Downtown Westerly/Pawcatuck
18th Annual Holiday Stroll and Luminaria
The 18th Annual Holiday Stroll and Luminaria will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 in downtown Westerly-Pawcatuck from 5:00-9:00 PM. This annual holiday event is sponsored by the Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Association.
The Annual Holiday Stroll is a wonderful evening full of hospitality, friendship and community spirit. Bundle up and start your holiday shopping by supporting the wonderful shops, boutiques, and art galleries in Downtown Westerly. The streets will be lined with beautiful luminaria and caroling groups will fill the air with holiday music. Come have dinner at your favorite restaurant before strolling through the Downtown area. Go on a horse-drawn hayride or stop for complementary hot chocolate and cookies and keep an eye out for Santa Claus, he will be roaming the streets to greet you and spread holiday cheer!
Come to Downtown Westerly and ENJOY your Holiday shopping this year!
For any questions, please contact The Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce at 401-596-7761 or visit our website at www.westerlychamber.org.
Santa’s Arrrival November 28th 6pm
December 3rd Holiday Stroll & Luminaria 5-9 pm
January 9th: SECT 40 Under 40 Foxwoods 6pm
East Haddam
Irving Berlin’s ‘Holiday Inn’
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2014, 2:00 pm
The Goodspeed Opera House,
6 Main St., East Haddam, CT , 06423
Connecticut inn open for business only on holidays, overflows with dance, romance and Irving Berlin songs; through Dec. 28;
tickets start at $28, all prices subject to change based on availability; .860.873.8668.
New England Traditional Sleigh Rides at Allegra Farms
P.O. Box 455
East Haddam, CT 06423
860.680.5149
860.537.8861
There is nothing so enchanting as the sound of sleigh bells and the whisper of runners on fresh snow! Have a “Courrier and Ives” experience as you bundle up in your lap robes and hand muffs, and let the sleigh take you from this bustling century to a more tranquil time. Bring your own refreshments to warm your body and spirit.
Essex
Essex Steam Train Polar Express
Address: Essex Steam Train 1 Railroad Ave. Essex, 06426
Date(s): November 14, 2014 — December 28, 2014
Time(s): Departures: 5 pm, 5:35 pm, 7 pm, 7:35 pm
Description: Board the locomotive-powered sleigh for a magical nighttime journey to the North Pole. Every coach becomes a stage for a live, musical performance of The Night Before Christmas. Celebrate the spirit of the season with Santa and Mrs. Claus, sing-a-longs, hot chocolate and sugar cookies.
Traditional event highlights include a trip to the North Pole to pick up Santa and Mrs. Claus, trackside displays, and each child meets with Santa and receives a small gift. Children are invited to wear their favorite pajamas.
Train runs: November 14-16, 20-23, 28-30, December 2-23, 26-28.
Admission: Parlor Car tickets: $63, Coach $30.
Phone: 860.767.0103
Groton
Groton Lights Parade:
Saturday, December 6 at 5pm and will be a fantastic kick-off to this year’s holiday season. March from Poquonnock Road at South Road, along Long Hill Road to the Groton Shopping Plaza.
Guilford
Night Before Christmas Storytime
Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, 11:00 am
Henry Whitfield State Museum, 248 Old Whitfield Street, Guilford, CT , 06437
Join us for hourly readings of the classic holiday tale in front of the Great Hall fireplace, plus discounts on children’s books, toys, and games in the gift shop. Admission includes self-guided tours of the 1639 Whitfield House and the exhibit “Holidaze: The Real Story of Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas.” Free parking.
Ledyard
Ledyard Parade & Carol Sing
November 30, 2014 at 5:00 pm
Parade starts at Ledyard Center School
Come see Santa, enjoy FREE hot cocoa and cookies! Gather around the bon-fire while singing Holiday Carols!
Madison
DEC. 4 – Ladies Day & Night Out!
Love Your Locals and Shop, Shop, Shop! @ Madison shops & restaurants 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Stop by at participating stores and receive your bracelet. Stores and restaurants will be offering specials on Dec. 4th, Dec. 11th and 18th! Most stores will be open until 9pm. Make a date with friends and head downtown for great shopping and a tasty meal!
Santa Visits, Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting
When: December 7, 2014 @ 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Cost: Free
Contact: Eileen Banisch 203.245.7394
Mystic
Mystic Lighted Boat Parade
Mystic River Park
November 29, 2014 starting at 6:20 pm
Decorated vessels parade down Mystic River and return to the Mystic River Park, where spectators and judges gather. Boats are judged on creativity and team spirit.
New London
Celebration of Lights & Song
Downtown New London
Saturday 29 November 2014, 04:00 pm
Shop local for a unique gift and experience. Visit with Santa at Nathan Hale School House 3-5 pm. Holiday tree lighting and community carol sing at 5 pm.
Eastern CT Ballet Presents: The Nutcracker
Garde Arts Center
325 State St., New London, CT , 06320
Performances at 1:30 and 7 pm Saturday and 1:30 pm Sunday. Eastern CT Ballet presents its 13th annual Nutcracker at the Garde Arts Center in New London. In this classic holiday tale with a seafaring twist, New York City Ballet dancers Sara Mearns and Jared Angle will delight audiences alongside over 100 pre-professional ECB students from local communities. With musical accompaniment by the Eastern CT Symphony Orchestra, dancers showcase a fantasy world where toys and treats come to life, flowers can waltz and holiday memories are made.
Tickets are available through the box office at 860.444.7373 x1.
Niantic
Niantic Main Street Stroll 11/29, 3-7 pm
Niantic, Conn. Niantic Main Street
Niantic’s downtown revitalization organization is ready to spread holiday cheer throughout Niantic with their 11th Annual Holiday Stroll. The event will be held on Saturday, November 29, from 3 to 7 pm and is free and open to the public.
Planned entertainment and activities include horse-drawn carriage rides, a donut eating contest by Giuliano’s Donut & Bake Shop, carols by the Connecticut Yuletide Carolers, a s’mores station, characters from the Eastern Connecticut Ballet’s “Nutcracker,” complimentary hot cider and cocoa, “Holiday Idol” on the Liberty Green, a snowflake drop and the arrival of Santa on a shiny red fire truck at the town green at approximately 5:20 pm, immediately after the annual tree lighting ceremony.
Niantic Holiday Stroll Schedule:
3-7 pm Store & restaurant specials
3-7 pm Complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides
3-7 pm DJ Chris Turkington on Liberty Green
3-7 pm Heritage Properties’ Toys for Tots Drive on Liberty Green
3-7 pm Children’s arts & crafts at the Police Department with East Lyme Youth Services
3-4:30 pm S’more station at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties
3-4:30 pm Letter writing to Santa at Children’s Museum of SECT
3-4:30 pm Holiday Idol performance on the Liberty Green
3-5 pm April’s Balloon Creations at Weichert Realtors
4-4:30 pm Giuliano’s Donut&Bake Shop’s Donut Eating Contest
4-7 pm The Connecticut Yuletide Carolers stroll Main Street
5:10 pm Countdown to the tree lighting
5:15 pm Snowflake Drop
5:20 pm Arrival of Santa
5:30 pm Visits with Santa and letter delivery
6-8 pm Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band plays at Smarty’s
Children can bring their yearly letters and wish lists to Santa for bringing back to the North Pole, or they can stop in to the Children’s Museum to craft their letter. Visits with Santa are free; parents are encouraged to bring a camera to capture the moment.
For more information and a list of participating shops and restaurants, visit www.nianticmainstreet.org or call 860-739-2550.