New Haven Tree Lighting Celebration, Photo from the New Haven Department of Arts Culture and Tourism

By Melinda Carter

With the holiday season in full swing, the New Haven area is gearing up for one of its great winter-time events with the Tree Lighting Celebration taking place on Thursday, December 1. The event will serve to kick off the holiday season for New Haven and Connecticut residents, while offering up exciting activities for all families. The lighting celebration will take place at the downtown New Haven Green from 4-8pm on Thursday.

Families alike will be able to take in an extended amount of enjoyable activities including musical performances, crafting, carnival and carriage rides. Kids will be excited to get the chance to take photos with Santa himself, as well as some other popular holiday character including Rudolph in the winter wonderland section of the event. The visits and photos with characters will last from 4 until 730pm during the event. The New Haven Lions Club and New Haven Rotary Club will also be providing some food and snacks during the celebration.

Peoples United Bank will sponsor the tree lighting, as the centerpiece of the events will be a 65 foot tall Norway Spruce provided by Steve and Marie McDermott, who are from Northford. The tree itself will hold over 20,000 different energy efficient LED lights in a multitude of colors.

Musical performances will be the highlight of the night, including appearances from four great local groups. Shows will be put on by musical groups including the Calentano Museum Academy, The Mauro Sheridan Magnet School Choir, the Brennan Rogers School Choir and the Educational Center for the Arts Vocal Ensemble. The event itself will be hosted by WTNH television’s own, Gil Simmons. It will also include appearances from special guests including Ronald McDonald, during the tree lighting.

The celebration will be put on by the Department of Parks and Recreation in a local start to a number of other holiday activities in the New Haven area this winter. Children’s activities at the celebration are being supported by Casey Family Services, as well as the Yale New Haven Hospital. Inclement weather is a possibility, which would lead to the event being rescheduled for Friday, December 2. Following the tree lighting celebration on Thursday, New Haven will be home to great food offers and shopping deals throughout the month of December.

The tree lighting event is a great opportunity for all of the Connecticut residents to take part in an excellent holiday event within the community. This is also great for those families looking to get out of their houses and apartments in New Haven to celebrate a great holiday event. The celebration should mix activities good for both parents and children in an effort to celebrate local culture and the holiday season.

After being absent for the past three years Holiday Light Fantasia has returned to Hartford. The two-mile long seasonal display in Hartford’s Goodwin Park has over 35 different scenes and 200 individual displays celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years and Three Kings Day.

Holiday Light Fantasia opens from Nov. 19 until Jan. 6, 2012, from 6 pm until 9 pm Sundays through Thursdays, and 6 pm until 10 pm Fridays and Saturdays.

Admission $10 for cars, $40 for mini-buses and $90 for full-size buses. Proceeds will benefit the Channel 3 Kids Camp.

Visit http://www.holidaylightfantasia.org/ for more information.

The 16th Litchfield Jazz Festival, August 5 – 7, 2011

“The Litchfield” is not just a festival—it’s a jazz family. Our focus is quality in everything we do—the music, art, food and clinics.  LJF will open your ears, hearts and minds to JAZZ in all its glory – with its African, Latino, European roots. Bring your jazz family and celebrate 16 years of Litchfield Jazz, “one of the best straight-ahead jazz festivals on the map.”

Held on the beautiful grounds of Kent School in Kent, CT from August 5-7, the weekend includes a Gala in the Artist Talk Tent, three days of jazz, Artist Talks and Clinics hosted by Artist-in-Residence, Matt Wilson, student sets by Litchfield Jazz Campers, fine art and handmade crafts, kids craft corner, and fantastic food!  For the first time students under the age of 25 with a valid student ID get a $10 discount off their ticket purchase at the gate. This year’s line-up features NEA Jazz Masters, Jimmy Heath and his Big Band and Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band. Grammy nominated Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, The Clayton Brothers Quintet, Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio, Joe Lovano Nonet, and many more.  It’s a not-to-be-missed occasion, and all at very special prices!

And for the entire month leading up to the Festival enjoy our free jazz series, Kent Has That Jazz, with performances by Litchfield Jazz Camp’s all-star faculty and talented students.  For more information visit www.litchfieldjazzfest.com or call (860) 361-6285.

WHAT: The 16th Litchfield Jazz Festival
WHERE: Kent School, Springs Center, 1 Macedonia Road, Kent, CT 06757
WHEN: August 5 – 7, 2011
PRICES: $26 – $360, Student discount offered to students under 25 at the gate with a valid student ID

Here are a few suggestions. Where will you be watching fireworks?

http://t.co/nlr4aIV

Unique after-work events, hosted by Ocean Blue Catering, held in front of outdoor beluga whale exhibit

MYSTIC, Conn. (May 11, 2011) – Cocktails with the Whales returns this spring and summer to Mystic Aquarium. Enjoy drinks and food by Ocean Blue Catering, as well as live music in front of the Arctic Coast exhibit, home to the aquarium’s resident beluga whales. These gatherings take place on Thursday evenings – May 26, June 23, July 28 and August 25 – from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The evenings include drink specials, including Ocean Blue’s signature “Belugatini”, hors d’ oeuvres such as chowder and quesadillas available for purchase and live music in front of the Arctic Coast’s three 20-foot underwater viewing windows, providing guests an up-close look at the belugas.

WHEN: May 26, June 23, July 28 and August 25
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, CT 06355

COST: $5 admission per person with cash bar and hors d’oeuvres available for purchase. Reservations are recommended. Please call 860.572.5955 ext. 336 to make a reservation. Attendees must be 21 or older.

Have you seen this video?  Eight year old Elizabeth Hughes debut singing the national anthem on January 7, 2011 at the Norfolk Admirals versus CT Whale game. This little girl is doing an amazing job singing when her microphone cuts out, and the crowd lends a helping hand….

As a weather nerd and big fan of watching winter storms I have to admit I was completely excited to wake up to see a thick blanket of snow on the ground this morning. Hailing from the west coast of Scotland, I did not see very much snow growing up. What little we did have, we celebrated with Snow Days as much as possible. Scraping up as much as we could to build little snowmen, wrapping them in scarves and hats. Of course, it was usually all gone by the next day. So I really love the weather here, especially today.

As of 1pm this afternoon more than 22 inches of snow has fallen at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, breaking the record for most snowfall in a 24 hour period.

Governor Dannel Malloy spoke to the media earlier this afternoon from the emergency operations center at the Hartford Armory, advising people to stay off the roads, and not to go out unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Malloy also recommended grilled cheese sandwiches with Campbell’s Tomato soup. Good advice for a day like today that is sure to be one of our top-ten winter storms. Back to work tomorrow! Check out your town’s snowfall totals here.

Here are a few photos I ventured out to take in the snow this morning:

Branches Heavy with Snow

Snow Covered Road, West Hartford

 

Snow Covered Light & Bush

 

Snow, West Hartford

 

Car hiding under the snow