Towns of Western Massachusetts

A now nine year tradition, Dicken’s Days in Westfield are beginning! A true harbinger of the holiday season, Westfield, MA area residents have the opportunity to join their community in a variety of wonderful events that will put the spirit in your heart!

Santa’s House is already at Amelia Park where the area children can visit the jolly old fellow to share their deepest Christmas wishes!

On Monday, November 26 is the Lantern Light Parade.

Information from Westfield on Weekends on this event as follows:

Parade assembly in Berkshire Bank parking lot.
Caroling with the Westfield High School Concert Choir at 6:00 pm.
Parade with Santa kicks off at 6:15 pm.
Treelighting at 6:30 pm at the corner of Broad and Court Streets.
Reception in the Reed Room and visits with Santa in Lang Auditorium of Westfield Athenaeum, following the ceremony. FREE! Hot mulled cider and punch and cookies will be provided. Sponsored by the Athenaeum and WOW.

A Christmas Carol with the great, great grandson of Charles Dickens returns to Westfield, MA.

Sunday, December 2
Two Performances!
2:30 pm and 7:30 pm

GERALD CHARLES DICKENS
in his acclaimed one-man show

Church of the Atonement, 36 Court Street

You can purchase tickets for A Christmas Carol online or at these local shoppes: Ezra’s Mercantile, 34 Elm Street;
The Seat Weaver, 71 Elm Street and Pilgrim Candle Market Place, 36 Union Avenue, and at the door.

In between these performances Westfield on Weekends will host a fundraiser Victorian Tea at the Historic Sackett Tavern with special guest, Mr. Dickens himself!  This is a special opportunity to enjoy the company of the actor, wonderful treats and the lovely ambiance of this historical home.

The Village Stroll, December 8th

This is a great chance to stroll through The District (and beyond) and enjoy local shoppes, craft venues, entertainment, special restaurant offerings and more!  Here are the full details!

Royal Music Halls at Westfield State University

Enjoy a three part series of concerts at Parenzo Hall, WSU

Monday, December 3

The Festival Chorus under the direction of Allan Taylor
7:30 pm, Dever Stage, Parenzo Hall, Westfield State University, FREE!

Thursday, December 6

The Westfield State University Big Band under the direction of Professor Ed Orgill
7:30 pm, Dever Stage, Parenzo Hall, Westfield State University, FREE!

Saturday, December 8

The 2nd annual Royal Music Hall Winterfest
(A benefit performance for Westfield State music scholarships and VIPS Volunteers in Public Schools)
Saturday, December 8: 4:00 pm. Dever Stage, Parenzo Hall, Westfield State University
Tickets: $5   Reservations: 413-572-8323

Dicken’s Dinner and Brunch

Enjoy a wonderful meal alongside the acting talents of Westfield on Weekends troupe of actors.

The Dickens Dinner
Thursday, December 13

Doors open at 5:30 pm; Dinner at 6:00 pm; Show at 7:30 pm
Tickets include show and dinner and a contribution to Westfield on Weekends.
$30 Adults, $15 Children (12 and under)

The Dickens Brunch on
Saturday, December 15

Doors open at 11:30 am; Brunch at 12:00 noon; Show at 1:30 pm
Tickets include show and dinner and a contribution to Westfield on Weekends.
$25 Adults, $15 Children (12 and under)

Snowfire!

Tuesday, December 21 at  6:30 pm

Amelia Park, South Broad Street,   FREE

Puppeteers Cooperative of Boston and New York will be in Westfield for a community Snow Parade featuring their incredible Giant Puppets. Dress in white and help tell a tale as old as time. Then promenade with banners and bells in hand to the giant Snowfire for some caroling, cocoa, cookies and fun with the Westfield High School Brass Quintet.

A White House Holiday

November 26 – December 30

The Westfield Athenaeum, 6 Elm Street
Monday – Thursday, 8:30 am – 8:00 pm, Friday & Saturday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Thanks to the creative Michael Chunyk of Fend Interiors of South Hadley and Holiday White House Historian Wil Stebbins, the historic Westfield Athenaeum sparkles from the cozy Elizabeth Stewart Reed Room to the grand Great Hall and the beautiful Jasper Rand Art Gallery. Inspired by the White House decorations of three former First Ladies, it’s a celebration of America that perfectly reflects a Washington tradition. Incidentally, while you are enjoying this Whip City version of the Holiday White House, stop at the Salvation Army and Athenaeum Giving Trees in the foyer and make this season brighter for less fortunate neighbors and/or our wonderful Athenaeum..

• The Jasper Rand gallery:  Betty Ford’s “Vintage White Christmas, 1978”
• The Elizabeth Stewart Reed Room: Laura Bush’s “Green Room, 2002”
• The Great Hall: Hillary Rodham Clinton’s “Grand Foyer, 1996”

The Giving Tree

Giving Tree
November 26 – December 20
Two GIving Trees will be on display in the Athenaeum’s lobby One will be a Giving Tree we are working on in collaboration with Gail Legasse at the Salvation Army, which will have “ornaments” with the ages and gender and “wish lists” of kids being sponsored by the Salvation Army, so that those interested in buying gifts for kids in need can take an ornament and fulfill the holiday wishes of a local boy or girl. The other Giving Tree will have “ornaments” of items that the Athenaeum is in need of.

Visit the day by day calendar of events here

 

This information comes from the Westfield on Weekends event page which will have more information as other events unfold.

This season Whip City makes be a fine destination for families. Dickens Days featured events are so family friendly. This year’s featured events include the Lanternlight Parade that lights the 22-foot holiday tree; an incredible solo performance of A Christmas Carol by Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great grandson of Charles Dickens and Snowfire 2012, a crackling celebration featuring the first community “Snowparade” with the giant puppets of the Puppeteers’ Cooperative of Boston and New York, caroling, cocoa and cookies around a roaring Snowfire.  More than ever, it’s a Dickens of a December in Westfield.