THE BLADE: TOLEDO, ■ MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014 toledoBlade .com SECTION A, PAGE 7 HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN SHOPPING 17 DAYS LEFT WHAT TO BUY LIVE ENTERTAINMENT he ticket to being the hit gift giver this holiday season may just come in Tthe form of a ticket. We may have just the ticket to complete your holiday shopping list — tickets to the best events around. The Toledo area and re- gion offer a variety of entertainment at some outstanding venues. Whether the recipient of your present is a sports nut, a thrill seeker, a concert-goer, or fan of the theater, a ticket to see the event in person is the perfect gift. Lottery tickets also are a sure way to build anticipation — and hopefully more cele- bration. A stocking stuffed with tickets is sure to spark a smile. — MARK MONROE BLADE STAFF WRITER

The Old Road Dinner Train This unique ticket may appeal to those who are the most difficult to buy for. Lo- cated in Blissfield, Mich., the train travels on a segment of the original Erie & Kalamazoo Rail- road Line along the rich farmland of southeast- ern Michigan. A special New Year’s Eve trip will run from 7:30 to 10:30. There are alsoMurder Valentine Theatre Mystery Dinner Train trips every Saturday This beautiful downtown ven- from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets start at $45.95 (group ue will feature a ballet of Sleeping rate). For more information, go to murdermys- Beauty (Jan. 8) and a family concert per- terytrain.com. formance from the Toledo Symphony Or- chestra (Jan. 11). A children’s play called Harold and the Purple Crayon will be held on Jan. 25. Gift certificates for tickets of any amount are available at valentineth- eatre.com. Cost: $14 to $58.

Movie tickets With so much time being spent indoors during the winter months, these are perfect for a good Walleye Winterfest time in front of the big screen. The Cinemark Theatres movie chain has locations at Franklin Land the hottest tickets to the Park Mall in Toledo, Levis Commons in Perrysburg, Fallen Timbers in Maumee, and Woodland Mall in coolest event in town. TheWin - Bowling Green. The movie chain offers holiday-themed cards for tickets that you can design yourself terfest is a 10-day extravaganza with a personal message and even send electronically. The buyer can determine the amount of the of hockey festivities in downtown card. Go to movietickets.com. Toledo. The baseball diamond at Fifth Third Field will be converted into an ice rink. Tickets for two out- door Walleye games — the first in Stranahan Theater ECHL history — on Dec. 27 and Jan. To get out of the winter 3 range from $25 to $35. The event, doldrums, go inside this which will be held from Dec. 26 to Lottery tickets theater in South Toledo to see a Jan. 4, will include a community The perfect stocking stuffer is a scratch-off variety of shows early next year. open skate, a college game featur- lottery ticket. For as little as $2 you can give The early 2015 schedule in- ing Bowling Green State University anyone on your list the chance of winning big bucks. cludes the musical Beauty and on Jan. 3, high school, and youth Or give them the hope of hitting the ultimate jackpot the Beast ($43 to $88). Come- hockey games. Open skate is $7 for with tickets to the Ohio Lottery’s Mega Millions and dian Lewis Black is in town for a one-hour session. Tickets for the Powerball drawing games. The Ohio Lottery is featur- standup show Jan. 11 ($39.50 BGSU game are $15. For more info ing a special holiday New Year’s Raffle. The$20 per to $49.50). For a complete 2015 go to toledowalleye.com/ ticket drawing will be held Jan. 2, and the prize fund is Stranahan schedule and ticket winterfest. $5 million with a top prize of $1 million. Only 500,000 info, go to Stranahantheater. tickets will be sold. Tickets can be purchased at more org. than 9,000 sanctioned Ohio lottery retailers, includ- ing more than 400 in Lucas County. Game info can be found at ohiolottery.com.

UT, BGSU men’s and women’s basketball games If basketball is a favorite past time, tickets to some great college games might be the ticket this holiday season. Single game plans and packages are available for the Univer- sity of Toledo and Bowling Green State University men’s and women’s basketball games. The Rockets offer an$80 ultimate fan plan (includes tickets, food, parking, and fangear), season ticket package (starting at $180), premium seating (starting at $75), and individual tickets ($4 for youths up to $12). The Falcons offer season tickets (starting at$133 ) and individual tickets ($10 for youths up to $25). For a full schedule and ticket info go to utrockets.com or bgsufal- cons.com.

Cedar Point Give your recipient something to scream about. Ward off Concert tickets the chill of winter with thoughts of roaring down the first Country music fans will love to get a ticket to see Flor- Michigan International Speedway hill of a roller coaster on a warm summer night. Gift cards for tick- ida Georgia Line at Huntington Center on Jan. 15. The group’s hit song “Cruise” has sold more than 6.3 million down- The auto racing enthusiast on your list is sure to warm ets to the Sandusky thrill park can be purchased at cedarpoint. loads. Tickets range from to for VIP packages. The 35th up with tickets to the two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rac- com. Special holiday-themed gift cards for season passes are $45 $295 annual will take place in Fort Loramie, Ohio, es in June and August. TheQuicken Loans 400 will be held on $120. A holiday bundle includes park admission on any one day Country Concert June 14 and the Pure Michigan 400, the series finale, will be during the 2015 season, but it also includes a meal and parking on July 9-11. Special holiday-themed tickets ($79 to $586) can be purchased at . The Huntington Center held on Aug. 16. Special ticket packages include a family four for $61. Single-day tickets are $39.99 and can be used any day of countryconcert.com pack ($99 to $119), an MIS experience with prerace access to the year and can be printed online. For more information, go to also will host legendary rocker Bob Seger and his Silver Bullet Band on Jan. 20 for a stop on his “Ride Out” tour. Tickets are pit row ($130), and a camping getaway ($299). Gift certificates cedarpoint.com. $75 for individual tickets also can be purchased in increments of to $100. For more information, go to ticketmaster.com. $25. For more information, go to mispeedway.com. Prices and availablity subject to change.