Tag: Christmas in Connecticut

WonderSpark Puppets present The Gingerbread Man

On November 30 from 2 pm to 3 pm the Wilton Historical Society located on 224 Danbury Road is hosting a special puppet show from NY that is noted as the best puppet theatre in NYC from 2 pm to 3 pm.

The show called Run, run as fast as you can can – you can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man is the classic story of a little running cookie – with a Christmas twist. Kids will watch the Gingerbread Man outwit and outrun various hungry animals – and figure out what he really wants for Christmas. During the show, the children will listen, laugh, interact directly with characters, and can ask questions about puppetry and storytelling afterward. This ancient art form engages the imagination and kickstarts a love of theater at an early age. Best of all, you get a theater experience in a historic barn!

After the show, there will be a puppet craft activity. This event is $10 per person and tickets are available online. To get your tickets, click here.

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Whizzing Wonders in New Milford & Cooking Class at the Silo

The New Milford Chamber of Commerce is once again hosting a special railroad display that provides special fun for families this year in the Litchfield Hills community of New Milford where visitors will find a lavish display of working model trains.

The 27th Annual Hands On Train Display will again transform the waiting room of New Milford’s restored vintage train station. Four big layouts covering almost 100 feet of track will traverse a Lilliputian landscape of hills, valleys and villages.

Here, visitors are invited actually to take the controls, starting and stopping the action and operating signals and lights. The trains operate daily from noon to 4 p.m. December 22 to 28.
This yearly free event is sponsored by the Greater New Milford Chamber of Commerce, 860-354-6080, www.newmilford-chamber.org. The display is closed Christmas Day.

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While in New Milford, don’t miss a visit to Hunt Hill Farm Trust where you will find a 50 foot Christmas Tree beautifully decorated in the gallery. In addition to crafts and artwork, the Silo at Hunt Hill Farm offers a series of cooking classes.

On Saturday, December 27, just in time for New Years, the Silo is offering a Champagne and Tapas class at 6:30 p.m. This full participation class with Chef Jessie Riley and Kathryn Gordon will feature a full menu of tapas plus a sampling of sparkling wines and champagne. To sign up for the calls visit http://www.hunthillfarmtrust.org/index.php?/silo/cooking#December

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Holiday House Tours in Connecticut

It happens only once a year. For the first two weeks in December, some of the finest private homes in Fairfield County and the Litchfield Hills will invite visitors in for one-day only during house tours to benefit local organizations. Tours in the towns of Woodbury, Westport and Greenwich will offer a rare chance to see exceptional residences dressed in their holiday best.

A 20th ANNIVERSARY IN WOODBURY

One of the most popular tours will mark its 20th anniversary when the Woodbury Holiday House Tour takes place on December 13 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Litchfield Hills to benefit the Woman’s Club of Woodbury. On the day of the tour, tickets will be available for $30 starting at 9 a.m. at the Senior and Community Center, 265 Main Street South.

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Six special homes chosen for this landmark year range from a 14-year-old contemporary with a fabulous kitchen to an antique-filled 250 year-old home including an artist’s studio. A restored 200-year-old schoolhouse will be seen on the spacious grounds of an elegant Colonial reproduction home, and a handsome mid-20th century Colonial features the studio of its sculptor-owner. See a complete list and details at www.womansclubofwoodbury.org

“ROOMS WITH A VIEW” IN WESTPORT

Interior designers, artists and architects are the owners of this year’s five homes in the annual Westport House Tour on December 7 to benefit the Westport Historical Society They include a Nantucket-style cottage at Compo Beach with a roof-top deck overlooking the water, and a hilltop chateau with sweeping vistas. Three of the houses are owned by interior designers, providing the chance to see how professionals decorate for the Christmas and Hanukkah seasons. A pianist will play at one of the homes, and several will be serving hot cider, hot chocolate, and holiday sweets.

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Following the tour a Twilight Soiree hosted by the Lillian August Store in Norwalk from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. will feature wine, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction for prizes such as an America’s Cup Cruise, getaways to a Cape Cod vacation home and a mountain ski house, and a painting by Weston artist Kerri Rosenthal, whose home and studio are part of the tour. For more information, see http://westporthistory.org.

SHOWPLACES OPEN DOORS IN GREENWICH

One tour that always attracts visitors is The Antiquarius House Tour in Greenwich, a Fairfield County town known for its lavish residences. This year’s tour on Wednesday, December 10 will showcase five spectacular homes ranging in location from the shores of Long Island Sound to estates in the wooded backcountry. What all have in common is their always-spectacular holiday finery.

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The tour is part of a weeklong Antiquarius event to benefit the Greenwich Historical Society that includes the annual Greenwich Winter Antiques Show on Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7 at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center. For full schedules, see http://www.hstg.org/antiquarius.

For more information about house tours and a free copy of Unwind, a full-color, 152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine in the Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.visitwesternct.com.

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Celebrate the holidays PT Barnum Style!

During December, Bridgeport’s Barnum Museum is offering a limited, yet glorious, series of Victorian Christmas events as part of the Celebrate the Season programming.

