Santa Sightings: Area holiday events on tap

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Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

By Ellen Ricks

He’s making a list and he’s checking it twice, and he’s going to find out who’s naughty or nice. Yes, Santa Claus will be coming to a town near you. So get those cameras and lists ready, because here are all the places you can meet Father Christmas.

 

NEW YORK

Cambridge

Tree Lighting

Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be special guest at the annual lighting of the Christmas Tree in Memorial Park in Cambridge on Friday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. The Christmas Tree Lighting will feature glow necklaces, caroling, extended shopping and sales in many locations. Eggnog, cookies, and treats will be provided in shops.

 

Fort Ann

Breakfast with Santa

The Fort Ann Volunteer Fire Department and Support Group will be hosting a Breakfast with Santa of Saturday, Dec. 2 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Fort Ann Fire House. There will be plenty of fun activities and the Polar Express Train will be pulling in. Plus a variety of vendors will be on site.  Get you photo taken with Santa and get a gift. Cost for the breakfast brunch is $7 per person or $25 for a family of four. The Fort Ann Fire House is located on 11289 NY-149 in Fort Ann

 

Granville

First Friday

Come meet Santa and Mrs. Claus at the First Friday event at the Slate Valley Museum on Dec. 1, during the Festival of Trees and Wreaths at Veterans Memorial Park in the early evening. There will also be a free hats and mittens tree for the children, delicious hot cocoa with cookies, and a fun kids’ craft. For more information call the museum at 518-642-1417.

Free Party

There will be free community party on Dec. 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Granville Assembly of God Church at 18 Bulkley Ave. in Granville. This is a lighthouse kid event where they can meet Santa and every child 12 and under will receive a free gift (and so do the parents). There will also be skits, Christmas carols, interactive family games, snacks, and a frozen turkey give-away. For more information, call Schuyler at 518-955-0806.

Lighted Tractor Parade

Granville’s first lighted tractor parade will be held on Friday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. starting at the Relescope Casual Furniture on Church Street. It’ll continue north on Church Street to Main Street, then west on Main Street to Veterans Memorial Park. Lighted tractors, gators, bicycles and more are welcome. Santa and Mrs. Claus will also make an appearance. Once at the park, parade watchers will enjoy a show by the dancing holiday lights. Lights are choreographed to music, which can be heard by tuning in to a designated radio station.

At about 7 p.m., carolers will take to the streets to drum up holiday cheer by singing tunes such as “We wish you a Merry Christmas,” “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” and “Silent Night.”

 

Queensbury

Breakfast with Santa

Have Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Applebee’s Bar and Grill at 255 Quaker Rd. Bring your camera for this great photo opportunity. All tickets are $5 and include pancakes, bacon and a beverage. Pre-sale tickets are strongly encouraged. All proceeds will be turned into the Relay for Life in Greenwich. For more information invite Honor & Memory on FaceBook.

 

 

VERMONT

Bennington

Family Day and Children’s Shopping Day

The Bennington Museum will host a Family Day and Children’s Shopping Day on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Celebrate the season with $3 admission to the museum for everyone. Any child who brings new school supplies or a non-perishable school snack for children in the Seedling Program is admitted free. All crafts and visits with Santa are free. Visit Santa from 1 to 3 p.m. The Children’s Shopping Boutique will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. offering a wide range of gifted from $1 to $10. Free gift-wrapping and gift tags are included.

 

Fair Haven

Holiday House at the Fair Haven Free Library

This year the Fair Haven Free Library will be hosting its 20th annual Holiday House, on Tuesday Nov. 28 at the library.  The fun begins with at 6:30 p.m. where children will find Santa and Mrs. Claus who will listen to their Christmas wishes and pose for pictures. Stories will be read and yummy refreshment will be available until Santa leaves at 7:30 p.m. Upstairs in the library Christmas songs will be heard throughout as the Friends and Neighbors Barbershop Chorus will entertain those gathered at 6:30 p.m. in the reading room. At 7:30 the “Holiday House Players” will entertain the adults with a Christmas skirt called “Laughing all the way.” There are also delicious goodies baked by patrons of the library and also a chance to win unique gifts at the free raffle. The Fair Haven Free Library is located on 107 North Main Street in Fair Haven. For more information, please call 802-265-8011.

 

Manchester

Family Holiday Celebration

The Manchester Community Library will be hosting a Super Saturday Family Holiday Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 10:30 a.m. Santa Claus will be there along with the Manchester Lions Club Elf Express Conductor and Elvis. The popular program will feature stories, crafts, snacks, and photo ops with Santa. Free program and open to the public. The Manchester Library is located on 138 Cemetery Avenue in Manchester Center. For more information, please call the library at 802-549-4580

 

Poultney

Santa Story Time

The Poultney Public Library will host its fourth annual Santa Story Time on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m.  Santa will arrive at 6:30 p.m. in front of the library on a Poultney Volunteer Fire Department fire engine.  He will then lead the children down Main Street to the Poultney town office where library staff will then serve cocoa and cookies.  There will be nut and gluten-free options available as well.

Kids will get to meet with Santa and receive a candy cane.  Following the meet-and-greet, Santa will hold a countdown to light the town Christmas tree.

The town Christmas tree will boast memory lights sold by the St. Raphael’s Ladies Guild to benefit the Poultney Food Shelf and the Poultney Women’s Club Tree of Giving.  Father Daniel Jordan of St. Raphael’s Church will make a few remarks on the memory lights during the tree lighting.

For more information, contact the library at [email protected] or call 802-287-5556

 

 

West Pawlet

Holiday Bazaar

On Saturday, Dec. 2, the West Pawlet Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary will hold its annual Holiday Bazaar at the West Pawlet Fire House, 2806 Route 153 Main Street, West Pawlet, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy a cut of the famous Auxiliary Corn Chowder along with hot dog, hamburgers, cheeseburgers or salad at family-friendly prices. Santa will be arriving at 1 p.m. Vendors will offer unique crafts, gifts and greens. Holiday raffles include 50/50 drawing, complete ham dinner, and a table filled with attractive gifts. Raffle drawings begin at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call Anne at 802-645-0174.