Coastal Ga. Weekend: Savannah, Coastal Events Jan. 10-13

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Velvet Caravan will play a benefit for Trinity United Methodist Church on Friday / Stroke of Good Fortune Gala on Facebook

The weekend brings plenty of music and other fun in Savannah. Anna Chandler of Savannah Magazine and Heather Henley of the Savannah Morning News have some suggestions.Anna and Heather talk weekend events.

Heather's picks:

• Enjoy an evening of music as the Arts at Messiah presents Mauro Bertoli. The award-winning classical pianist will play a program of Paradisi, Mendelssohn, Gershwin and more at Messiah Lutheran Church on Skidaway Island, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday; free, donations accepted.
• Have a jazzy evening at Trinity United Methodist Church's Stroke of Good Fortune Gala. Velvet Caravan will play this benefit for the church's ongoing restoration, which also includes a silent auction. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Friday; $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
• Spend the day on Tybee at the annual Tybee MLK Parade and Human Rights Celebration. The event also includes the awarding of the TybeeDreamer Humanitarian Award. The festivities run from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday; free.

Anna's picks:

• Take in some world-class ballet when the National Ballet Theatre of Odessa brings Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake to the civic center. The classic ballet tells the story of a princess transformed into a swan by an evil sorcerer. See it at 7:30 p.m. Friday; $30-60.
• Explore some of Savannah's beautiful churches at the Veritas Academy Tour of Churches. Local architects and architectural historians will lead this guided tour of five churches, all dating to the nineteenth century from three to 5:30 p.m. Saturday; $40.
• Check out a special new coffee shop opening on Congress Street. Bitty and Beau's Coffee employs people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. It will open with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Saturday.
• See a classic on the big screen at the Lucas Theatre's latest Musical Matinee: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell star in the 1953 film, which features Monroe's rendition of "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." Catch the show at 3 p.m. Sunday; $8 general admission, $5 students, seniors, military.
• Don't miss your chance to see a legend: Diana Ross is performing at the civic center. The iconic performer has turned out countless Motown and disco hits and is sure to dazzle the audience, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sunday; $46.50-116.50.