Art Exhibits, Museums Historic Places       ___________________________

 

The Barnum Museum, 820 Main St, Bridgeport; 203-331-1104.

Through Jan 4: “Celebrate the Season,” museum’s period rooms decorated in elaborate 19th Century style demonstrating early trends & later elaborate ornaments became part of American tradition; Dec 30, Celebrate the Season For Kids, 11 am-noon, $7 adults, $4 ages 4-17 (incl museum adm), grades K-4 invited for age-appropriate gallery tour of “Celebrate the Season,” to be followed by craft time, reservations requested (program also being offered Jan 2); Dec 31: Best Night-New Year’s Eve Celebration, Barnum Museum, Playhouse on the Green & City Lights Gallery, downtown Bridgeport, 4-8 pm, $5 adults, $3 children, storytelling, magician, puppeteer, face painting, balloon animals & craft activities for all ages.

Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown; 426-4533.

In Olga Knoepke Meeting Room (lower meeting room) — Through Dec 20: “NHS Art Portfolio Students,” works by the 13 Newtown High School seniors in Diane Dutchick’s college prep art course.

Institute for American Indian Studies, 38 Curtis Rd, Washington;

860-868-0518.

Through Dec 31: “Made For Trade: Realities of Economic Survival,” articles once made for personal use that eventually became valuable commodities to be sold or traded for manufactured goods.

Through Dec 31: “Digging Into The Past: Archaeology in Connecticut,” exploration of tools & techniques archaeologists use to uncover past histories, w/ focus on CT sites incl Templeton site in Washington, Tubbs Shellheap in Niantic & Schaghticoke Village in Kent.

Through Dec 31: “The Venture Smith Homestead Site,” expanded collection features items from 18th Century African prince, ex-captive & free black American merchant farmer.

Through Dec 31: “Mississippi Peoples and Their Pottery,” effigy vessels made in form of animal or human, also globular bowls & hooded bottles made during era starting ca 700 AD.

Koenig FrameWorks, 97 South Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 270-1887.

Through Dec 24: “Perspective,” photographs by Art Anderson, Bob Berthier & Frank Gardner.

Mattatuck Museum Art & History Center, 144 West Main St, Waterbury; 203-753-0381.

Through Dec 28: “The Brave and Valiant: The History of the Waterbury Fire Department,” historic photos, oral histories & memorabilia loaned by local firefighters & their families.

Mocha Coffee House, 3 Glen Rd, Sandy Hook; 364-9200.

Through Dec 31: paintings by artist & teacher Claudia Mitchell.

Osborne Homestead Museum, 500 Hawthorne Ave, Derby; 734-2513.

Through Dec 21: “A Christmas Carol in Derby,” scenes from Dickens’ classic will be created within rooms of museum by volunteer members of local garden clubs; Dec 19, Twilight Tour, 4-6:30 pm.

Savage Studio, 93 Mill Plain Rd, Danbury. Call 743-3000.

Through Dec 24: “Studies in Form,” new works in porcelain & stoneware vases incl functional pcs & sculptures by Phyllis Savage.

Visual Impact Gallery, 4 Eagle Rd, Danbury; 790-9650.

Through Dec 31: “Holiday Arts Festival,” limited edition prints by more than 40 nationally recognized artists & photographers.

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, 600 Main St, Hartford; 860-278-2670, TDD 860-278-0294.

Through Dec 30: “Faith & Fortune: Five Centuries of European Masterworks,” pairing of 60 of museum’s Old Master paintings following three-year national tour w/ sculpture & decorative arts from the museum’s permanent collections incl works of Fra Angelico, Caravaggio, Hals, Zurbaran, Canaletto, Boucher, Tiepelo, et al.

Concerts, Musical Events       ______________

Dec 20: The Flagpole Radio Café, Edmond Town Hall Alexandria Room, 45 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, begins 7 pm, $10, $5 seniors & students, live music, theatrical performance, refreshments; 364-0898.

Dec 21: Annual Christmas Carol Sing, Veterans Field gazebo, Rte 37 Center, Sherman, 7 pm, all invited to join members of The Sherman Church for traditional Christmas carols, hot cocoa & other goodies provided.

