What's On
Until Jan 2 - Aladdin, Civic Theatre, Chelmsford. 01245 606505.

Until Jan 13 - Jack and the Beanstalk, Mercury Theatre, Colchester. 01206 573948.

Until Jan 20 - Mystery of the Blood Beast Horror of Wolfbane Manor Mystery, Sir John Mills Theatre, Ipswich. 01473 211498.

Until Jan 27 - Dick Whittington, New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. 01473 295900.

Monday - A Winter's Tale, Maldon Town Hall. 01621 841491.

Tuesday - Jaik Campbell, plus Comedy Hat stand-up competition, Ha! Ha! Bar, Colchester.

Tuesday until Friday - Clacton Winter Special, West Cliff Theatre, Clacton. 01255 433344.

Wednesday - Colchester Castle Free Christmas Open Evening, 4pm to 8.30pm.

Wednesday - Great Bentley Christmas Farmers' Market, village hall, 2pm to 4pm.

Wednesday - Colchester Film Society: Manhatten, Headgate Theatre, Colchester. 01206 366000.

Wednesday until Sunday - Robin Hood on Ice, Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre, Chelmsford. 01245 615089.

Wednesday until Jan 6 - The Man In The Moon, New Wolsey Studio Theatre, Ipswich, 11am and 2pm. 01473 295900.

Thursday - Ennio Marchetto, Colchester Arts Centre. 01206 500900.

Thursday - Victorian Christmas evening, High Street, Maldon, 7pm.

Thursday - RSPB Lectures: Little Egrets in the UK, Shrub End community hall, Colchester.

Thursday - CTC, Sustrans and Colchester Cycling Campaign Christmas meeting, Classics Bar, Leisure World, 6.30pm to 8pm.

Friday - Martin Davies, Shazia Mirza and Brendon Burns, Colchester Arts Centre. 01206 500900.

Friday until Monday - Christmas Tree Festival, St Mary and St Michael Church, Mistley.

Friday until Jan 7 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Ipswich Regent. 01473 433100.

Saturday - Carnival Child, Colchester Arts Centre, 2pm. 01206 500900.

Saturday - Marcus Brigstocke, Colchester Arts Centre. 01206 500900.

Saturday - Miss High Leg Kick and Boogaloo Stu's Cabaret Extravaganza, Colchester Arts Centre, 11.30pm. 01206 500900.

Saturday - Wivenhoe Farmers' Market, William Loveless Hall, 9am to 1pm.

Saturday and Sunday - Days out with Santa and Thomas, East Anglian Railway Museum, Chappel. 01206 242524.

Saturday until Jan 1 - Cinderella, Quay Theatre, Sudbury. 01787 374745.

Sunday - Colchester and District Canine Society, Dog Show, Charter Hall, Colchester. 01206 282020.

Sunday - Santa Hunt, Cressing Temple Barns, 1pm to 4pm. 01376 584903.

Live Music
Monday - St Agnes Fountain, Colchester Arts Centre. 01206 500900.

Monday - Rotary Christmas carol service, Walton Parish Church.

Tuesday - Jolene and Barry, Stanway Rovers Football Club, New Farm Road, Colchester.

Tuesday - Larry Berkovitz and Rowan Ward, Pizza Express, Colchester.

Wednesday - Tango Siempre, Colchester Arts Centre. 01206 500900.

Wednesday - Firewire and Century 21, Colchester Institute.

Wednesday - Environ Music Class, Cramphorn Theatre, Chelmsford, 1pm.

Thursday - Opus IV clarinet ensemble. Maldon URC, Market Hill, Maldon, 1pm.

Thursday - The Lewis Wright Quartet, Electric Palace, Harwich. 01255 553333.

Friday - Christmas Concert with the Colchester Band and the Colchester Training Band, Headgate Theatre, Colchester. 01206 366000.

Friday - Women's Institute group festival of carols, St Osyth Parish Church.

Friday - Rainbow Bridge, The Brewers Arms, Colchester.

Friday - The Mighty Resonators, Wig and Pen, Colchester.

Friday - Anorak, Jazz at the Fleece, Boxford. 01787 211865.

Friday - Struck It Rich, Delphi Club, Newton Road, Sudbury.

Saturday - Lisa Fitzgibbon and friends, AcoustiCity, Headgate Theatre, Colchester. 01206 366000.

Saturday - The West Bergholt Concert Band Christmas Concert , St Mary the Virgin Church, West Bergholt.

Saturday - Robert Wolfe Christmas concert, West Cliff Theatre, Clacton. 01255 433344.

Saturday - Muscles and Curves, Brightlingsea community centre.

Saturday - Freebird, The Woodman, Halstead. 01787 476218.

Saturday - Tendring Caprice Orchestra and the Grange Co-operative Singers, Kingsway Hall, Dovercourt.

Saturday - Aquilo, Frinton parish church.

Saturday - East Coast Blues Stars, Molly Malones, Colchester.

Saturday - Bad Habits, The Rifleman, Braintree.

Saturday - The Mighty Resonators, The Waggon, Wix.

Sunday - Roger Marks Armada Jazz Band, Colchester Jazz Club, New Farm Road, Stanway.

Sunday - Clacton Co-operative Band Christmas concert, Princes Theatre, Clacton, 3pm.