Holiday Favorites Back With

The 26th Annual Festival

By Nancy K. Crevier, Kendra Bobowick, Eliza Hallabeck, and Andy Hutchison

A balmy evening with not a snowflake in sight enticed greater than normal numbers of Newtown residents to follow the shimmering path of luminarias lighting Borough streets and encircling Hawley Pond to the annual Ram Pasture Tree Lighting, presented by the Newtown Chamber of Commerce, Friday, December 2. After a brutal 2010-11 winter, followed by two devastating storms in August and October, residents seemed ready to shake off the old year and celebrate the holiday season.

Toddlers rode on shoulders to see above the crowd, and children wove in and out of lightly bundled bodies to reach the cider station where Union Savings Bank employees handed out delicious holiday cookies, and employees of People’s United Bank poured cups of apple cider. The adults took the time before the 7 pm tree lighting to greet friends warmly, and all listened with rapt attention as members of the Newtown High School Singers performed. Joining the NHS Singers this year were children from the Merryhill Child Care Center on Queen Street. Newtown High School Dance Team dancers clad in winter white sweaters entertained as well, eliciting well-earned applause.

As the 7 pm hour of grew near, the countdown began: “Ten, nine, eight…” Representatives of the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department threw the switch and the Ram Pasture holiday tree burst into a blaze of multicolored lights. Voices were raised once more: “Ten, nine, eight…” The secondary holiday tree was illuminated with twinkling white lights.

Also on hand was that jolly elf from the North Pole, Santa Claus, who along with Mrs Claus handed out candy canes, seated in a sleigh pulled by Rudolph and his pals. The official start to the holidays was underway in the village.

Bright and early Saturday morning, the events of the Newtown Savings Bank Presents the 26th Annual Holiday Festival to Benefit the Newtown Youth & Family Services and other activities were already attracting crowds.

Last year’s greens sale by the Garden Club of Newtown was so popular that members warned early on in the week that buyers should not hesitate if planning to attend this year. When Garden Club members opened the Meeting House doors at 9 am on Saturday, where pews were hung with dozens of handmade wreaths and swags, and the altar lined with items crafted by the Garden Club members, they were greeted by a swarm of shoppers.

“It’s crazy in here, but isn’t it beautiful?” commented member Beth Caldwell, walking down the aisle decorated with wreaths.

Within an hour, customers had carried away well over half of the beautiful decorations, and by 11:30 am, an hour and a half earlier than the advertised closing hour, members of the Garden Club of Newtown were already sweeping the last of the loose pine needles out of the building.

“I think we have just two wreaths left,” said Holly Kocet.

Just down Main Street, in the C.H. Booth Library, activity was bubbling over Saturday morning as well. The annual Festival of the Trees, always a popular Holiday Festival event, was in full swing in the meeting room of the library.

Tabletop trees decorated and donated by various individuals and organizations around town filled two long tables. Other tables were arranged with holiday decorations and gift baskets, and visitors threaded their ways around the larger, full-sized trees set strategically around the room.

Girl Scout Troop 50433 provided a table display of an angel choir made with handily folded paper dresses, gold doily wings, and pipe cleaners haloes. A small pine cone tree draped with holiday ribbons and frosted gold and ruby balls was the contribution of Women Involved in Newtown, the perfect foil to the grapevine reindeer frisking nearby, decked out for the holidays, and donated by Denise Rodriguez.

Girl Scout Troop 50651 donated a wooden sleigh centerpiece loaded with silk red and white poinsettias and frosted pine boughs. From the Urso family came a miniature purple garland Christmas tree, hung with shiny stars. Linda Mann of Newtown Country Mill on Route 302 donated a plump snowman doll dressed in white felt clothing, and from Girl Scout Troop 50701 came a full-sized tree decorated in a patriotic theme.

Visitors were welcomed to browse, or to take part in the raffle to win any of the items on display. All money from raffle tickets sold each year at the Festival of the Trees supports Newtown Youth & Family Services.

