Connecticut Travel

This year marks the 30th Anniversary Holiday House Tour which has become a highly anticipated December tradition for many visitors and residents alike. This year’s holiday house tour is taking place on December 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature six historic houses all built before 1850, in addition to the Adams Academy, Westport’s first school. All the homes and the school will be festooned with festive seasonal décor.

To recognize this special 30th anniversary, each home was carefully selected for its architectural merit and interesting stories. Each house has been preserved to retain its period style facing the street, while the backs have been ” blown out” to create kitchens and living spaces that modern families require. Careful attention has also been paid to preserving and recreating authentic dry stack stonewalls.

Some highlights include:
• A major museum-quality restoration of a c. 1760 house in the Kings Highway North Historic District. Its owner will provide fascinating insights into its history and the restoration process.
• A house noted for its seven hearths all of which will be ablaze on the tour day and features a mystery mural in the stairway.
• The former residence of H. Daniel Webster who designed the Minuteman Monument at Compo; an expanded renovation that includes a tavern room;
• The circa 1700 John Platt House documented as one of the oldest houses in Westport
• The Adams Academy, Westport’s one-room schoolhouse.
• A home featured on this tour 25 years ago that is proposed to be part of the newly designated National Register Historic District on Bridge Street. Let’s see if anyone recalls it from that tour!

The Soiree will be held at the beautiful Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum, in Norwalk on Saturday, December 3, from 6 pm -9 pm. On view will be six beautiful homes on the house tour plus the Adams Academy, Westport’s first one- room schoolhouse!

For ticket information visit http://westporthistory.org. To sign up for our monthly newsletter go to www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Three museums in Bristol have teamed up to offer a unique way to celebrate the holidays this year with the first ever “progressive dinner on Friday, December 9 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The evening begins at at 5:30 p.m. with playful hors d’oeuvres served at the Imagine Nation located on One Pleasant Street. The Imagination Nation Museum is dedicated to inspire young children and families to investigate tangible, interactive learning experiences.

The next stop is the Carousel Museum for a buffet dinner with all the trappings in the Museum’s elegant ballroom replete with chandeliers and twinle lights. Guests will enjoy dining amid carousel horses that are on display here amid festive holiday decorations. The Carousel Museum is located in a beautifully renovated hosiery factory that dates to 1837 and houses one of the largest collections of antique carousel horses in the U.S. The Carousel Museum is located on 95 Riverside Avenue.

The evening will “wind-up” at the American Clock and Watch Museum located on 100 Maple Street. Guests will be in for a sweet time while enjoying coffee and dessert. This museum is one of the few museum’s in the country dedicated solely to horology which is the history, science and art of timekeeping and timekeepers.

At each location, guests will enjoy drinks and music while viewing the museums galleries. Tickets are $50 per person and proceeds from this event will benefit the educational programming of the three museums.

Tickets are available to purchase at all three museums and reservations are needed by December 5, 2016 to hold your place. Call 860-585-5411 to make your reservation. Or purchase tickets online.

Ridgefield’s Christmas Luncheons and Holiday Boutique at the historic Keeler Tavern Museum have become a holiday tradition. Keeler Tavern is located in the heart of Ridgefield on 132 Main Street.

Guests dine in the festively decorated Garden House overlooking the brick walled Garden designed by American architect Cass Gilbert which is lovely, even in December and especially with a dusting of light snow. The luncheons will be held this year from Tuesday, December 6th to Saturday, December 10th.

There will be two seating’s each day at 11:30 AM and 1:15 PM. The cost will be $25 per person by prepaid reservation. Guests will be invited to visit the seasonally decorated rooms of the Tavern Building.

If making a reservation for more than one person, please list the names of other members of your group. Reservations and payment may be made securely on line at keelertavernmuseum.org or by calling the Museum and paying by charge card or by mailing a check directly to the Keeler Tavern Museum. For further information or the menu to be served call the Museum at 203-438-5485.

Holiday Boutique

The Holiday Boutique in the Gilbert Dining Room and Museum Gift Shop will be overflowing with gifts for everyone and every occasion. A new selection of Christmas ornaments, unique decorations of the season, gifts for children and adults will fill the area. These unusual gifts will make filling your gift giving needs easy. The gift shop will be open from 10:30 AM to 4 PM November 28 through December 21, 2016. In addition it will be open Sunday, December 9th from 1 PM – 4 PM. During these days, talented crafters will bring products that will enrich the variety of gifts available. And, don’t forget to buy a gift for yourself.

