SOUTH COAST TODAY.com – Tuesday, Dec. 4
Dartmouth Grange hosting annual holiday concert
The Dartmouth Grange #162 is hosting its Annual Holiday Concert on Tuesday Dec. 4. This year’s event will showcase the many talents of Leonard Solomon and his amazing homemade instruments, including The Bellowphone.
“A favorite at the Dartmouth Grange Fair each September, Len is a classically trained musician, inventor, and one-man-orchestra who performs a unique recital of music and comedy,” a press release from the grange states. “The Bellowphone Show has been bringing music and laughter to audiences in this country and abroad for over 25 years. Len and his creations have appeared several times on national television, in venues from Jordan Hall, Boston, to theatres in Singapore and Japan.”
The Dartmouth Grange is dedicating this year’s concert in remembrance of a beloved Dartmouth Grange member, Wendy Holmes, who passed away earlier this fall.
The grange is located at 1133 Fisher Rd, North Dartmouth.
Friday, Dec. 7
Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Winter & Holiday Music
Musical duo Harper and The Minstrel will present their annual Holiday Concert at Somethin’s Brewin’ in Lakeville on Friday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.
A wide variety of traditional instruments including Celtic folk harp, bowed psaltery, recorders, viola da gamba, Irish wooden flute, penny whistles, mountain dulcimer, bowed dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, Baroque guitar and classical guitar will be featured.
Somethin’s Brewin’ is located on 241 Main Street, Lakeville. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The concert is free.
Ugly Sweater Christmas Party
The Holy Ghost Club of Westport will host an ugly sweater CHRISTMAS party on Friday, Dec. 7.
The night begins at 5 p.m. with a spaghetti dinner until 8 p.m. with music from Blues Train starting at 8 p.m.
There is a $15 donation for the dinner. A cash bar will be available, as a raffle and a 50/50 draw.
Tickets for the dinner should be reserved by Dec. 5 by contacting Joe Migliori at 774-488-7725, Lisa Cambra at 508-509-8901, Cassie Cambra at 774-929-5956 or the Holy Ghost Club 508-636-366.
Saturday, Dec. 8
Fairhaven to hold Old-Time Holiday
Visitors can get into the spirit of the holidays and find an array of holiday gifts, food, music, and old-fashioned good cheer in Fairhaven on Saturday, Dec. 8 for the 21st annual Old-Time Holiday in the historical town center.
In 1998, the Fairhaven Office of Tourism first launched what was then called the “Very Victorian Holiday,” bringing together about 30 non-profit, school, and church groups to create a weekend filled with old-fashioned holiday events. Previously, independent groups had held fairs, bazaars, concerts, luncheons, house tours, sing-alongs, and other activities over the course of several weeks between mid-November and Christmas. What was different in 1998 was that most of those events were moved to a single weekend and promoted as one big, holiday package, wrapped in a Victorian theme, with the public able to walk from location to location in the center of town. Tourism Director Christopher Richard credits Millicent Allen and Helen Radcliffe with first suggesting the idea.
The weekend slate of activities has been repeated every year since, with the only change being the switch of the name from “Victorian” to “Old-Time” so that it was not bound to a specific historical time period.
This year, as always, most of the Old-Time Holiday events take place during the day on Saturday, Dec. 8. Both the First Congregational Church, 34 Center St., and the Unitarian Memorial Church, 102 Green St., 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 in the auditorium of the Town Hall, 40 Center St.
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. From 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., authors will take turns presenting short readings from their works.
A short walk away, the lobby of the beautiful, Tudor style Our Lady’s Haven, 71 Center St., will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 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 St., 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 and spinach pies.
At 6 p.m. on Saturday, the Fairhaven Improvement Association hosts its annual sing-along on the steps of Town Hall. There will be caroling and the arrival of Santa on a fire engine. Then hot chocolate and snacks will be available inside in the auditorium.
On Sunday, December 9, the Fairhaven Historical Society sponsors a Holiday House Tour from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, available at the Millicent Library, 40 Center St., or Euro, 24 Center St., Fairhaven, and at the Town Hall Shops on Saturday Dec. 8. On the day of the tour, tickets are $25, and are to be purchased at the Academy Building, 141 Main St., which is the starting location of the tour, where participants must pick up their maps. For more information, email historicalsocietyfairhaven@gmail.com.
Sunday, Dec. 9
Spirit of Saint Anthony Choir Christmas Oratorio
In concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, the Spirit of St. Anthony Choir is now under the direction of Jonathon Babbitt. The performance takes place at St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford and is a composition by Camille Saint Saens.