Just outside the meeting room, it was wall to wall with eager book lovers crowded along the tables stretched from front to back in the hall. The annual Friends of the C.H. Booth Library Holiday Book Sale greeted a nonstop crowd of buyers.

“I come every year to this book sale, “ said New Milford teacher Kris Kivela. “The prices are amazing, and I always find the best books here for my classroom,” she said. She clutched a copy of The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson as she spoke. “I use it for inferencing in the class, so I’m pretty excited. We don’t have a lot of money available for books, but I can always count on finding great deals here,” she said.

Stacks Of Pancakes

While shoppers swept through the greens sale at the Meeting House, bombarded the book sale, and admired the decorated trees, at the other end of Main Street, Rotary Club members had been piling pancakes and sausages onto the plates of hundreds of hungry Newtowners since 8 am, in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall. The annual pancake breakfast is a huge fundraiser for the local organization that supports numerous local and worldwide charitable efforts. Held on the same weekend as the Annual Holiday Festival in recent years, the Rotary Club has actually been serving up an annual morning breakfast for 51 years, said Rotarian John Trentacosta. And manning the grill for 51 years has been Dr Bob Grossman, his tall chef’s hat perched atop his head.

“Everything is just delicious,” said Tricia Johnson, as she finished up her breakfast. “It’s a great morning,” she added.

As if a stack of tasty pancakes was not wonderful enough, dancers from the Lathrop School of Dance entertained breakfast guests. “The Reindeer Dancers” pranced on stage, delighting all with holiday-inspired numbers.

Sandy Hook Center

Revelers filled Sandy Hook Center Saturday afternoon and made their way through stores opening their doors for free coffee and hot chocolate, buffet tables, sales specials, and more. Business owners, including Mike Kerler of Sandy Hook Wine & Liquor, welcomed guests on behalf of the Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity, SHOP, which presented the tree-lighting event.

Eyes sparkling at her first glimpse of Santa, 7-month-old Madelyn Taylor watched him cross the room while her mother Amy Belval smiled.

Santa stepped outside and passed Cleo Conk on the sidewalk where she handed out cotton candy. Children rushed to see what Santa had in his bag of goodies.

For more than an hour residents enjoyed walking through SHOP stores in Sandy Hook, or taking the opportunity to drop off canned goods at a variety of locations. Sisters Ariana and Faerin Parker dropped off donations at one collection site. Other guests supported Danielle Mola and Kayla Kordish, who were collecting funds for the D15 Newtown High School cheerleaders. Across the street from the girls, at Porco’s Karate Studio, instructors ran students through routines while guests enjoyed the demonstrations.

By 6 pm the party squeezed closer to the tree where a DJ played carols and singers took turns leading songs. Seconds after Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue member Andy DeWolfe threw the switch and lit the tree, those gathered at the Sandy Hook Tree Lighting on the corner of Washington and Church Hill Road gave a cheer. The tree lit the corner and spread its colorful light on the early December holiday celebration. Upturned faces reflected a rainbow of colors thrown from the lights on the tall evergreen overlooking Washington Avenue.

The participating SHOP businesses made the event a success in that they helped with the cost of luminarias, banners, advertising, and more, said SHOP Vice President Mike Kerler.

 

[naviga:h2 style="line-height:10.0pt"]Main Street’s Story [/naviga:h2]

Santa celebrated the season again Sunday, December 4, while he waved at passersby traveling along Main Street. Catching him in front of the Edmond Town Hall, young Zoe Lonsinger rushed to whisper her holiday wishes in his ear. Running back to her parents and laughing she turned back to Santa and asked, “What do you want for Christmas?”

Standing on the town hall steps, Town Historian Dan Cruson gave up secrets about the historic homes along Main Street and their past residents. Homeowners were bankers, tavern owners, merchants, etc. Leading a slow stroll along the sidewalk, he said, “We’re going to wander up the street…” along the way he stopped in front of various homes to tell stories about the structures, their owners, and any historic details.

