'Tis the Season!
Gobble Gobble! Happy Turkey Day to all (and Happy Tofurkey Day to our vegetarian friends).
Governor's Residence 2007.
I don’t know about you, bloggie readers, but I absolutely love the holidays. I already started decorating my apartment over the weekend. In celebration of the official beginning of the holiday season, here’s a run-down on some of the festive happenings around our fair city this month. Keep in mind that this is by no means a comprehensive list—I’m guessing if you tried hard enough, you could find something holiday-related to do pretty much every day between now and New Year’s Day.
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Victorian Holiday at the Mark Twain House, Monday, November 24 through Monday, January 5 (check out the Yuletide Spirit! events on Saturday, December 6 and Saturday, December 14 from 1pm-3:20pm)
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Christmas at the Stowes at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Thursday, November 27 through Tuesday, January 6 (check out the Carols, Crafts & Cookies event on Saturday, December 6 from 11am-3pm)
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Hartford Festival of Light Opening Ceremony, Constitution Plaza, Friday, November 28 at 5:30pm (free) (Festival of Light runs through Tuesday, January 6)
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A Christmas Carol at the Hartford Stage, Friday, November 28 through Saturday, December 28 (check out the Character Breakfast at the Pond House Cafe, Sunday December 14 from 11am-1pm)
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Santa Saturdays at the Festival of Light, Constitution Plaza, Saturday, November 29, December 6, 13, and 20, from 4pm-7pm (free)
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Victorian Christmas Celebration, Butler-McCook House, Main Street, Thursday, December 4 from 5:30-7:30pm (free)
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Holiday Open House at the Governor’s Residence, Prospect Avenue, Friday, December 5 from 10am-3pm, Saturday, December 6 from 10am-3pm, and Sunday, December 7 from 12pm-4pm (free) (Connecticut Opera resident artists will be singing holiday tunes on Saturday starting at 12pm)
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Duke Ellington’s Jazz Nutcracker by The Hartford Conservatory, St. Joseph College, Friday, December 5 at 8pm, Saturday, December 6 at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday, December 7 at 2pm (OK, yes, technically this is in West Hartford, but it’s the Hartford Conservatory so I’m listing it anyway)
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Festival of Trees & Traditions at the Wadsworth Atheneum, Saturday, December 6 through Sunday, December 14 (check out the museum’s site for information on free admission for kids with donations of gifts, hats, mittens on certain days)
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Holiday House Tour at the Mark Twain House and other locations, Sunday, December 7 from 1pm-4pm
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3rd Annual Running of the Santas on Pratt Street, Saturday, December 13 at 7pm (free to watch) (charity pub crawl)
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Nutmeg Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Bushnell, Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, at 1pm and 5pm
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Great Joy: A Gospel Christmas at the Bushnell, Monday, December 15 at 7:30pm
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Travelers Choral Club Holiday Concert at the Bushnell, Wednesday, December 17 at 7:30pm (free with food donation)
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POPS!: Holiday POPS! Spectacular at the Bushnell, Saturday, December 20 at 3pm and 8pm
- Hartford First Night, Wednesday, December 31
I can personally recommend the open house at the governor’s residence, A Christmas Carol at Hartford Stage, Nutmeg Ballet’s Nutcracker, and A Gospel Christmas. All great fun and guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit. This year I’m definitely checking out at least one of the historic holiday house tours, probably the Jazz Nutcracker, and hopefully the Holiday POPS! thing.
I’m really bummed that apparently Hartbeat Ensemble's annual performance of Ebeneeza: A Hartford Holiday Carol has been cancelled (anyone know why?) and there’s no holiday light show in Goodwin Park this year, though. I may have to cheat on Hartford and head up the road to Springfield’s Forest Park to check out its light show instead. Sigh.
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By the way, Hartford First Night is looking for volunteers. you can pick up an application in Hartford Public Library.
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The Mark Twain House is my favorite at Christmas.
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I believe I speak for more than just my household when I say YIPPPEE no Holiday Lights in Goodwin Park! It was as if the park were highjacked for weeks on end by GE.
Is that Scroogy?
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It's only Scroogy when you post it on a blog...
Nah, I get it. I guess since I don't go to Goodwin much, because I live closer to other parks, the highjacking of the park by the light show doesn't affect me. I'll just get my fill of semi-tacky holiday lights up in Mass this year.
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I liked the lights up in MA but found ones in Goodwin Park to be tacky. Not sure why. Haven't seen either in years.
I hear there's a preview of the Festival of Trees this Thursday during the Art After hours thing from 5-9pm. There's going to be a screening of White Christmas.
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I love love LOVE "White Christmas." I'm definitely going to the (free) showing tomorrow at 7:30pm.
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EmGee, Where is the free showing tomorrow? I missed this one!
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The showing of "White Christmas" is at 7:30pm tomorrow at the Wadsworth. I called to confirm that the movie is free, since the site says there's a $3 charge for supporting the Festival of Trees and First Thursdays is already $5 for members, I believe. According to my new friend who will remain anonymous because she apparently was not supposed to tell me this, we can see the movie for free if we show up just before 7:30pm and use the side entrance to the museum (across from the Travelers tower). That way we wouldn't even enter the Festival.
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