A. Day Gallery in the Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts. The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The exhibit features works by Katherine Case of Sioux City, Madison Zimmermann of Rapid City, S.D., and Susanne Green from Gauting, Germany.

The Morningside College Art Club will be hosting an art sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 1-2 in the Olsen Student Center lobby, 3609 Peters Ave. This event is open to the public.

The show features original student and faculty artwork in various mediums offered for sale to the public. Paintings, jewelry, drawings, photographs, ceramics and other mixed media will be up for sale. Proceeds from the art show and sale will help support Morningside Art Club events and activities.

Briar Cliff University's Department of Music will present the fourth annual "Cocoa and Carols" at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 on stage in the Stark Student Center on campus. This free evening of holiday entertainment is open to the public.

"Cocoa and Carols" will feature the Briar Cliff Chamber Singers performing The Reluctant Dragon by David Grant and John Rutter. Dr. Sean Burton, assistant professor of music, and Dr. Mary Day, OSF, chairperson and associate professor of music, will co-direct the performance with staging by Diana Wooley of Lamb Productions, Sioux City.

The cast includes the "Dragon" played by Christopher Hanson; "Saint George" by Jon Konz; the "Narrator" by Bert Bucher; the Master of Ceremonies by Alex Hoefling; and the "Boy" by Lina Luangrath.

Robert Gibson, Briar Cliff Jazz Ensemble's director, will lead the Ensemble in a performance of Christmas favorites and standard jazz tunes by Bob Mintzer, Cole Porter and Lalo Schifrin. For more information, call (712) 279-5567.

The Gallery will kick off the holiday season with a Christmas open house from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 5 including a "Meet the Artists Social" from 2 to 5 p.m.

The public is invited to attend, meet the artists and view the new art exhibits.

The Gallery is a coop of 17 area artists who present in many mediums from paintings to pottery, photography, wood carvings, jewelry and glass work.

The Gallery is a division of Siouxland Artists, Inc. and located in the Clarion Hotel atrium on the corner of Fourth and Jackson Sts. Business hours are Thursday and Friday: 2 to 6 p.m., and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For further information, contact Kathy Audus at (712) 266-0933 or visit www.siouxlandartists.com

The Institute for Lifelong Learning will host a holiday party and concert from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Dec. 3 as part of its Coffee and Conversation series. The event will take place in the Corporate College building, old cafeteria, Room B138 on the campus of Western Iowa Tech Community College.

Jean Busker, WITCC assistant division chair for performing arts, will direct the choir. Lifelong Learning membership is not required, but reservations are requested for a food count, by calling 274-6404.

VERMILLION, S.D. -- The University of South Dakota will host a collection of Alejandro Rosales Lugo's most recent works, "Sur," from Dec. 1 through Dec. 10 in Gallery 110 at the Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts. The gallery is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lugo, of Victoria, Mexico, studied the art of painting in his hometown, and subsequently he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, Italy between the years of 1978-1980. Since 1976, Lugo has presented professionally in galleries and museums in Mexico, the United States and Italy.