He talked about the flagpole’s history, and legislation that passed to keep it at the center of Main Street. Standing at the junction of Church Hill and Main Street, he said, “This is truly the heart of town…whenever you give directions, what do you start with?” A few of those on the tour murmured, “The flagpole…”

 

[naviga:h2 style="line-height:10.0pt"]Gingerbread Real Estate [/naviga:h2]

The Festival of the Trees and the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library Holiday Book Sale continued to draw crowds on Sunday, and on the main level of the library, admirers gathered around the entries into the Gingerbread House Contest.

“It’s amazing what they do,” commented Lila Dvorin, as she gazed at one entry, a depiction of Ram’s Pasture. Other house builders created tasty versions of the Old Woman Who Lived In The Shoe, an elaborate Victorian mansion, a Christmas turkey, and Newtown’s own Ice Cream Shop.

NYFS judges have named the winners of the Gingerbread House Contest as follows: First Place Overall was awarded to the Lindquist Family, for the Victorian mansion. First Place, Adult Division went to Dianne and Scott Orlando for Ice Cream Shop. First Place, Family Division was awarded to Mackenzie and Paula Hughes for The Old Woman Who Lived In The Shoe. In the Child Division, Grades 3–5, First Place went to Brownie Troop 50040 for Ram Pasture, and Second Place to Danika Rasmussen and Julia Barnum for the Christmas turkey.

Guests at the Teddy Bear Tea enjoyed a variety of baked goods, tea, or hot cider, while entries in the Best Dressed Teddy Bear contest, sponsored by Newtown Savings Bank, lined the edge of the stage in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall, Sunday afternoon. Not all of the “lovies” that came to the tea with their favorite small person were bears. Dolls and other stuffed pals sat propped on the tables, or peeked out from moms’ bags.

“Junie is my best friend,” declared Sonya Feder, 3, munching on a teacake and hugging her multicolored stuffed dog tightly.

Madison Foertsch, 4, fussed with the teddy bear she entered in the contest, adjusting his oversized green sunglasses and straightening out his knit sweater.

The atmosphere in the tea room was one of casual elegance, with servers dressed in red and green Victorian-style aprons, and the sounds of classical guitar music provided by Newtown Suzuki School students Yossi Kohrman-Glaser and Holden Speed drifting over the tables. Piano students of Patsy Beddoe-Stephens also provided gentle music as guests young and old took a break from the bustle of the holidays, quietly chatting.

The Nutcracker

The Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet’s Malenkee Ballet Repertoire Company, directed by Jennifer Johnston, again cast its spell on audiences with The Nutcracker Suite. Shows took the stage twice at noon and 2 pm, in the Edmond Town Hall auditorium, as dancers moved through the traditional holiday performance.

In the lobby, guests found handmade crafts, musical performances by Newtown Muddle School students, and a variety of items for sale as Girl Scout Troop 50651 raised funds for a future trip to Ireland, Italy, England, and France.

In the downstairs gymnasium, Robert Frangione with the Newtown Youth Academy (NYA), welcomed participants to join a basketball free throw contest. The activity was aimed at helping raise support for the Newtown Youth & Family Services, Mr Frangione said. Participants received prizes and gift certificates from local businesses. Also representing the NYA were Peter Kerns and Sinclaire Soré, who helped Lilly Chenoweth and her brother Joey shoot at the basket.

The holiday weekend activities culminated with the Stony Hill Four Corners Association Second Annual Hawleyville Tree Lighting, in front of the Hawleyville Post Office at 23 Barnabas Road in Hawleyville, where children gathered with their parents Sunday evening, some decked out in holiday outfits or wearing reindeer antlers, hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus. Friends and neighbors joined together, singing carols and dancing to the holiday tunes like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” performed by Bethel musicians Chris and Wendy Mitchell.

Assisting in the festivities at Hawleyville were members of the Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company, as everyone eagerly awaited the moment when the switch was thrown and the tree lit for the season. Making the evening even more special, was the collection of new, wrapped toys donated to support the Newtown Fund, providing a very merry holiday for local families in need, and a fitting ending to another special holiday weekend in Newtown.

To view a slide show of the weekend’s holiday activities, visit www.newtownbee.com.