FM Scoop: The Giving Storm

Holiday Schedules, Toy Shop, Parker Solar Probe

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FM Scoop
December 19, 2024

Weather Forecast

Friday, December 20, 2024
☁️ 7°F | Cloudy | High: 7°F, Low: -8°F

Saturday, December 21, 2024
☁️ 19°F | Cloudy | High: 19°F, Low: 7°F

Sunday, December 22, 2024
☁️ 28°F | Cloudy | High: 28°F, Low: 11°F

Good afternoon, Fargo-Moorhead! Christmas is just around the corner, and this will be our last newsletter before the holiday. We’ll be taking next week off, so there won’t be a Tuesday or Thursday update. Until then, enjoy this weekend’s events and have a wonderful holiday season!

In today’s FM Scoop:

  • Holiday Schedule Scoop 🔔

  • A Holiday Gift to Fargo Families 🧸

  • Leap Toward the Sun 🚀

Let’s get the scoop started!

Scoops of the Day

City of Fargo Holiday Schedule Updates 🎄

The holidays will bring changes to city services:

  • Dec. 24: Garbage/recycling runs on schedule. MATBUS ends by 5:15 p.m., and libraries close at noon.

  • Dec. 25 & Jan. 1: No garbage/recycling; pickups move to the next day. MATBUS, libraries, and city offices closed.

  • Dec. 31: Garbage/recycling on schedule. Libraries close at 6 p.m.

Christmas tree collection begins Jan. 6, 2025. Police and fire services remain fully operational during the holidays. For more details, read the full article here.

Salvation Army Spreads Christmas Joy at Annual Toy Shop 🛍️

Hope Lutheran Church in Fargo hosted the Salvation Army's annual Christmas Toy Shop on December 16, bringing holiday cheer to 528 families. Nearly 1,200 gifts were distributed, with each child receiving a toy and stocking stuffer, and families gifted a book, game, or activity to enjoy together.

Parents shopped for toys free of charge, thanks to community donations collected throughout the year. Santa Claus made a special appearance to add to the festive spirit. For more details, read the full article here.

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Makes Historic Journey 🌞

On Christmas Eve, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will achieve a monumental milestone, passing within 3.8 million miles of the Sun—closer than any man-made object ever has. Traveling at a staggering 430,000 mph, the probe is breaking records while gathering critical data about our solar system’s center.

The mission aims to unlock secrets of the Sun’s outer atmosphere, including why it’s so hot and how particles reach nearly half the speed of light. Despite temperatures over one million degrees Fahrenheit, the probe’s heat shields will keep it at a comfortable room temperature. For more details, read the full article here.

The stories featured in FM Scoop are summaries of original content from local news sources. We provide these summaries to keep you informed and up-to-date with the latest happenings in the Fargo-Moorhead area. For the full articles, please follow the provided links.

Stories with ($) require a third-party subscription.

A Swirl of Events

(Concerts, Community Events, Local Markets, Etc.)

Friday

Home for the Holidays 🎶 - Celebrate the season with an extraordinary concert featuring a trio of musical legends: Peabo Bryson, Ruben Studdard, and Haley Reinhart. With a combined legacy of nine platinum and gold albums, 46 Billboard Top 25 singles, and eight #1 hits, these artists bring unmatched talent to Fargo.

Have Yourself a Funky Little Christmas 🎷 - Get ready to groove into the holiday spirit with Post-Traumatic Funk Syndrome’s Have Yourself a Funky Little Christmas! This 12-piece classic rock horn band will bring the best of Chicago, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, and more to the stage at the Sanctuary Events Center.

Family Movie Night 🎥 - Join us for a cozy family movie night in The Ivy Room! Watch The Grinch on a big screen projector, surrounded by a Christmas-themed atmosphere. Bring your pillows and blankets, sip on hot chocolate, and enjoy making memories with your loved ones.

Saturday

Santa's Snowfari 🎅 - Step into winter magic at Red River Zoo’s Santa’s Snowfari! Enjoy meeting Santa, writing letters to the North Pole, animal encounters, and watching animals unwrap their gifts. Warm up with s’mores by the fire, live carolers, story time, and tasty treats.

Winter Solstice Walk 🌕 - Celebrate the longest night of the year with the Winter Solstice Walk! The trail will glow from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., offering a festive evening with hot chocolate, glow-in-the-dark necklaces, and light-up headbands. Enjoy a peaceful stroll through the riverfront park, with plenty of cheer to brighten the night.

Donuts with Santa 🍩 - Get into the holiday spirit with Santa, donuts, and festive fun for the whole family! Join us at Sandy’s Donuts on December 21st for a meet-and-greet with Santa, a coloring competition, and delicious holiday donuts!