For a monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County www.litchfieldhills.com

The holidays will crank into full gear at the 8th Annual Greenwich Holiday Stroll Weekend presented by Whole Foods Market with fun for the entire family onSaturday, December 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, December 4 from noon to 5p.m. This highly anticipated event will feature a live Nativity, horse drawn carriage rides, professional ice sculpture demos, music and entertainment, children’s activities, live reindeer and photos with Santa, plus more than 125 Greenwich merchants and restaurants offering special promotions, refreshments and in-store attractions.

The participating retailers and activities can be found on an interactive map accessed online at http://www.GreenwichReindeerFestival.com and by mobile devices. Saturday’s free parking is sponsored by the Greenwich Town Party, Richards and Pray Body Shop. Parking is free on Sundays.

Merchant Highlights

Created and produced by TMK Sports & Entertainment, a Greenwich-based event-marketing company, the event will feature many activities throughout the downtown, such as holiday card writing to service men and women in conjunction with Boy Scout Pack 10 at C. Parker Gallery which will also host The Stanwich School Trolley outside the store. There will be SIPS & BITES – wines, spirits and light bites – featuring 12 Greenwich merchants sponsored by Horseneck Wines & Spirits, Whole Foods Market and Garelick & Herbs. Letter writing to Santa will take place at 24 stores with mailboxes located at 29 stores.

Dance It Out to Benefit Kids in Crisis

At Arthur Murray Grande Ballroom of Greenwich, dance fitness sensation Billy Blanks Jr. of Shark Tank fame will conduct his popular Dance It Out class, Saturday, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and Sunday, 12 to 1 p.m., to benefit Kids in Crisis. All proceeds from the $20 per person class fee will go to the organization. On Saturday at 5 p.m., Billy will join the merrymaking at the Delamar for holiday caroling and wine and cheese.

Live Nativity and Horse Drawn Carriage Rides

A live Nativity will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at several churches including First United Methodist Church of Greenwich, St. Paul’s Church in Rye Brook, Second Congregational Church in Greenwich and Greenwich Baptist Church. There will be a blessing of the animals, which will include a camel, llama, cow, donkey and five sheep, lessons and carols and a live Nativity photo booth. Horse drawn carriage rides will operate from noon to 3 p.m. each day. Carriage stops will be located at Amogerone Crossway and Greenwich Avenue, Fawcett Place and Greenwich Avenue, the Village Square parking lot on Mason Street and in front of Cavalier Galleries on Greenwich Avenue.

Arts and Ice Sculpture

The Greenwich Arts Council will offer a complimentary photo collage family workshop, Saturday, 1 to 2 p.m., and an ice sculpture demonstration by professionals from Apple Ice in New York City will take place at McArdle’s Florist & Garden Center from noon to 2:30 p.m. each day.

Live Music and Entertainment

Two live entertainment tents – one at 240 Greenwich Avenue sponsored by Greenwich Hospital and another at 1 Pickwick Plaza sponsored by Sotheby’s International Realty – will feature performances by 18 music groups, made possible by Entertainment Curator Barbara Occhino of BarbaraEntertains.com. Groups will include the Greenwich Public Schools Honor Choir, Ridgefield Chorale, Grace Notes, The Pop Music Academy, Higher Ground, That Virginia, Brantah, Exit 5, The Bows, Connecticut Playmakers, Barbara Occhino’s Serenade, Matt McDonald and Friends, Riverside Chorus, Cody Carver, John Cloonan, Johann Flores, Charlie HappyLife and Kismet.

Food and Treats

To satisfy shoppers’ appetites, many of the stores will offer special treats from Greenwich restaurants and caterers. A Food Truck Village with trucks in several locations will include Christie Caters Farm to Truck, Pappi’s Mediterranean, Wendy’s Weenies, Dough Girls, Fryborg, LobsterCraft, Taco Pacifico, Tony’s Square Donuts and Chicken Joe’s On the Go.

8th Greenwich Reindeer Festival & Santa’s Village

And not to be missed are live reindeer and photos with Santa, train and carousel rides at the 8th Annual Greenwich Reindeer Festival & Santa’s Village at Sam Bridge Nursery & Greenhouses, 437 North Street, just minutes from downtown Greenwich, Monday through Saturday, November 25 to December 24. Photo packages begin at $29.99 and include a Shop and Dine Greenwich gift bag filled with promotions redeemable at participating downtown Greenwich stores. On Saturday, December 3, $5 from every photo package and $5 from every wreath over $50 purchased at Sam Bridge will be donated to Kids in Crisis.