The Spirit of Saint Anthony choir was formed in 2004 with local singers who join together each year in celebration and song at Christmas. The proceeds from the Christmas concert will be dedicated to the pipe organ renovation fund. Free parking and a shuttle is available from St. Killian’s parking lot on the corner of Earle St. and Ashley Blvd. and is sponsored by Tremblay Bus.
The suggested donation for general seating is $10 and will be accepted during the performance. Donations to the pipe organ renovation fund or to purchase reserve seat tickets for $20 or $15 in advance, can be made using PayPal on the choir website www.musicatsaintanthonys.org, or by calling Gisele at 508-264-8010, or Thom at 508-717-2824.
Friday, Dec. 14
Messiah and Carol Sing-alongPilgrim Festival Chorus presents its ninth annual Celebrate! – Messiah and Carol Sing-along on Friday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 6 Plympton St., Middleboro.
Pilgrim Festival Chorus music Co-Artistic Director William B. Richter leads the audience in carols and the familiar choruses from Part I of Handel’s masterpiece, Messiah, concluding with the Hallelujah Chorus. Solos selected from Part I, the Christmas portion, will be sung by featured local vocalists. Co-Artistic Director Elizabeth Chapman Reilly accompanies the sing on the church’s 1887 S. S. Hamill pipe organ, along with guest instrumentalists.
The audience is welcome to either sing or listen. Tickets are $10 for adults and youth age 12 and up, available at the door. For children under the age of 12, there is no charge.
Funds raised from this event support the PFC’s yearly operating expenses. For more information, please visit www.pilgrimfestivalchorus.org, or follow Pilgrim Festival Chorus on Facebook.
Saturday, Dec. 15
New Bedford Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops
The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s Family Holiday Pops Concert is all the beloved holiday music played by the esteemed orchestra, with appearances by the Southeastern Massachusetts Youth Orchestra and Showstoppers.
The family-friendly children’s matinee at 3:30 p.m. features fun surprises for the young at heart, while the 7 p.m. concert features a bit more music.
Both performances are approximately one-hour long, with no intermission. Tickets
Spindle City Ballet presents the ‘The Nutcracker’
Spindle City Ballet will present a holiday classic production of “The Nutcracker” Saturday Dec. 15 at and Sunday Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. at Bristol Community College in Fall River.
The professional company will be supported by a cast of 30 local children, transporting audiences through a magical journey of dancing soldiers and swirling snowflakes to the
magical Land of the Sweets, a press release from the ballet states.
Tickets to the performance are $14-$35.
Two special events will be held along with the performances.
First is the ever-popular ‘Meet Clara.’ This event for children of all ages begins after the Saturday and Sunday matinees. Each child, accompanied by one adult, may come backstage to meet Clara, see what is happening behind the scenes and take pictures with Clara.
Tickets are $13 for children 12 and under. Space is limited and tickets often sell out, organizers warned.
At the Sunday matinee performance Dec. 16 beginning at 1 p.m., the ballet will hold it’s “A Brunch at the Ballet.” At this event guests will enjoy delicious pastries, fruits, sweet treats, soft drinks, and mimosa champagne before the show and during intermission.
For more information call 508-536-6073 or go to spindlecityballet.org. or email lisabibeau@spindlecityballet.org.
Sunday, Dec. 16
Holiday concert
The South Coast Community Chorale (SCCC) is presenting its annual Christmas concert on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. at Good Shepherd Parish, 1598 South Main St., Fall River.
The Christmas concert will be featuring Mozart’s Missa Brevis in F Major, Haydn’s Te Deum, A Pentatonix Christmas, John Rutter’s Christ is the Morning Star, the “Hallelujah” chorus and many other holiday selections!
Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door (Prices for students and seniors are $3 off either price). Visit their website at www.sccchorale.com for more information and to purchase tickets online through Eventbrite.
Experience the holiday classic “White Christmas” on the big screen at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center. The beloved 1954 film features the lyrics on-screen so the audience can sing along to such songs as “The Best Things Happen When You’re Dancing,” “Snow,” “Sisters” and, of course, the iconic “White Christmas.”
The show starts at 2 p.m.,
Sunday, December 16, 2:00 p.m.
General admission tickets are $13.50.
Wednesday, Dec. 19
A Christmas Celtic Sojourn
A Celtic Sojourn from Brian O’Donovan and WGBH has entertained and delighted radio audiences since 1986. For the last 15 years, the Christmas-time live version of the show celebrates the music of the season for a festive, family-friendly performance.
Tickets range from $25 to $55 at Zeiterion.org.
