2015 Holiday Events in Connecticut

Menorah Lighting at Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk, December 7, 5:00 pm, FREE (Norwalk)

Christmas Trees

(alphabetical order)

Bees, Fleas, and Trees, trees available November 28, cut-your-own or pre-cut, OAAM Post  (Litchfield) 

Coward Farm, trees available November 27, cut-your-own or pre-cut, OAAM Post (Southwick, MA)Dzen Tree Farm, cut your own, OAAM Post (South Windsor)

Jones Family Farm, trees available November 21, cut your own or pre-cut (Shelton)

Karabin Farms, trees available November 28, cut your own or pre-cut, OAAM Venue Preview (Southington)

March Farm, trees available December 4, pre-cut, OAAM Venue Preview (Bethlehem)

Roses Berry Farm, cut-your-own tree or they can cut for you, trees available for tagging starting November 21, OAAM Venue Preview (South Glastonbury)

Gingerbread House Displays & Activities

(sorted by date)

Gingerbread House Festival Extravaganza at the Wood Memorial Library & Museum, November 27 – December 12, FREE, OAAM Post (South Windsor)

Seussian Holiday Gingerbread Competition at the Springfield Museums, November 27 – January 3, OAAM Post  (Springfield, Massachusetts)

Gingerbread House Workshop at the Wood Memorial Library & Museum, registration is required, November 29 (South Windsor)

Gingerbread House Building at KidsPlay Children’s Museum, December 4, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm, OAAM Venue Preview (Torrington)

Build a Gingerbread House at Imagine Studio, December 7, registration required (West Hartford)

Gingerbread Day at the Noah Webster House, December 12, registration required (West Hartford)

Build Your Own Gingerbread House at The Little Green Tambourine, December 14 & 15, registration required (Canton)

Holiday Light Displays

(alphabetical order by venue)

Bright Nights at Forest Park, November 25 – January 3 (Closed November 30 & December 1), OAAM Post (Springfield, MA)

Holiday Light Fantasia at Goodwin Park, November 26 – January 1, Daily, OAAM Post (Hartford)

Festival of Silver Lights at Hubbard Park, November 24 – January 6, Daily, FREE, OAAM Post (Meriden)

Holiday Lights at Lake Compounce, weekends starting November 27, OAAM Post (Bristol)

Fantasy of Lights at Lighthouse Point Park, November 20 – January 6, Daily, OAAM Post (New Haven)

Holiday Performances

(alphabetical order)

Frosty the Snowman LIVE! at the Strand Theater, December 12 at 1:00 and 4:00 pm (Seymour)

The Nutcracker at the Hartt School, Performed by the Hartt School Community Division, December 11-13 & 18-20 OAAM Post (West Hartford)

The Nutcracker at Hoffman Auditorium, Performed by the Ballet Theatre Company, December 17 – 20 (West Hartford)

The Nutcracker at Manchester High School, Performed by the Connecticut Concert Ballet, December 19 & 20 (Manchester)

The Nutcracker at Mohegan Sun, Welte Theater, and Middletown Performing Arts Center, Performed by the Albano Ballet (Uncasville)

The Nutcracker at the Shubert Theatre, Performed by the New Haven Ballet, December 18 – 20 (New Haven)

The Nutcracker at the Warner Theatre, Performed by the Nutmeg Ballet, December 6 & 7 (Torrington)

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at The Bushnell, December 11 – 14 (Hartford)

Ice Skating Rinks

Foxwoods Rink & Winter Patio at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Opens for the season on November 27 (Mashantucket)

Winterfest Hartford in Bushnell Park, November 20 – January 24, FREE Ice Skating daily and FREE Pictures with Santa each weekend, OAAM Post (Hartford)

Opportunities to Meet Santa

(alphabetical order by venue)

Winterfest Hartford in Bushnell Park, November 20 – December 20, Saturdays and Sundays from 12-3 (evening hours on 11/20 & 11/27), FREE visit & picture, OAAM Post (Hartford)

Santa and Mrs. Claus at Old Mistick Village, November 27 – 28, FREE, bring your camera (Mystic)

Santa at Stew Leonard’s in Newington, Santa arrives via fire truck on November 27 and then will make regular appearances at the store daily until Christmas Eve, FREE, OAAM Venue Preview (Newington)

Christmas Village in Torrington (page 10), December 6 – 24, 1:00 pm – 8:30 pm (12/24 hours are 9:00 am – noon), Parade is on December 6 at 12:30, FREE but donations accepted, OAAM Post (Torrington)

Meet Santa & Mrs. Claus at the Wadsworth Atheneum, December 6, 12, & 13, part of the Festival of Trees and Traditions event, OAAM Venue Preview (Hartford)

Westfarms Mall, November 6 – December 24 (West Hartford)

Annual Santa’s Workshop Event at Wickham Park, December 13 – 23, daily, FREE, non-perishable food item donations welcomed, bring your camera, OAAM Post (Manchester)

Trolley Rides

Santa on the Trolley at The Shoreline Trolley Museum, Weekends starting November 27th (East Haven)

Winterfest and the Tunnel of Lights at the Connecticut Trolley Museum, weekends starting November 27th, OAAM Post (East Windsor)

Train Displays

(alphabetical order by venue)

Holiday Train Display at Amato’s Toy and Hobby, A brand new display is currently under construction and they are hoping to have it open Thanksgiving weekend. Be sure to check their site for the latest details., FREE with a non-perishable food donation, OAAM Post (Middletown)

