The thermometer is not providing much of a clue, but the holiday season has arrived. The past week saw the opening of the Museum of Arts and Sciences’ “Festival of Trees” events, and in just more than 20 days the annual production of “The Nutcracker” will open at the Grand Opera House.

But while the Christmas festivities are underway, there are plenty of non-holiday events to pleasure us between now and Thanksgiving.

Theater weekend

The Backlot Players’ production of “The Diary of Ann Frank” is now playing at the Rose Theatre in Forsyth, and as we emerge from a contentious political season, it is a fine way to bring gratitude to the Thanksgiving table, whether it holds a turkey or a Tofurky.

Also recently opened is the Mercer University production of Lee Blessing’s “Independence,” and at the Douglass Theatre for one night only is “Make Time for Love.”

Also this weekend, the Middle Georgia Art Association will open “Barns, Bridges & Birdhouses,” featuring special exhibits by Gilbert Lee and Justin Goodrich.

Note that the Mercer Wind Ensemble, featuring Monty Cole and Kelly Via will be at the Grand Opera House on Friday night, while on Sunday the Mercer Women’s Choir will be presenting “Thanksgiving Song” in Fickling Hall at 3 p.m. and Grammy-nominated folk musician John McCutcheon is appearing in the Music and the Arts series at Vineville United Methodist Church.

Good news to share

If you saw the front page of Saturday’s Telegraph, you know that a grant from the Woodruff Foundation will enable Mercer’s McDuffie Center for Strings to occupy the historic Bell House on College Street, and if you saw the previous day’s paper, you know that Mercer’s “Christmas at the Grand” is slated to be recorded for broadcast on national television.

You also know that in spite of all the wonderful things going on here week after week, our present bounty is unheard of by the rest of the state. Case in point: the midstate was totally ignored by the Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities.

If our community is to grow, the combined Macon/Bibb County government desperately needs an office devoted to telling the world -- at least the Southeast -- that this is a wonderful place. Our light has been kept under the proverbial bushel for far too long.

Contact Larry Fennelly at LarryFennelly@AvantGuild.com.