It’s here! Our list of family friendly holiday events in (and around) Connecticut for 2013. This year’s list is bigger and better than ever. We hope you are able to find many, many fun things to do with your family over this holiday season!
Are we missing your favorite family friendly event? Let us know by either leaving a comment on this page (see below) or sending us an email at outandaboutmom@gmail.com.
Oh, and if you are looking for even more information on some of our favorites, check out the “OAAM Post” links below and check out our 2013 Holiday Events Post.
Happy Holidays!
———————————————————————–
Breakfast with Santa
Brunch with Santa at the Pond House Café, November 30 and December 1 (West Hartford)
The Grinch and Friends Family Breakfast at Imagine Nation, December 7, 8:00 am – 10:30 am (Bristol)
Breakfast with Santa at the Bushnell, December 7 (Hartford)
Santa Breakfast at the Shoppes of Farmington Valley, December 7 at Dish n’ Dat and December 8 at Flatbread Company (Canton)
Breakfast with Santa, Rudolph and their Friends at Stew Leonard’s in Danbury, December 7, 9:00 am (Danbury)
Breakfast with Santa at the Mystic Aquarium, December 14 (Mystic)
Breakfast with Santa at the Adams Mill Restaurant, December 14 (Manchester)
Breakfast with Frosty and Friends at the Beardsley Zoo: December 14 & 15, 21 & 22(Bridgeport)
Breakfast with Santa and Friends at Flamig Farm, December 14 & 15, 21 & 22 (West Simsbury)
Breakfast with Santa at Wood Acres Farm, December 21 & 22 (Terryville)
Christmas Tree Farms
Bees, Fleas, and Trees, Opens November 30, OAAM Post (Litchfield)
DeMaria Family Farm (Kensington)
Dzen Tree Farm (South Windsor)
Jones Family Farm (Shelton)
Karabin Farms (Southington)
March Farm (Bethlehem) OAAM Post*
Gingerbread Houses
Gingerbread House Festival Extravaganza at the Wood Memorial Library, November 29 – December 15, Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, FREE (South Windsor)
Gingerbread Day at the Noah Webster House, December 6-7, registration required (West Hartford)
Holiday Light Displays
Fantasy of Lights at Lighthouse Point Park, November 22 – December 31, Daily, OAAM Post (New Haven)
Holiday Light Fantasia at Goodwin Park, November 23 – January 6, Daily, OAAM Post (Hartford)
Festival of Silver Lights at Hubbard Park, November 26 – January 7, Daily, FREE, OAAM Post (Meriden)
Bright Nights at Forest Park, November 27 – January 5 (Closed December 2 & 3), Daily, OAAM Post (Springfield, MA)
Holiday Lights at Lake Compounce, Weekends starting November 29th (Bristol)
Holiday Performances
The Great Cinnamon Bear Christmas Radio Show at The Center for the Arts, December 7 – 29 with performances Saturdays at 2:00 & 5:30 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm (Milford)
The Nutcracker at the Hartt School, December 13 – 15 (Hartford)
The Nutcracker at Manchester High School’s Bailey Auditorium, Performed by Connecticut Concert Ballet, December 14 & 15, 21 & 22, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm performances (Manchester)
The Nutcracker “Sweets” at the Elmwood Community Center, excerpts of the Nutcracker performed by the Hartt School, December 1, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm, $8 per ticket (West Hartford)
Santa and the Dancin’ in the City Performers at the Elmwood Community Center, December 6, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, $6 per ticket (West Hartford)
Tubachristmas at Old Saybrook High School, December 7, 2:00 pm (Old Saybrook)
Ice Skating Rinks
Foxwoods Rink & Winter Patio at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Open daily from November 29th – February 23rd (Mashantucket)
Winterfest Hartford in Bushnell Park, November 29 – February 1, FREE Ice Skating and FREE Pictures with Santa, OAAM Post (Hartford)
Meet Santa
Annual Santa’s Workshop Event at Wickham Park, December 13 – 23, daily, FREE, non-perishable food item donations welcomed, bring your camera, OAAM Post (Manchester)
Christmas Village in Torrington, December 8 – 24, 1:00 pm – 8:30 pm (12/24 hours are 9:00 am – noon), FREE (Torrington)
Santa and Mrs. Claus at Old Mistick Village, November 29-30, FREE, bring your camera (Mystic)
Santa at Stew Leonard’s in Newington, Starting November 29 Santa will make regular appearances at the store Monday through Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm and weekends from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm until Christmas Eve, FREE (Newington)
Meet Santa at the Shoppes at Yale, Saturdays in December, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm, he will be strolling Chapel Street and Broadway, FREE (New Haven)
Winterfest Hartford in Bushnell Park, November 30 – December 22, Saturday – Sunday noon – 3:00 pm, FREE picture (Hartford) OAAM Post
Trolleys Rides
Santa on the Trolley at The Shoreline Trolley Museum, Weekends starting November 29th (East Haven)
Winterfest and the Tunnel of Lights at the Connecticut Trolley Museum, Friday through Sunday starting November 29th, OAAM Post (East Windsor)
Train Rides
Santa Special at the Essex Steam Train, weekends starting November 29th, daytime event, tickets available (Essex)
North Pole Express at the Essex Steam Train, evening event, only post-holiday tickets are still available (tickets go on sale in August) (Essex)
Santa Trains on the Naugatuck Railroad, November 30 – December 22, daytime and evening trips (Thomaston)
