It’s that time of year when Santa makes as many visits as he can to our little part of the world. There are all kinds of great events coming up this weekend and the next few weekends for the holiday season. The Neighb News is taking a two-week publishing break after this issue, so we’ve tried to include lots of extra events in this week’s issue.
First up….Fairhaven’s Old Time Holiday.
Old Time Holiday
See ad on page 6 and visit https://fairhaventours.com/fairhaven-old-time-holiday/ for details.
Get into the spirit of the holidays and find an array of holiday gifts, food, music, and old-fashioned good cheer by visiting Fairhaven on Saturday, December 14, 2019, for the 22nd annual Old-Time Holiday in the historical town center. Over the years it has become one of Fairhaven’s favorite events.
This year, as always, most of the Old-Time Holiday events take place during the day on Saturday, 12/14. Both the First Congregational Church, 34 Center Street, and the Unitarian Memorial Church, 102 Green Street, will hold fairs, with church members and outside vendors displaying a wide variety of items for sale. In a similar vein, about 25 of the town’s non-profit and school groups will have tables at the Town Hall, 40 Center Street. At these locations you’ll find handmade crafts, gifts, holiday greens, delicious baked goods, gift baskets, silent auction items to bid on, and more. In the Town Hall there will also be face painting and a few children’s activities. All three fairs run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Unitarian Church, a magnificent English-Gothic style “cathedral,” will also give guided tours of the sanctuary during the day.
The Millicent Library, 45 Center Street, will hold a book fair with many local authors signing and selling their books. (See ad on page 7.)
A short walk away, the lobby of the beautiful, Tudor style Our Lady’s Haven, 71 Center Street, will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for visits and photos with Santa. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served.
As lunch time rolls around, food will be available at three locations. A lobster roll luncheon will be held at the First Congregation Church. A soup and sandwich luncheon will take place at the Harrop Center 47 Center Street, an Elizabethan style cottage on the Unitarian Church property. On the Town Hall lawn, Boy Scout Troop 52 will be selling hotdogs, and in the first floor banquet room of the Town Hall the North Fairhaven Improvement Association will serve hot soups, meat pies, spinach pies, stuffed quahogs, chips, soda and water. There will also be cider and donuts available from the FHS Class of 2021 and popcorn from the Fairhaven Village Militia.
As you walk from place to place, you’ll hear the musical sounds of the Buttonwood Brass, made up of Michael Rocha, Paul Chadbourne, and Shawn Baptista, as they stroll around the area from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The live music is supported by the vendors of Fairhaven’s summertime Huttleston Marketplace.
At 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, the Fairhaven Improvement Association hosts its annual Sing-Along on the steps of Town Hall. There will be caroling led by Acushnet’s Miss Apple-Peach Tori Kalisz and the arrival of Santa on a fire engine. Then hot chocolate and snacks will be available inside in the auditorium.
On Sunday, December 15, St. Joseph School will hold a Breakfast with Santa at 100 Spring Street. Breakfast will include pancakes, sausages, juice, milk, and coffee. Tickets are $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for children and may be purchased at the door. Also, you may purchase pictures with your child and Santa for $5.00 and a canned good for the Food Pantry.
The final event of the weekend is a Service of Lessons and Carols at the Unitarian Memorial Church on Sunday, December 15, at 4:30 p.m. It features seasonal readings and music by the church choir, under the direction of Dwight Thomas. All are welcome. Donations are accepted. Visit www.uufairhaven.org
During Fairhaven’s 22nd annual Old-Time Holiday, people of all ages from throughout the SouthCoast area can find something to put them into the holiday spirit.
Visit https://fairhaventours.com/fairhaven-old-time-holiday/ for more information.
Fill the Bus
NOTE DATE CHANGE
Join the Fairhaven Police Department, Tremblay’s Bus, and Safe Zones at Walmart in Fairhaven, on Sun, 12/15, frm 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Please donate an unused, unwrapped toy that will be donated to local chuldren. We can’t begin to tell you how much it means to the families who would otherwise go without a few presents this holiday season.
There will be coffee and donuts and of course the great group of people from Tremblay Bus, Safe Zones, and our jolly officers! Don’t miss this great way to bring the community together.
Holiday House Tour
Sat., 12/14, from 4–8 p.m.; and Sun., 12/15, from 1–5 p.m.; at Wamsutta Club, 427 County Street
Capture the holiday spirit on the New Bedford Preservation Society’s 27th Annual Holiday House Tour. Visitors will be inspired by the varied architecture and interiors, all beautifully decorated for the season. The tour runs Saturday the 14th, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Many other 2019 Holiday Happenings are available on Destination New Bedford’s website at http://destinationnewbedford.org/holidays2019/
Young local author
Mike’s Big Space Adventure tells the story of a young boy who loves astronomy. One night, he dreams that he becomes a shooting star and travels through different galaxies in space, meeting new friends — and getting into some scary situations — but having a wonderful adventure along the way.
The newly published book, for ages 3 through 10, is poised to make its young Fairhaven author a shooting star himself in the highly competitive universe of children’s literature.
Reece Arnold is a dynamic, highly creative young man with interests in music, writing, and inventing. Fascinated by space since a young age, Arnold used his vivid imagination to create the many interesting friends the book’s main character, Mike, makes along his intergalactic journey.
Reece will be one of the authors featured at the Holiday Book Fair at the Millicent Library, 45 Center St., on Sat., 12/14, from 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m.
•••
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal.
Click here for this week’s issue: 12-12-19 BenoitSqSanta
