nothin New Haven Independent | Cool Events This Weekend, Here & Beyond

Cool Events This Weekend, Here & Beyond

This month is all about the holidays. There’s music, art, fairs, and train and trolley rides, and the downtown shops are bursting with holiday goodies. Branford is the type of town where the holiday spirit is alive and well. Take some time amid all the activities to enjoy family, friends, music and the beautiful tree on the Branford Green.

Family Fun for the Holidays This Month

Santa’s Trolley Winter Wonderland

Take a ride into the past at The Shore Line Trolley Museum weekends until 7:30 p.m. through Dec. 18 and have your children visit with Santa. The antique trolleys decorated for the holidays. Enjoy a complimentary cookie and hot chocolate and visit the model train layout. All children receive a small gift from Santa.

In the evening the museum transforms itself into a wonderland of festive holiday lights. Many of the trolleys, buildings and sites in the yard area have been decorated for the holidays adding a wonderful soft glow reminiscent of Christmas’ past.

General admission: adults, $10; seniors (62+), $8; children ages 2 to 15, $6; infants under age 2, free. No reservations needed or accepted. Trolleys run continuously every 20 to 30 minutes throughout the day. For more information, go to shorelinetrolley.org or call 203 – 467-6927.

The Santa Special and more at the Essex Steam Train

The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, One Railroad Avenue in Essex (just off Route 9, Exit 3) offers a variety of great family-related activities including the Santa Special, Polar Express, and Reindeer Breakfast.

Santa and Mrs. Claus visit each child aboard the festive railway cars dressed up with vintage decorations. Rudolph and Pablo the Penguin will also be on board to spread holiday cheer. Plus, each child will receive a small holiday gift from Santa’s Elves. The ride lasts approximately 60 minutes.

Tickets start at $20 for the Santa Special. Check out the website – essexsteamtrain.com – for schedules and other options, or call 860 – 767-0103 or 800 – 377-3987.

Friday, Dec. 2

Project: Music Heals 

Project: Music Heals Us will present a chamber music concert at 7 p.m. at St. Mary Church, 731 Main St. A pre-concert talk by Juilliard’s Dr. Luke Fleming will begin at 6 p.m.

First Prize Winner of the Tchaikovsky International Violin Competition and Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, Itamar Zorman, will join violist Steven Tenenbom of the Orion Quartet and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, alongside four more Juilliard School and Itzhak Perlman Music Program alumni, to perform a program entitled A Night With the Masters” comprised of duets, trios, and sextets by Beethoven, Brahms, and Barriere. 

Tickets at the door: $20 adults/$5 students with all proceeds directly subsidizing additional Healing Concerts” played in local nursing homes, hospitals, hospices, homeless shelters, and prisons.

For more information go to www.projectmusichealsus. com or email projectmusichealsus@gmai l.com.

Saturday, Dec. 3

Traditional Christmas Fair

The Traditional Christmas Fair of the First Baptist Church on the Branford Green will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering everything for holiday gifts and decorations.

Shoppers will find jewelry and accessories, art, original crafts, handmade scarves, a special Christmas room, a large tag sale plus the sale of high end and unusual items. Specialty baskets will be presented in a silent auction, which also includes tickets to Beautiful” at the Bushnell and River Dance” at the Shubert. There will be a cookie walk” and baked goods. Lunch with a variety of choices including homemade pie will be available and there will be holiday music by pianist Michael Cretella. Santa will be at the Fair to visit with the children and photos with him may be taken.

Haiti Disaster Relief will benefit with a large percentage of the profit from the fair. For more information, call the church office at 203 – 488-9777.

Blackstone Library Tour

Get an Insider’s Look at the Blackstone Library this Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Take a tour of the building, learn historical tidbits, and get an insider’s peek into the day in the life of a Blackstone library employee. New to town? Here’s a chance to learn about a town treasure. Tours are offered the first Saturday of each month. For more information or to register, go to http://www.blackstone.lioninc.org/

89th Annual Christmas Fair

The First Congregational Church of Branford on the Green will hold its 89th annual Christmas Fair, Saturday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring handmade crafts, decorated wreaths/greens, sweet treats, and lots of treasures from attics and garages and cupboards in Branford. Admission is free.

