Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre (PBDT), formerly known as the Media City Ballet Company, brings “A Holiday Nutcracker Festival” to the Alex Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 1. PBDT is kicking off the holiday season with an all day festival open to the public.

Sponsored in part by the Glendale Downtown Merchants Association, the festivities will include live music, both instrumental and choral, dancing and holiday character performances for the general public. Craft activities will be available for children and vendors will offer their holiday wares for gift giving. Nutcracker characters will offer a series of short dance classes for children who can then perform on stage and pose for pictures from 1 p.m. till 4 p.m.

The festival culminates with a professional performance at 7 p.m. that offers the best of the holiday tradition with a few extra twists to engage and delight audience members. The performance will include Les Patineurs (“The Skaters”) ballet originally choreographed by Frederick Ashton to music composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer and arranged by Constant Lambert. Disney’s Chris Trousdale will offer up a holiday tap jingle, and the leading artists of Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre will dance highlights from Tchaikovsky’s, “The Nutcracker.” A private VIP reception will be held inside the theatre prior to the show at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets prices range from $30 to $65. VIP packages start at $90 and include premium seating and a pre-performance reception.

Tickets are available at (818) 243-2539 alextheatre.com

The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale.

Please visit http://www.pacificballetdancetheatre.org/ for more information.