HAMDEN -- In an effort to spread holiday cheer, the Arts, Recreation and Culture Department on Saturday will host the annual Silverbells festival.

Activities will take place between the Miller Cultural Center, 2901 Dixwell Ave., and Town Center Park, 2761 Dixwell Ave. The event culminates with caroling and the annual tree lighting at 4:15 and a visit from Santa at 4:30 p.m.

From 2 to 4 p.m. there will be face painting at Miller. The Robert Rogers Puppet Theater will present "The Steadfast Tin Solider at 2:30 p.m. Admission is $2 for children and $3 for adults.

At the Town Center Park, hayrides will be from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Carousel rides, holiday crafts, button making, face painting, free cider, and munchies will be available.

Caroling with the Hamden Girl Scouts, will be at 3:45.

Members of the community are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy to donate to the Hamden Kids Holiday Toy Drive.

In the event of heavy rain, or snow outdoor activities will be postponed to Sunday. For more information visit, http://www.hamdenartscommission.org.

BRING THE KIDDIES...

The center of town will be filled with holiday revelry when the Hamden Arts Commission presents the annual Silverbells Festival and a new veterans organization will hold a holiday concert and winter coat drive on Saturday Dec. 3.

Silverbells takes place from 2 to 6 p.m. in Town Center Park and the Miller Cultural Center at 2901 Dixwell Ave.

Face painting will take place at Miller from 2 to 4 p.m. and at 3 p.m., the Crabgrass Puppet Theatre will present "Mr. Punch’s Christmas Carol," an adaptation of the Dickens’ classic holiday story.

In the park at 2761 Dixwell, there will be carousel rides, hayrides and other activities from 2 to 6 p.m. Caroling with the Hamden girl scouts starts at 2. Community caroling and the tree lighting ceremony starts at 4:15. Taylor and Jordan Jacques are expected to light the tree. Santa is arriving on a fire truck at 4:30.

Later, Vets Link is having a holiday concert from 7 to 10 p.m. in Veterans Memorial Auditorium at the Hamden Middle School, 2623 Dixwell Ave.

Admission is $25 or a coat or jacket donation. The coat drive wil help needy and homeless veterans.

An instrumental rock trio of Charlie Martinez, Kerry Agnew and Paul Gilmore will play, as well as The American Relics and Garrett "Diamond" Walker in a Neil Diamond Tribute. Cassandra Martinez is the hostess.

And if you're in the mood for other music, go to Hamden Plains United Methodist Church, corner of Dixwell Avenue and Church Street, for a holiday concert at 7. A silent auction takes place at 4:30. It's all to celebrate the church's 197th anniversary. The Rev. Soon Ahn is now at the helm.

CHRISTMAS IN NORTH HAVEN

NORTH HAVEN'S ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY AND HOLIDAY EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 2 TO 5 P.M. SUNDAY DEC. 5 AT THE RECREATION CENTER ON LINSLEY STREET AND ON THE TOWN GREEN ON CHURCH STREET. YOU CAN SEE SANTA'S WORKSHOP INSIDE, AND PARTICIPATE IN COOKIE DECORATING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.
THE RAIN DATE IS FROM 3 TO 6 P.M. MONDAY DEC. 6.
MEANWHILE, THE NORTH HAVEN EDUCATION FOUNDATION IS CONTINUING ITS LIGHT THE WAY TO EDUCATION FUNDRAISER. LUMINARIA WILL BE ON DISPLAY ON THE GREEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TREE LIGHTING. LUMINARIA ARE $5 AND CAN BE DEDICATED TO ANYONE, EVEN A FAVORITE TEACHER! 

Hamden's Silverbells Festival to Light Up Town Center Park

 

Hamden's annual Silverbells celebration will be filled with holiday lights and community merrymaking. The winter holiday festival, to be held on from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday Dec. 4, (rain date: Dec. 5, 3 - 6 pm), will include a puppet show and face painting indoors, and hayrides, carousel rides, holiday crafts, a tree-lighting ceremony, community caroling and Santa's arrival by fire truck at Town Center Park.  Jordan and Taylor Jacques have been asked to light the tree.

 

Attendees are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy for Hamden's toy drive.

 

FRIDAY FROLIC WITH THE ELKS AND WHITNEY PLAYERS

Hamden Lodge #2224 presents a Cabaret Night fundraiser featuring entertainment by the Whitney Players on Friday, Dec. 3 at the Hamden Lodge, 175 School Street. 5 to 10 p.m. Adults $25, children under 12 $12.50. Buffet dinner, cash bar. Proceeds to benefit the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and the Whitney Players. For more information or tickets contact, Gary Prosco (203) 887-4755.    

The Hamden Lodge #2224 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elk's will be conducting its annual memorial service on at 1 p.m. Sunday Dec. 5. Speaking will be lodge member, Rev. Owen Sanderson. This service will be honoring the following 12 members who have died since the service of December 2010: Leonard Westwood, Robert Schick, Walter Cleary, George Gray, Walter Remian, Pasquale Barbato, John Cuozzo,  Charles Hahn, John Jurkiewicz, Sean Gallagher, Dr. Robert Reynolds and Joseph Bourneuf.

All  family or friends of these departed members are welcome to attend this remembrance service. Contact Karen Forsyth at (203) 887-2967 or the Hamden Elk's Lodge (203) 248-2224 for information.

SILVERBELLS ART EXHIBITION OPENS DEC. 7

  

The Hamden Art League will celebrate the holiday season with its annual Silverbells Art Exhibition December 7 - 21, 2010 at the Miller Memorial Library Senior Center,

2901 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden

.  The show will feature original oils, acrylics, watercolors, graphics, pastels and mixed media by Hamden Art League members, with many pieces available for purchase.  Viewing will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Juror of awards will be John Falato, a painter and professor of art at Paier College of Art in Hamden.  An opening reception will be held on Tuesday, December 7 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the Social Hall of the Senior Center.  The public is invited to attend.  www.hamdenartleague.com

WREATHS ARE COMING!

On December 8, 2010, Wreaths Across America will stop at Hamden Middle School en-route to Arlington National cemetery.  Wreaths Across America will donate approximately 12,000 wreaths to be placed on the headstones at Arlington National Cemetery as well as another 100,00 at 24 veterans’ cemeteries, and aboard several U.S. ships.  Their route into Hamden will be off the Route 40 Connector, down Whitney to Dixwell and then into the Hamden Middle School. They will return around noon on the same route. People are urged to salute them.

·        10:45 AM – Four trailer trucks with ten other vehicles accompanied by American Legion riders along with a Connecticut State Police and Hamden Police Department escort will arrive.  A presentation to students will follow in Veterans Memorial Auditorium of the middle school, 2623 Dixwell Ave.  Students will accompany WAA officials for a wreath laying ceremony at the Hamden Veterans Monument.

·        11:45 – WAA departs HMS.

Please contact Abner Oakes at 203-215-4675 or Gerry Tobin in the Mayor’s Office  203-287-7102  for further information.