Holiday Toy Train Display at the Connecticut Cellar Savers Fire Museum, Mostly open on weekends from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm starting November 27 through the second week in January, check their full schedule here, FREE but donations accepted, OAAM Post (Portland)

Holiday Train Show at the Connecticut River Museum, November 19 – February 15,  OAAM Post (Essex)

Holiday Express Train Show at the Fairfield Museum, December 5, 2014 – January 3, 2015, OAAM Post (Fairfield)

Train Display at Time Machine Toy and Hobby, Open year-round on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, FREE, OAAM Post (Manchester)

Train Rides

(alphabetical order by venue)

Santa’s Express at the Danbury Railroad Museum, December 6, 12 & 13, 19 & 20 (Danbury)

Santa Special at the Essex Steam Train, weekends starting November 27, daytime event, tickets available, OAAM Venue Preview (Essex)

Ride with Santa on the Naugatuck Railroad, weekends starting November 27, daytime and evening trips, OAAM Venue Preview (Thomaston)

Please note:  North Pole Express at the Essex Steam Train is not included in our list this year because it is sold out for the 2015 season.  Tickets go on sale in August, so be sure to sign up for their mailing list if you are interested next year.

Other Family-Friendly Events

November 27

Santa Visit & Behind the Scenes Tour at the New England Air Museum, November 27, OAAM Venue Preview (Windsor Locks)

November 28

Niantic Holiday Stroll, November 28, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, FREE (Niantic)

Santa Arrives by Helicopter at Yankee Candle, November 28, 10:00 am, FREE (South Deerfield, MA)

Santa Arrives by Tugboat at Mystic River & Mystic River Park, November 28, 2:00 pm, FREE (Mystic)

Simsbury Celebrates, November 28, 4:00 pm – 8:30 pm, FREE (Simsbury)

Light Up Thomaston, November 28, 6:00 pm, FREE (Thomaston)

November 29

Trees in the Rigging Community Carol Sing and Boat Parade, November 29, 4:30 pm, FREE (Essex)

14th Annual Holiday Dazzle Light Parade in Putnam, November 29, 5:00 pm, FREE (Putnam)

December 1

Frosty Tales Storytime at the Russell Library, December 1, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm, drop-in, FREE, OAAM Venue Preview (Middletown)

December 3

Holiday Stroll at Blue Back Square, December 3, 5:30 pm, FREE (West Hartford)

Downtown Manchester Holiday Tree Lighting, December 3, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm, FREE (Manchester)

Wethersfield‘s Holidays on Main, December 3, FREE (Wethersfield)

December 4

Grinch Festival at Imagine Nation, December 4 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm and December 5 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (Bristol)

December 5

How the Grinch Stole Christmas storytime at Barnes and Noble, December 5, 11:00 am, FREE (Most locations)

Grinch Festival at Imagine Nation, December 4 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm and December 5 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (Bristol)

Make Your Own Holiday Poppers Family Program at Connecticut Historical Society Museum & Library, December 5, Drop in between 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, FREE, OAAM Post (Hartford)

Torchlight Parade & Holiday Tree Lighting at The Shoppes at Evergreen Walk, December 5, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, FREE (South Windsor)

Home Depot Kids’ Workshop: Holiday Stacking Blocks , December 5, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, FREE, OAAM Post (Most Stores)

Holiday Carnival at Olde Mistick Village, December 5, 12:00 pm, FREE (Mystic)

Polar Express Storytime at Barnes and Noble, December 7, 7:00 pm, FREE (Most locations)

Menorah Lighting at Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk, December 7, 5:00 pm, FREE (Norwalk)

Niantic Light Parade & Winterfest , December 12, 6:00 pm, FREE (Niantic)

Second Saturdays for Families: Festival of Trees and Traditions at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, December 1, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, FREE, OAAM Venue Preview (Hartford)

December 13

Children’s Festival of Wreaths at the Darien Nature Center, December 13, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm (Darien)

Holiday Carols at Stew Leonard’s in Newington, December 13, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, FREE, OAAM Venue Preview (Newington)

Ongoing

Christmas Town Festival in Bethlehem, December 4-5, FREE (Bethlehem)

Winterfest Hartford in Bushnell Park, November 22 – January 24, FREE Ice Skating (daily) and FREE Pictures with Santa (weekends), OAAM Post (Hartford)

Holiday Rides on Horseback at Drafty Pines Farm, November 28-29 & December 5-6, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, Facebook Page (Central Village)

Gillette Castle Holiday Tours, weekends November 28-December 20, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, OAAM Venue Preview (East Haddam)

Greenwich Reindeer Festival & Santa’s Workshop, November 27 – December 24 (Greenwich)

Festival of Lighthouses at the Maritime Aquarium, through January 18 (Norwalk)

Polar Express IMAX Movie at the Maritime Aquarium, November 27 – December 20; Friday, Saturday, & Sunday (Norwalk)

Holiday on Main Street in Middletown, November 27-28, December 5th, December 12th, and December 19th, FREE (Middletown)

Winter Wonderland at Ray of Light Farm, December 5 & 12, 5:30 pm, OAAM Venue Preview (East Haddam)

Ridgefield Holiday Stroll, December 4 & 5, FREE (Ridgefield)

Holiday-Themed Cooking Classes for Kids at Stew Leonard’s in Newington, OAAM Post (Newington)

41st Annual Festival of Trees and Traditions at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, December 4 – 13, OAAM Venue Preview (Hartford)