Caroling and luminarias | Weekend Preview

Around town

Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition: caroling competition by 40 teams, award ceremony, 6:15-8:30 p.m.; benefits Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank, 5 p.m. Friday, Westlake Park, 401 Pine St., Seattle; free (www.pikemarketseniorcenter.org/figgy-pudding).

Volunteer Park Conservatory Holiday Celebration: Opening celebration of seasonal display of poinsettias, holiday train, 5-8 p.m. Friday; Santa visits, noon-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, Volunteer Park Conservatory, 1400 E. Galer St., inside Volunteer Park, Seattle; free, donations suggested (206-322-4112 or www.volunteerparkconservatory.org).

Green Lake Pathway of Lights: 2.8 mile path around the lake lit by luminaria, musicians, treats at four locations along the path, 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Green Lake Park, 7201 E. Green Lake Drive N., Seattle; free (facebook.com/GreenLakePathwayofLights).

At the movies

“Playing for Keeps”: Gerard Butler stars as a former sports star who begins coaching his son’s soccer team in this new comedy. It opens Friday at several theaters.

“The Comedy”: Comedian Tim Heidecker stars in this indie comedy that opens Friday at the SIFF Cinema at the Film Center.

“North Sea Texas”: A Dutch-Belgian drama about a lonely teenager (Jelle Florizoone) growing up at a sea resort opens Friday at the Harvard Exit.

“Mekong Hotel”: This new drama from director Apichatpong Weerasethakul looks at a guesthouse on the river dividing Thailand from Laos. It opens Friday at the Northwest Film Forum.

“Lay the Favorite”: Rebecca Hall stars in this comedy from Stephen Frears (“The Queen,” “Dangerous Liaisons”) about a small-town stripper turned gambling prodigy. It opens Friday at the Sundance Cinemas.

“Back to 1942”: This historical drama about famine in China’s Henan province during the war against Japan opens Friday at the Pacific Place.

For more fun this weekend, see Friday’s Weekend Plus. For advance planning, see Sunday’s NW Traveler.