Organizers have announced that the 2016 Newtown Holiday Festival & House Tour will take place Sunday, December 4, from 11 am until 4 pm. Proceeds from the event that appeals to multiple generations - the 31st annual offering - will again benefit Newtown Youth & Family Services.

"The Holiday Festival is a beloved holiday tradition here in Newtown," said Candice Bohr, executive director of NYFS. "We are extremely grateful for the support of Newtown Savings Bank as title sponsor. They continue to support our mission and initiatives throughout town."

NYFS Director of Operations & Development Matt Ariniello also offered thanks for another group of people who are important for part of the success of each year's event.

"We are very grateful for the homeowners that open their houses for us to host the Festival," Mr Ariniello said. "There is so much rich history in Newtown and we are glad these homeowners are able to share it with the community."

Activities will again be centered along Main Street.

There will be four private homes on the walking tour, with docents at each location to share details of each location's history. A shuttle will be offering rides between the homes.

Trinity Episcopal Church, 36 Main Street, will be open for tours, lunch, and its annual Lessons & Carols service.

Edmond Town Hall, at 45 Main Street, will host performances of The Nutcracker Ballet by students of Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet & Voice, in its theater. Admission for either performance, at noon and 2 pm, is with a full Holiday Festival ticket or patrons can purchase an $8 ticket for just the ballet performance.

A Holiday Tea in the Alexandria Room, on the former town hall's third floor, will offer mulled apple cider and tea, and of fresh baked scones and tea breads. Live music will welcome all who spend some time at this popular event. Each Holiday Festival ticket will get its holder one baked good and tea or cider.

The Festival of Trees - decorated miniature trees (varying shapes and sizes; live, and artificial, as well as stuffed, ceramic, and wood) and wreaths, all raffled off - will be presented in the town hall gymnasium. Local businesses, organizations and families donate the decorated items. Those interested in donating a tree should contact cynthia.hughes@coldwellbankermoves.com.

The gymnasium will also be the location for Kids Corner and an interactive train display. In one area of the gymnasium, children will be invited to participate in Christmas cookie decorating, crafts, writing letters to Santa, face painting, and temporary tattoos.

Elsewhere, an interactive train display will be set up and children will even be invited to control the trains.

The historic building will also the be starting point for children's Polar Express rides along Main Street, traveling toward Whoville. The rides will end at C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, where children and families will be greeted by The Grinch and his dog Max (1 to 3 pm). Polar Express tickets are $3 each; they are not part of the Holiday Festival ticket.

Gingerbread House Contest entries will be displayed inside the library. This year's theme is "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." Entries will put into one of two age categories: Youth, for ages 17 and under; and Adult, for ages 18 and over.

Entries will need to be fully edible (except for the base), and will need to be dropped off at the library on Saturday, December 3, between 9 am and 5 pm.

They will be displayed and judged by 3:30 pm Sunday, December 4, and the decorators do not need to be present to win.

Organizers are asking those who create a gingerbread house to leave it on view until Tuesday, December 5.

Entry forms and complete details are available online at newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org.

Also returning, by very popular demand, will be Trolley Tours narrated by Town Historian Daniel Cruson. Tours (separate from the shuttle between House Tour locations), each lasting 30 minutes, have been scheduled to begin at 11:15 am, and 12:15, 2 and 3 pm. Departure will be from the courtyard of Edmond Town Hall.

Wine Tasting

New this year will be a Holiday Festival Kick-Off Wine & Beer Tasting.

This event will be at Rock Ridge Country Club, 214 Sugar Street, on Saturday, December 3. From 6:30 until 9:30 pm, guests will enjoy beer and wine tastings, sounds of the season, light food and hors d'oeuvres, and even the opportunity to do some holiday shopping.

Tickets are $40 for an individual, $75 for a couple, and available through newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org.

Help Needed & Ticket Information

Holiday Festival & House Tour organizers are seeking people to work as docents, answering questions and leading tours at the homes on this year's event. All tours will remain on the main/first floor of each home.

Morning and afternoon shifts are being scheduled, which will allow docents to spend a few hours volunteering and a few hours enjoying the festival. Volunteers will be given a free ticket for the house tour and festival.

Access to most Holiday Festival events is by ticket. Contact Brid Craddock, at 203-448-0758 or bridcraddock@gmail.com, for details about or to sign up to volunteer.

Tickets for the festival are $12 each, or $25 for a family (two adults and two children, with additional children $5 each), and on sale now. They can be purchased at Newtown Youth & Family Services, 13 Berkshire Road; or online through newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org. Click on Upcoming Events, and then Holiday Festival.

Tickets are also available in advance at Newtown's two Newtown Savings Bank branches: 39 Main Street and within Sand Hill Plaza, 228 South Main Street.

Proceeds benefit NYFS by providing financial assistance for programs and services.

Located at 13-15 Berkshire road, NYFS is licensed by the department of children & families as an outpatient clinic for children, and by the department of Public Health as a psychiatric outpatient clinic for adults and as a facility for the care or treatment of substance abuse or dependent persons. It is not a crisis center, but a place where residents across the greater Danbury area can participate in ongoing support groups, receive individualized counseling, or take part in any number of activities and events that are created for all ages.

NYFS is a nonprofit mental health clinic and youth service bureau.

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