The 8th Annual Greenwich Holiday Stroll Weekend is made possible by the following sponsors: Sam Bridge Nursery & Greenhouses, Whole Foods Market, Pepsi, Mercedes-Benz of Greenwich, Greenwich Hospital, Sotheby’s International Realty, Citarella, M. H. Heaven Real Estate, Delamar Greenwich Harbor, Faces by Wells, Kempo Academy of Martial Arts, David Lerner Associates, Venture Photography, Val’s Putnam Wines & Liquors, Greenwich Town Party, Richards and Pray Body Shop. Community Partners include the Greenwich Arts Council, Barbara Occhino of BarbaraEntertains.com, Arthur Murray Grande Ballroom of Greenwich, Greenwich VIP.com, Eagle Fence & Guardrail, b.good and Greenwich Garden Design. Media Sponsors are Greenwich Magazine/Moffly Media, The Advocate/Greenwich Time/Brooks Community Newspapers, Fairfield Parent, News 12 Connecticut, 95.9 Fox, Star 99.9 and AM1490 WGCH. This event was created and is produced by TMK Sports & Entertainment, a Greenwich-based event-marketing company. For more information, visit www.GreenwichReindeerFestival.com or call 203-531-3047.

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Once again this year Santa and his live reindeer -Dancer, Dasher and Prancer – are coming back for the 8th Annual Greenwich Reindeer Festival & Santa’s Village to an exciting NEW HOME, “the North Pole on North Street,” Sam Bridge Nursery & Greenhouses, 437 North Street, Greenwich, Connecticut, from November 25 to December 24, 2016.

The cherished town tradition continues at this expansive nursery where visitors can have their photo taken with Santa, meet the reindeer and also ride on the Winter Wonderland Carousel and the North Pole Polar Express Train, all just minutes from downtown Greenwich. Parking is free. The community is invited to Sam Bridge for a “We’re Back Party” on Friday, November 25, from noon to 6 pm, when Santa’s Village is officially open for photos with Santa.

While waiting for the reindeer to arrive in the afternoon, everyone can enjoy special refreshments, face painting by Faces by Wells and balloon artists. Throughout the four weeks, the reindeer will make Sam Bridge their home, thanks to Reindeer stable sponsor, Pepsi, and children, adults, corporate groups and even pets (on leashes) can have their photo taken with Santa at Santa’s Village, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz of Greenwich. Photo packages begin at $29.99 and include a gift bag filled with promotions redeemable at participating downtown Greenwich stores. Rides on the Winter Wonderland Carousel and North Pole Polar Express Train are $4 per person. Family package prices are available.

Hours for the Photos with Santa, train and carousel rides are Monday through Friday, noon to 6 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reindeer feeding times will take place daily at 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The reindeer will depart on December 23 but Santa will remain for photos until 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve. For more details on this magical holiday tradition, visit www.Greenwichreindeerfestival.com

Mark the calendars now for Pequot Library’s Black Friday/Saturday Book Sale on Friday November 25, 2016 and Saturday, November 26, 2016, from 9:00am – 5:00pm daily. There will be tons of deals with most books chosen for their suitability for holiday gift-giving. There will be many new items; most others are gently-used — ideal for gifting. This sale is cozy with plenty of free parking. The sale takes place in Pequot Library’s Auditorium which will be filled with natural sunlight streaming through stained leaded glass windows. Admission is free.

With over 10,000 items to choose from, including books and media, there will be something for everyone on your list. There are many Easton Press, leather-bound books with gilt covers, all classics, like new, which will make great gifts! For the music lovers on your list there will be hundreds of new CDs and DVDs, still factory-sealed and shrink-wrapped.

Come to relax, browse and buy. Book Sale Categories and Specialty Items Include: Art/Photography; Ballet; Children; Christmas/Holiday; CDs/DVDs; Cookbooks; Easton Press Books; Gift Books; Signed Books; Themed Books; and so much More!

Easton Press books are bound in genuine leather and accented with 22kt gold. Each book is a Collector Edition that is as magnificent to see as it is to read. The extraordinary books are an elegant addition to any home or office, and make the perfect gift for the holidays. For over 30 years, Easton Press books were sold only to subscribers who created their own personal libraries and used the books to help their children begin their libraries. Among the treasured Easton Press books are The Greatest Books Ever Written, undoubtedly the greatest collection of books ever assembled.

New this year will be a Catalog of Some of Our Volunteers’ Favorites, which will be posted on the Pequot Library website two weeks prior to the sale. These eclectic and interesting items can be purchased in advance. All sale proceeds support Pequot Library’s 750 annual programs for adults and children, serving over 100,000 participants a year. Volunteers still needed to help at the sale. Contact Caroline Crawford at (203) 259-0346 ext. 13 or crawford@pequotlibrary.org. Please visit http://www.pequotlibrary.org to learn more about this vibrant library, educational, arts and cultural institution. All classes and programs are open to everyone. For information: (203) 259-0346 ext. 15. Follow Pequot Library on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Pequot Library Brings Culture to Life!