On Wednesday, December 11, at 11 a.m. the musuem is hosting a reading of The Night Before Christmas by Sonya Finch Bridgeport’s First Lady. Mrs. Finch will read Clement Clarke Moore’s timeless holiday tale, the enchantingThe Night Before Christmas, under the twinkling lights of a Victorian Christmas tree. Children attending the nearby Early Learning Lab at Housatonic Community College have been invited, but the public is also encouraged to bring their pre-school children for a $2 suggested donation to participate in this traditional way to ring in the holidays.

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If you are a fan of Tom Thumb, don’t miss Eric Lehman’s Tom Thumb Lecture on Sunday, December 15, at 2 p.m. . Attendees will get a first look at Eric D. Lehman’s new biography of Bridgeport’s own Charles Stratton, Becoming Tom Thumb. Lehman tells the full story of this iconic figure for the first time. The book details his triumphs on the New York stage, his epic celebrity wedding, his meetings with Abraham Lincoln and Queen Victoria, and his around-the-world tour, drawing on newly available primary sources and interviews. From the mansions of Paris to the deserts of Australia, Stratton’s unique brand of Yankee comedy not only earned him the accolades of millions of fans, it helped move little people out of the side show and into the lime light. Eric D. Lehman teaches travel literature, history, and creative writing at the University of Bridgeport. He is the author of seven books about Connecticut, including A History of Connecticut Food andInsiders’ Guide to Connecticut. Admission $5.

On Wednesday, December 18, at 12 p.m. Kathleen Maher, the Museum’s Executive Director will present Celebrate the Season. This presentation will take participants on a fascinating journey back in time to holiday festivities of bygone days. Maher will present the evolution of the tales and traditions of a Victorian age Christmas. $2 suggested donation.
The Barnum Museum is located on 820 Main Street in Bridgeport in the People’s United Bank Gallery, entry located at the back of the historic building, or McLevy Green on Dec. 5. Call for more information 203-331-1104 ext.100, M-F, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

The Barnum Museum Holiday schedule:
Sat, Dec. 21 through Weds, Dec. 25 – The Barnum Museum will be closed
Thurs. & Fri., Dec. 26 & 27 – Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Weds. Jan. 1 – The Barnum Museum will be closed
Thurs. & Fri., Jan. 2 & 3 – Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The back exhibition hall of the museum, featuring artifacts that belonged to P.T. Barnum, Tom Thumb and others, is open for viewing and exploration on Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To learn more about The Barnum Museum’s current programs visit http://www.barnum-museum.org. You can also visit the museum on Facebook, view past programs at www.barnummuseumexhibitions.org or communicate on Twitter @BarnumMuseum.

The original Barnum Institute building is owned by the City of Bridgeport and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

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Holiday Lights at Lake Compounce

Lake Compounce is proud to announce their first annual “Lake Compounce Holiday Lights”, a brand new family event taking place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings beginning on November 30th. The park will open at 5 p.m. on Fridays, and at 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The event goes until 9 p.m.and will run November 30, December 1 – 2, 7-9, 14-16, 21-23. The park is located on 822 Lake Ave in Bristol Connecticut and can be reached at 860-585-9987 or by visiting http://www.lakecompounce.com.

Holiday Lights will provide full family entertainment for all ages, and include festive activities such as a spectacular Holiday light show every half hour at the main gate, which will feature tens of thousands of lights dancing to holiday music. Kiddeland rides and family themed rides will be in operation. The Train will be transformed into the North Pole Railway, operated by a very special uniformed train conductor with a Holiday story to tell.

There will be indoor activities such as cookie decorating and gingerbread house making. Children will be given the opportunity to customize their very own letter to Santa, and will then receive a personalized letter sent directly to them, from Santa, just a few days later. On the Kiddeland stage children can enjoy Story Time with Mrs. Clause. There will be carolers strolling throughout the park, an ice carver creating unique, frozen creations, and lots more festive entertainment. The childhood favorite photos with Santa is not to be missed in the Starlight Theatre. The park’s gift shops will also be loaded with Holiday themed merchandise for sale, so guests can get their Holiday shopping done, too.

Admission is $14.99 per adult, $10.99 for children ages four though ten, and free for children three and under. Season pass holders may enter for free with their 2012 or 2013 pass. Admission fees are plus tax. Tickets may be purchased online now, or at the park gate once the event begins. Nominal fees will be charged for various activities. Season Passes are being offered at the park at a special sale price of $69.99 plus tax. They can be purchased as holiday gifts and will include special holiday wrapping.

About Lake Compounce

Lake Compounce, part of the Palace Entertainment family of parks, is New England’s Family Theme Park and the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America. With the largest water park in Connecticut, and a brand new water slide called Riptide Racer, the park is now in its 168th season. This is the first year the park will be celebrating Holiday Lights, which they hope will be a family tradition for years to come. 2013 Season passes, regularly $75.99, will be on sale for a discounted price of $69.99 plus tax, for the duration of the event. More information can be found at www.lakecompounce.com.

For area information contact www.litchfieldhills.com.

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