Dec 28: 8th Annual Concert Society Chamber Orchestra Holiday Concert, Trinity Episcopal Church, 36 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 8 pm, tickets $30 (must be purchased or reserved in advance; no ticket sales at door), program to incl debut of new composition by William David Brohn, also works of Vivaldi, Williams & Tchaikovsky, guest soprano Maria Ferrante, performance conducted by Richard Serbagi, reception to follow, fundraiser for Newtown Parent Connection; 426-9280, 994-5394.

Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies & Performing Arts, 80 East Ridge Ave, Ridgefield. Call 203-438-5795.

Performances 8 pm unless noted: Dec 19, Mohegan Sun All Stars, $40; Dec 30, Gregg Allman, $90.

For Kids & Families ______________________

Dec 20-31: 21st annual Hands-On Train Display, Railroad Station, 11 Railroad St, New Milford, 12-4 pm daily (closed Christmas Day only), free, four operating layouts for all ages to enjoy; 860-354-6080.

Dec 30: Celebrate the Season For Kids, The Barnum Museum, 820 Main St, Bridgeport, 11 am-noon, grades K-4 invited for age-appropriate gallery tour of “Celebrate the Season,” to be followed by craft time, reservations requested (program also being offered Jan 2); 203-331-1104 x106.

Dec 30: Teddy Bears, Toys & Tea at The Mattatuck Museum Arts & History Center, 144 West Main St, Waterbury, 1-3 pm, $5/child ($4 museum members), scavenger hunt, tea party, guest story teller Rita Hughes & refreshments, children encouraged to bring stuffed animal w/ them, registration requested; 203-753-0381 x10.

Miscellaneous ___________________________

Through Dec 20: Danbury Museum Holiday Bazaar, Danbury Museum & Historical Society, 43 Main St, Danbury, Tues-Sat 10 am-4 pm, handmade items, Byers Choice carolers, Boyd’s resin figures, tree ornaments & more; 743-5200.

Through Dec 21: Holiday Decorations at David Northrop House/Old Store Museum Shop, 10 Rte 37, Sherman, Thurs-Sun 12-4 pm (also open house Sun, Dec 7), Northrop House decorated w/ Mother Goose theme this year, also festival of decorations for enjoying & shopping; 860-354-3083.

Through Dec 21: “A Christmas Carol” at Osborne Homestead Museum, 500 Hawthorne Ave, Derby, Thurs-Sun 10 am-4 pm, each room of museum decorated by local garden clubs following A Christmas Carol theme, guided tours available, Twilight Tours (Dec 5, 12 & 19, 4-6:30 pm); 734-2513.

Through Dec 22: Folk Art Santas, Navone Studios, 165 Hanover Rd, Newtown, weekends, also weekdays after 5, by appt only, new selection of hand carved & painted folk art sants for viewing & purchase; 426-2927.

Through Dec 13: 41st Annual Gingerbread Village & Bazaar, St George’s Church, Tucker Hill Rd, Middlebury, Mon-Fri 2-4 & 6-8 pm, Sat 10 am4 pm, free adm, tableau to incl 57+ houses, 100+ snowmen, 30 gingerbread citizens, children, sledding, trees & other holiday items, all created by members of church; 203-758-9557.

Dec 19: Twilight Tour of Osborne Homestead Museum, 500 Hawthorne Ave, Derby, 4-6:30 pm, tours of museum, lit by candlelight, decorated by local garden clubs for holidays following A Christmas Carol theme; 734-2513.

Dec 20: The Flagpole Radio Café, Edmond Town Hall Alexandria Room, 45 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, begins 7 pm, $10, $5 seniors & students, live music, theatrical performance, refreshments; 364-0898.

Dec 20-31: 21st annual Hands-On Train Display, Railroad Station, 11 Railroad St, New Milford, 12-4 pm daily (closed Christmas Day only), free, four operating layouts for all ages to enjoy; 860-354-6080.

Dec 21: “Establishing Our Selves, Our Families and Our World in Peace: Meditation, Prayer & Gratitude,” Woodbury Yoga Center, 122 West Side Rd, Woodbury, 7 pm, free program led by yoga teacher Yanaki Pierson, tea reception to follow; 263-2254.

Dec 31: Best Night-New Year’s Eve Celebration, Barnum Museum, Playhouse on the Green & City Lights Gallery, downtown Bridgeport, 4-8 pm, $5 adults, $3 children, storytelling, magician, puppeteer, face painting, balloon animals & craft activities for all ages; 203-331-1104.

Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-2475.

Special Events:

(FILM) Dec 19-23: The Polar Express (G), Fri-Sat 7 & 9 pm, Sun-Thurs 7 pm, mat Sat-Sun 1 & 4 pm, Tues 1 pm.

Newtown Chess Club, at C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-4533.

Weekly games, Sat 1-5 pm, drop-in chess open to all skill levels, sets & boards provided, hosted by US Chess Federation expert Glenn Budzinski.

Newtown VNA Thrift Shop, Edmond Town Hall (lower level), 45 Main Street, New-town. Call 270-4377.

Shop is open every Wed 12-3 pm & Sat 9 am-noon, access is from town hall’s back parking lot, shop carries discounted items from local businesses & private donors incl clothing, sm home accessories & more.

Shepaug Eagle Observation Area, Shepaug Housatonic Hydroelectric Station, River Rd, Southbury. Call (Tues-Fri 9 am-3 pm) 800-368-8954.

Seasonal: Observation area open Dec 27 to March 11 only, Wed, Sat-Sun 9 am-1 pm, free adm but reservations absolutely required (reservations line now open).

Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-6224 (ask for Betty) or 264-3728 (ask for Krista).

Non-profit weight loss support group meets every Mon 6:30-7:30 pm (weigh-ins 5:45-6:15, meetings 6:30-7:30), meetings $2/week, membership $24/year.

Treehouse Comedy Productions.

Shows at The New Sorrento, 32 Newtown Rd, Danbury (call 744-5575), shows 9 pm & tickets $15 unless noted: Dec 20, Eric McMahon headlining, Darren Dillon & Andy Hayward opening; Dec 27, comic ventriloquist Pete Michaels & Billy Winn co-headlining, John Ivarone opening; Dec 31, New Year’s Eve w/ Rich Vos, Bonnie McFarlane & Mitchell Walters, shows at 8 (tickets $29.95) & 10 pm ($39.95), both incl champagne toast, party favors, dancing, show & dinner available.

Theatre  _________________________________

Downtown Cabaret Theatre, 263 Golden Hill St, Bridgeport. Call 203-576-1636.

42nd Street, through Jan 4, curtain Fri 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun 5:30 & 8:30 pm, tickets $49 Fri-Sat, $39 Sun; Dec 31, New Year’s Eve Gala, curtain 8 pm, tickets $75, performance followed by dancing w/ DJ Jimmy Cabaret until 2 am, party favors & noise makers, balloon drop, coffee & Danish, set ups, soda, mixers & parking.

Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Dr, New Haven. Call 203-787-4282.

On Stage II: Sister’s Christmas Catechism, through Dec 21, curtain Tues-Wed 7 pm, Fri-Sat 8 pm, mat Sat 3 pm, Sun & Wed 2 pm, tickets $20-$25.

Playhouse on the Green, 177 State Street, Bridgeport. Call 203-333-3666.

The Santaland Diaries and Season’s Greetings, through Dec 21, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm (also Thurs, Dec 18), mat Sun 3 pm, tickets $27 adults, $25 seniors, $15 students.

TheatreWorks New Milford, 5 Brookside Ave, New Milford. Call

860-350-6863.

Mrs Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge, through Dec 31, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun (Dec 21) 2 pm; Dec 31, New Year’s Eve gala fundraising performance, curtain 8 pm, tickets $50 incl hors d’oeuvres & open bar (wine & beer), soft drinks.

Town Players of Newtown, at The Little Theatre, Orchard Hill Rd, Newtown. Call 270-9144.

Panto Puss in Boots, through Dec 20, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun 2 pm, tickets $15, $10 age 12 & under.

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Events that appear by date have Newtown items listed first, with additional events listed by their start time. At the time of printing, the information here is accurate as presented; a call ahead is always a good idea to be safe.

DEADLINE INFORMATION

Press releases for the Enjoy calendar of events or the Enjoy section must be received by MONDAY NOON for publication in that week’s edition of The Newtown Bee. Send to the attention of Shannon Hicks, Associate Editor, Newtown Bee, 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown CT 06470, or to shannon@thebee.com. Photos are welcome and can be black & white or color, but must be in sharp focus. Please call for specs if you plan to email digital photo files.