Fill the Forester for the Ferals

The Greater New Haven Cat Project will hold its annual Fill the Forester for the Ferals” cat food drive on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Premier Subaru, 150 N. Main St. The guest will be animal communicator and certified animal massage therapist Donna Velardi who will give free five-minute readings

Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4

24th Annual Holiday Open House 

Discover a few of our favorite things at the 24th Annual Holiday Open House hosted by Cynthia’s Flower Shop, the Martha Link Walsh Gallery, Luckey Redo, and Margaret B. Dean on Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 188 North Main St. Guests can enjoy treats from Take the Cake (Guilford), and a percentage of all sales will be donated to the Branford Early Childhood Collaborative.

The free, two-day event is open to the public and includes distinct gift items for the holidays including:

• Martha Link Walsh Gallery: Original paper cuttings, hand-cut ornaments, 2017 Calendar and Papercut Christmas series
• Cynthia’s Flower Shop: Elegant flowers, holiday decorations, wreaths, and greens
• Luckey ReDo: Reimagined one-of-a-kind wearables and hand knits accessories
• Margaret B. Dean: Oil and oil pastel original paintings and giclees

Bring an unwrapped children’s book during the month of December to donate to the BECC and receive a free holiday bookmark.

For more information, contact: Martha Link Walsh, marthalinkwalsh.com, (203) 481‑3505.

Sunday, Dec. 4

Handel’s Messiah Rehearsals begin for Dec. 18 performance

File Photo

Community singers are invited to participate in the annual performance of the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah. Rehearsals will be from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4 and 11, and from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, at First Congregational Church, Branford. Bring your own scores or scores may be purchased at rehearsal.

The 29th annual performance is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m. in the First Congregational Church of Branford (on the Green). It will honor Branford Messiah founder Ettie Minor Luckey who died in spring 2015. In her honor the Branford Messiah will continue to bring this music to the citizens of the Shoreline.

Ettie’s vision was to present this classical piece at no admission cost so that all could enjoy this beautiful story set to music. The performance is once again being directed by Wesleyan University professor Roy Wiseman, a conductor who has premiered dozens of works by American composers. Soloists will be Yunni Park, soprano, performing with Branford Messiah for the first time; and returning soloists, Krysty Swann, mezzo soprano; Ed Hull, tenor; and Jorell Williams, bass. Joining them will be more than 50 community singers accompanied by a 14-piece professional orchestra.

The performance is free to attend though a free will offering is appreciated. As this performance is always well attended, it is suggested that you plan on arriving at least 20 minutes early to be assured of a seat.

Branford Town Band Concert

The Branford Town Band’s winter holiday concert will take place on Sunday. Dec. 4, at Branford Evangelical Free Church, Leetes Island Road, at 2 p.m.

The Branford Town Band has been making music since 1949. They perform at local parades, town functions, and at many convalescent and retirement homes. The band performs a wide variety of music and is always looking for new members. Rehearsals are held Wednesday evening at Walsh Intermediate School. Kathy Banca is the director.

For more information, go the Branford Town Band page on Facebook.

Friday, Dec. 9

Cool Yule Concert
The Friends of Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library present the Thimble Islands Saxophone Quartet (See top photo)in A Cool Yule, songs of good cheer: a concert of traditional Christmas and special holiday music. The concert will take place at the library 146 Thimble Island Road, at 7 p.m. For more information, call 203 – 488-8702.

Saturday, Dec. 10

Opening Reception at Branford Art Center

Oil and pastel artist Bev Schirmeier will have her paintings featured in the front gallery and the North Haven Camera Club will have a photography exhibit in the studio gallery at the Branford Art Center, 1229 Main St. Also featured will be the work of Rachel Mathieu, Branford resident and teacher. The opening reception is Saturday, Dec. 10, from 7 to 9 p.m., free with wine and light bites.

For information about other artists, classes, workshops, and more events at BAC, visit www.branfordartcenterct.com, call Yvonne Gordon-Moser at 860 – 334-4642, or email [email protected].

Branford Chorale Concert 

The Branford Chorale will present its Vintage Christmas concert on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at Branford High School.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for children and seniors. They can be purchased at Towne Pharmacy, 1012 Main St.

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