Pinball Tournament 🎮 - Join the Brewhalla End Of The Year Lucky 13 Matchplay! This is your chance to improve your ranking before the North Dakota State Tournament. Play 13 rounds of matchplay, with no cutoffs for final rounds, and compete for a share of the prize pool. Top 4 payout as usual, and a special payout for the winner of each 13th round group.

Hartford Street Brass 🎺 - Enjoy an afternoon of holiday favorites performed by the local brass quintet, Hartford Street Brass. Warm up with cookies and cocoa while soaking in the festive music.

Sing, Drink, & Be Ugly 🍻 - Get ready for a night of festive fun at Round Up Saloon! Join the holiday celebration with karaoke, drink specials, and an ugly sweater contest. Prizes await the winners of both contests, so bring your friends and get ready to party!

Friday | Saturday

A Very Die Hard Christmas (Friday - Saturday) 🎬 - Get ready for a musical parody of one of the greatest Christmas films of all time—because yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie! When terrorists take over a building in Los Angeles, only one man can save the day—a tired off-duty cop who just doesn’t like Christmas. This comedy is packed with action, 80s jokes, smooth soft rock hits, and snarky German terrorists, making it perfect for those who want their holiday entertainment with a twist. Catch the show at Stage West Studio!

Sunday

Custom Sundays 🌟 - Cap off your holiday shopping weekend with a fun doubleheader of Custom Christmas Ornaments! Join Jessica from Knask Designs to create personalized holiday keepsakes that make perfect gifts or decorations!

Friday | Saturday | Sunday

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Friday - Saturday - Sunday) 🎭 - Join Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the Peanuts gang as they discover the true meaning of Christmas in this live stage adaptation of the beloved animated classic. Featuring Vince Guaraldi’s iconic music, this heartwarming 35-minute show brings the holiday spirit to life with a talented all-youth cast. Catch the performance at Bonanzaville Event Center!

Weekend Light Shows ✨ - Get into the holiday spirit with extended light shows every weekend! Head over to Lights on Sixth Street for a dazzling display that’s completely free. Don’t forget to drop a note to say hello while you enjoy the festive glow!

FMBallet The Classic Nutcracker (Friday - Saturday - Sunday) 🩰 - Experience the magic of The Classic Nutcracker with FMBallet! This family-friendly performance features enchanting choreography, live orchestral music, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score. Whether it’s your first time or a holiday tradition, this whimsical show is sure to delight.

Holiday Soul Tour 🎤 - Catch the homecoming performance of The Blenders at the Fargo Theatre! After 31 years of touring, this iconic a cappella group returns to their roots to spread holiday cheer with their signature vocal harmonies. Don’t miss out on a night of festive music and memories!

Santa Village (Friday - Saturday - Sunday) ❄️ - Step into a winter wonderland at Santa Village at Rheault Farm! Visit Santa and Mrs. Claus in their cozy cottage, meet the reindeer, and enjoy festive crafts, cookies, and holiday cheer. Bring donations for families in need and make this holiday season even more special!

For all the details on these events, be sure to click the hyperlinked event titles.

Rest assured, nothing in this section is sponsored. We'll always be transparent and let you know when something is.

Toys and Triumph

Thousands of Toys Donated in First Responder Drive 🎁

The 2024 First Responder Toy and Food Drive collected an impressive 3,347 toys across North Dakota, along with countless nonperishable food items. Highlights include:

  • Williston: 1,065 toys

  • Bismarck: 920 toys

  • Mandan: 549 toys

  • Fargo: 520 toys

  • Jamestown: 293 toys

Cash donations were used to purchase additional toys, ensuring even more families could celebrate this holiday season. For more details, read the full article here.

The stories featured in FM Scoop are summaries of original content from local news sources. We provide these summaries to keep you informed and up-to-date with the latest happenings in the Fargo-Moorhead area. For the full articles, please follow the provided links.

The Evening Delights

(Trivia, Music, Bingo, Comedy, Etc.)

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

  • Bingo | The Piggy BBQ | 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

  • Bingo | Pepper’s Sports Cafe | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

  • Bingo | 701 eateries | 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

  • Erikoke | Fargo Elks | 9:00 pm - 1:00 am

For the latest updates and any last-minute changes, click the event links hyperlinked in the titles.

Rest assured, nothing in this section is sponsored. We'll always be transparent and let you know when something is.

Happy Holidays!

Thank you for catching up with us! We hope your holiday season is filled with joy, warmth, and plenty of festive fun. We’ll be taking a break next week, but we’ll be back with more scoops after the holidays. Until then, enjoy every moment and share the cheer with those around you!