Train Displays
Holiday Train Show at the Connecticut River Museum, November 22 – February 16, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (Essex)
Holiday Toy Train Display at the Connecticut Cellar Savers Fire Museum, Weekends starting November 29 through January 12, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm (Portland)
Holiday Train Display at Amato’s Toy and Hobby, weekends November 23 through December 31 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (additional hours and days the week of Christmas), FREE but a non-perishable food item donation is requested (Middletown)
Family Friendly Events
Torchlight Parade & Holiday Tree Lighting at The Shoppes at Evergreen Walk, November 23, 5:00 pm, FREE (South Windsor)
Santa Visit & Behind the Scenes Tour at the New England Air Museum, November 29 (Windsor Locks)
Holiday on Main Street, November 29, FREE (Middletown) Hartford Courant Article
Tree Lighting and Festival of Lights Parade on the Town Green, November 30, 4:00 pm, FREE (Tolland)
Simsbury Celebrates, November 30, 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm, FREE (Simsbury)
Santa Arrives by Tugboat at Mystic River & Mystic River Park, November 30, 2:00 pm, FREE (Mystic)
Tree Lighting and Lighted Holiday Boat Parade at Mystic River & Mystic River Park – November 30, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm, FREE (Mystic)
Santa Arrives by Helicopter at Yankee Candle Village, November 30, 9:00 am, FREE (Deerfield, MA)
Light Up Thomaston, November 30, 6:00 pm, FREE (Thomaston)
The Fifth Night Chanukah Party at the Children’s Museum, December 1, 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm, FREE but registration is required (West Hartford)
Fire on Ice Chanukah Event at Blue Back Square, December 1, 4:00 pm, FREE (West Hartford)
Menorah Lighting at Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk, December 1, 5:00 pm, FREE (Norwalk)
Chanukah PJ Library Story Time at Barnes and Noble, The Shoppes of Farmington Valley, December 3, 11:00 am, FREE (Canton)
Christmas Tree Lighting at Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk, December 3, 5:30 pm, FREE (Norwalk)
Chanukah PJ Library Story Time at Barnes and Noble, Blue Back Square, December 4, 10:30 am, FREE (West Hartford)
Chanukah PJ Library Story Time at the Mandell JCC, December 4, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, FREE (West Hartford)
Chanukah Bash 2013 at the West Hartford Town Hall, December 4, 6:30 pm, FREE but tickets are required (West Hartford)
Downtown Manchester Holiday Tree Lighting, December 5, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm, FREE (Manchester)
Holiday Stroll at Blue Back Square, December 5, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm, FREE (West Hartford)
First Friday Grinch Festival at Imagine Nation Museum, December 6, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, *OAAM Post (Bristol)
East Lyme Light Parade & Winterfest, December 7, 2:00 pm, FREE (Niantic)
Make Your Own Holiday Poppers Family Program at Connecticut Historical Society Museum & Library, December 7, Drop in between 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, FREE, *OAAM Post (Hartford)
Festival of Lights at the Mystic Aquarium, December 13th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, FREE with a non-perishable food item (Mystic)
Second Saturdays for Families: Lights at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, December 14, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, FREE, *OAAM Post (Hartford)
Ongoing Events
Festival of Lighthouses at the Maritime Aquarium, November 16, 2013 – January 20, 2014 (Norwalk)
Polar Express IMAX Movie at the Maritime Aquarium, begins November 29 (Norwalk)
Winterfest Hartford in Bushnell Park, November 29 – February 1, FREE Ice Skating and FREE Pictures with Santa, OAAM Post (Hartford)
Holiday Events at Stew Leonard’s in Newington, November 29 – December 30, some events are FREE *OAAM Post on Stew Leonard’s and OAAM Post on the Toddler Cooking Classes (Newington)
Holiday Rides on Horseback at Drafty Pines Farm, November 30 & December 1 and December 7 & 8, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, $15 per family (each family member gets a ride), Facebook Page (Central Village)
Yuletide Carolers at the Shoppes at Yale, Thursdays in December, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, FREE (New Haven)
Elf Workshops at Stew Leonard’s in Danbury, December 2 – 12, Most Events are FREE (Danbury)
40th Annual Festival of Trees and Traditions at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, December 5 – 15, FREE on December 14th as part of Second Saturdays (Hartford)
Christmas House on Lexington Street, December 18 – 22, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, admission is a donation of a non-perishable food item (New Britain)
* Post is about the venue but not about the specific event listed here.
Lesley says
CT CONCERT BALLET also puts on an outstanding production of the nutcracker every year at Manchester high school. Lots of children cast in the show…including my daughter! http://www.ctconcertballet.com
Mandy says
Thanks Lesley! I will add it to our list. Good luck to your daughter. The Nutcracker is my favorite 🙂
Grandpa Gerry says
Any candlelight church services open to the public?
