Sunday, Jan. 9
Book talk Author/comedian Joel Chasnoff reads from "The 188th Crybaby Brigade: A Skinny Jewish Kid from Chicago Fights Hezbollah," at 8 p.m. Jan. 9 at Beth Shalom Congregation, 8070 Harriett Tubman Lane in Columbia. Admission is $18. Information: 410-531-5115.
Concert "Sundays at Three" music series presents Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Jonathan Carney and pianist Lura Johnson playing sonatas by Beethoven, Prokofiev and Franck at Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia. Admission is $15, free for those younger than 18 accompanied by a paying adult. Information: 410-992-0145 or sundaysatthree.org.
Monday, Jan. 10
'The Gift of Art,' All-media, all-member show runs through Jan. 26 at Artists Gallery, American City Building, 10227 Wincopin Circle, Columbia. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays, closed Sundays. Information: 410-740-8249 or artistsgallerycolumbia.com.
Passport services The Passport Acceptance Facility at Howard County Library's East Columbia branch, 6600 Cradlerock Way, offers passports and passport photos from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Information: 410-313-7700.
Tuesday, Jan. 11
Concert The Saxony-Anhalt Brass Quintet performs at 7 p.m. at Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, 10689 Owen Brown Road in Columbia. Free. Information: 410-997-8770.
Howard County PFLAG Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays present the movie "Bullied" at its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. Meeting is free, confidential and open to the public. Information: 443-280-9047 or 443-545-9863.
Meeting Relay for Life of Western Howard County holds a kick-off meeting from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Glenwood Community Center, 2400 Route 97. Relay for Life is a non-competitive overnight walk-a-thon benefiting the American Cancer Society. Light refreshments will be served. Information: 410-781-4316 or relayforlife.org.
Wednesday, Jan. 12
School news The Howard County Board of Education meets with the County Council at 8:15 p.m. at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City. Information: 410-313-6680.
Thursday, Jan. 13
Board of Education The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City. Both the afternoon and evening session, which convenes at 7:30 p.m., begins with a public forum, when members of the public can address the board on any topic other than those for which a formal public hearing process exist. Information: 410-313-7194.
Friday, Jan. 14
'Sweeny Todd' Teaching Young Actors, the Drama Learning Center's Teen Professional Company, presents Stephen Sondheim's musical thriller Jan. 14-23 at 9130-I Red Branch Road, Columbia. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Jan. 14, 15, 20 and 22, and 2 p.m. Jan. 16 and 23. Tickets are $15 in advance, $16 at the door, $12 in advance for groups of 10 or more. Reservations and information: 410-997-9352.
Saturday, Jan. 15
Classical concert The Candlelight Concert Society presents the American String Quartet performing Beethoven at 8 p.m. at Howard Community College's Smith Theatre, Horowitz Performing Arts Center, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Group features violinists Peter Winograd, Laurie Carney, violist Daniel Avsholomov, and cellist Wolfram Koessel. Advance tickets are $29; $26 for seniors and $12 for students; $30, $28 and $12 at the door. Information: 410-997-2324 or candlelightconcerts.org.
Concert Hannah Spiro, Bob Reilly and Mosno perform in a free Music Matters showcase from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Mad City, 10801 Hickory Ridge Road in Columbia. Information: 301-953-1560.
Future
Ice skating The Columbia Association Teen Advisory Committee will host a skating social for Special Olympics athletes from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Jan. 17 at the Columbia Ice Rink, 5876 Thunder Hill Road. Free admission and skate rental. Information: 410-715-5523.
Classical piano concert The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia UU Chalice Concert Series presents "A 20th Anniversary Smorgasbord," featuring pianist Michael Adcock performing a program of piano selections from several centuries and traditions at 8 p.m. Jan. 22 at Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. Tickets are $20, $15 for students (ages 15-23), free for children younger than 5. Information: 410-381-0097 or go to uucolumbia.net/concerts.
Jazz concert The U.S. Army Jazz Ambassador performs at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 at Glenelg High School, 14025 Burntwood Road, Opening the show is the Glenelg Jazz Ensemble. Admission is free. Information: 410-313-5528.
Senior Olympics The Maryland Senior Olympics' Winter Games take place Feb. 12 at the Gardens Ice House in Laurel, 13800 Old Gunpowder Road. Featured sports will be ice hockey and curling. The games are open to all athletes age 50 and older. Registration fees are $30 per player for hockey and $10 per player for curling. Information: 240-777-8080.
Poetry and music The Howard County Poetry and Literature Society (HoCoPoLitSo), holds its 33rd annual "Evening of Irish Music and Poetry" with novelist Colm Toibin at 8 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Jim Rouse Theater, 5460 Trumpeter Road in Columbia. Tickets are $35. Tickets and information: 443-518-4568 or hocopolitso.org.
Announcements for the datebook may be sent by mail to The Baltimore Sun in Howard County, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore 21278; by e-mail to howard.events@baltsun.com; or by fax to 410-332-6455.