Prince William County community events, Dec. 10-17, 2009

Thursday 10

MULTIMEDIA ART EXHIBIT, works by Lu Wyer Harris and watercolors by Catherine Hillis. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 1-5 p.m. Saturday, through Dec. 17, Center for the Arts, Caton Merchant Family Art Gallery, 9419 Battle St., Manassas. Free. 703-330-2787 or http://www.center-for-the-arts.org.

VIRGINIA WOMEN IN HISTORY EXHIBIT, the Library of Virginia traveling exhibit honors eight women with an integral role in Virginia history, including Claudia Emerson, Mary Randolph, Caroline Bradby Cook and Mary Sue Terry. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, through Dec. 19, Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William St., Manassas. $5; seniors and students, $4; age 6 and younger, free. 703-368-1873.

"FEEL THE RHYTHM" EXHIBIT, watercolors by Alice Long. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays, through Jan. 3, ArtBeat Gallery, 9407 Main St., Manassas. Free. 703-365-8558 or http://www.artbeatgallery.org.

"RED SHOES WITH ATTITUDE," paintings by Denise Shamoun Phalan. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. Sundays, through Jan. 3, Loft Gallery, 313 Mill St., Occoquan. Free. 703-490-1117 or http://www.loftgallery.org.

SPANISH CHAT, practice conversational Spanish with others. Noon-2 p.m., Central Community Library, 8601 Mathis Ave., Manassas. Free. 703-361-8211.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DISCUSSION GROUP, an opportunity for speakers of any language to practice their English. Participants can bring a bag lunch. 12:30 p.m., Potomac Community Library, 2201 Opitz Blvd., Woodbridge. Free. 703-494-8126.

"A MADRIGAL FEASTE," Osbourn Park High School presents costumed madrigal singers and theatrics with dessert Thursday and a four-course Renaissance-style banquet Friday and Saturday. 6:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas. Thursday, $12; Friday and Saturday, $28; reservations required. 703-365-6500, http://www.ophschoralboosters.com or hermansb@pwcs.edu.

INTERNATIONAL DEGREE SEMINAR, representatives from Northern Virginia Community College and World Education Services discuss how foreign degrees or professional credentials can be recognized in the United States. 6:30 p.m., Northern Virginia Community College, 6901 Sudley Rd., Manassas. Free, registration required. 703-257-6536 or acl@nvcc.edu.

AFRICAN AMERICAN BOOK GROUP, discussion of "Blair Underwood Presents: In the Night of the Heat," by Blair Underwood, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes. 7 p.m., Potomac Community Library, 2201 Opitz Blvd., Woodbridge. Free. 703-494-8126.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOOK CLUB, discussion of Sharon M. Draper's "Copper Sun," led by Parkside Middle School teacher Paulette Garner. 7 p.m., Central Community Library, 8601 Mathis Ave., Manassas. Free. 703-361-8211.

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL, Woodbridge club. 7:30 p.m., Ebenezer Baptist Church, 13020 Telegraph Rd., Woodbridge. $39 membership fee. 703-731-2120.

Friday 11

CHRISTMAS AT LIBERIA PLANTATION, see how Christmas was celebrated at the 1825 Liberia Plantation, where Confederate and Union forces had their headquarters during the Civil War. Buses transport visitors from Manassas Museum to Liberia Plantation each half-hour. 5:30-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William St. $20; in advance, $15; 15 and younger, $10. 703-368-1873 or http://www.manassasmuseum.org.