Mandy says
Hi Grandpa Gerry! I’ve haven’t done any candlelight church research so I don’t know. If you find anything, feel free to comment with the information 🙂
Grandpa Gerry says
This is a very nice site. You offer a great service. It’s surprising to me, though, that there’s so much here about Santa, about gingerbread houses, about holiday lights and not much about events celebrating the birth of the Messiah. To an alien from another planet, it would like this is everything but a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Tracy Riordan says
There is an amazingly beautiful midnight Christmas pageant at the Congregational Church in the center of Newington (see link), that has been going on every since I was a child and it is open to any and everyone and has the children in the church doing a play and lighting of candles by all and is really wonderful! The choir is amazing and they sing the Hallelujah chorus and it is a great family event! ( : Not sure if they do an earlier show, but, if you check out their church page I will be it will say! Hope this helps! Happy Holidays to all! (
Mandy says
That sounds like a wonderful event, Tracy. Thank you for sharing!
Faith Brill says
Immanuel Congregational Church in Hartford has their annual Service of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, 12/8 at 4PM. Admission is free, all are welcome. Dinner following, $5/person; please call 860-527-8121 for reservations if you want to stay for dinner, as dinner seating is limited. Address is 10 Woodland St, Hartford, corner of Farmington Ave and Woodland St. And it would be the perfect opportunity to check out the Christmas decorations at the Mark Twain House (directly across Farmington Ave from the church) before coming to the Lessons and Carols service (it’s a good idea to call the MTH ahead of time to see about tour openings, especially at Christmastime…)
Tracy Riordan says
There is an amazingly beautiful midnight Christmas pageant at the Congregational Church in the center of Newington, that has been going on every since I was a child and it is open to any and everyone and has the children in the church doing a play and lighting of candles by all and is really wonderful! The choir is amazing and they sing the Hallelujah chorus and it is a great family event! ( : Not sure if they do an earlier show, but, if you check out their church page I will be it will say! Hope this helps! Happy Holidays to all! ( :
Tracy Riordan says
I would add “DeMaria Christmas Tree Farm, at 1165 Edgewood Road, Berlin, CT, will be opening on November 29th for family fun and Christmas tree picking. My daughter and I have been blessed to be able to use their beautiful farm for the past two weekends to take Christmas Mini Photos for her business, Jessica Anne Photography (see Facebook). The Gorsey family is amazing and have been so kind. They have 6 beautiful horses on the properties at least three adorable dogs, and acres of beautiful grounds and Christmas trees!!! ( : Starting on the 29th, they will be having hay rides for tree purchasers, a fire pit going, and it is a chance for you and your family to enjoy nature, have some family fun together! We have had a blast!! ( : So, make sure to head on over for a day of family fun and merriment! You won’t be sorry. We will be there taking more pictures of scheduled clients! ( : Have a wonderful day and hope to see you At DeMaria Christmas Tree Farm in Berlin, CT! ( :
Mandy says
Thank you Tracy. I have added DeMaria to our list.
Linda N says
https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Britain-Christmas-House-Lexington-Street/204801573564
Christmas House on Lexington St in New Britain! Come see a beautiful display of lights, miles of garland, decorations, & dolls. It is a Christmas wonderland! Price of admission is a non perishable food item which all gets donated to local shelters and food pantries. Dates are December 18th – 22nd 6-8pm.
Mandy says
Thank you Linda. The event has been added to our list!
Grandpa Gerry says
http://www.tubachristmas.com/readtcloc.php?TCState=CT
TubaChristmas in Connecticut, Hear tubas and euphoniums and baritone horns play favorite Christmas music… it’s awesome!
OLD SAYBROOK – SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 – TIME: 2:00 pm
LOCATION: Old Saybrook High School, Auditorium
REGISTRATION: 10:30 am, same, Band Room
REHEARSAL: 11:30 am, same, Auditorium
PARKING: Ample in School lot
MUSICIANS NOTE: Please bring a music stand in case we run out. Bring your TubaChristmas music book if you have it from previous years. More will be for sale at registration. Lunch on your own at 1:00 pm. Participant registration fee for 2013 is $10.00.
CONDUCTOR: Gary Buttery
GUEST CONDUCTOR: Jeremy Taylor
COORDINATOR: Gary Buttery 860-460-7556
Mandy says
Thanks Grandpa Gerry. It has been added to our list!
Connecticut Historical Society says
Thanks SO much for including us in your holiday fun guide! The information for our FREE holiday popper program is a little different – the event will be drop-in between 10:00am-1:00pm. During this time, our exhibits are also free of admission and, don’t forget, the CHS has plenty of on-site parking. Hope to see everyone on Saturday, December 7th!
Mandy says
Thank you so much for the correction. I’ve updated the listing. Happy Holidays!
Kelly says
This is a great list-but the “Santa trains on the naugutuck railroad” is not in -Essex-it’s on Thomaston.
Mandy says
Thank you Kelly! I guess I got carried away with all the train events in Essex 🙂 I have made the correction. I really appreciate you letting me know. Happy Holidays!