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Hey Valley folks!
With the 2024 holiday season in full swing, here’s a list of festive happenings and events geared to make our lives a bit more merry and bright.
This is a partial list of things we found on social media. If you’re aware of a community event, email ValleyIndependentSentinel@gmail.com and we will add to the list.
Also check out our self-serve calendar!
Friday, Dec. 6
5 to 9 p.m. Community Tree Lighting & Holiday Market (Veterans Memorial Park, 38 Canal St., Shelton)
Celebrate Shelton as we deck the halls and light the community tree. Come early, sip on some free hot cocoa, enjoy community performances and stay warm by the bonfires, sing along to your favorite holiday songs, and shop our Holiday Market featuring an amazing group of local artisans and vendors.
Tree Lighting will take place at 7:30 p.m. Special guests include Elf on the Shelf, Santa & Mrs. Claus.
Vendors and food trucks include Adorn My Face — Face Painting, B Cause I Soy So Candles, Black Bear Woodcraft, Pink Moon by Brooke, Root Spirit, Sweet Bond Permanent Jewelry, Cricket Car Hop — Food Truck, Nikki’s Happy Hitch — Mobile Bar, Sugar & Barley — Dessert & Coffee.
6 to 7 p.m. Oxford Town Tree Lighting (Oxford Town Hall, 486 Oxford Rd., Oxford)
Annual Town Tree Lighting will feature Santa arriving via firetruck and greeting children at the gazebo. Admission is free, but donations of non-perishable food donations are encouraged. Toy donations for the CT State Police Toy Drive will also be accepted. Hot cocoa and cookies will be served while they last.
7 p.m. Great Hill Hose Co. Christmas Tree Lighting (140 Botsford Rd., Seymour)
Join us for our annual holiday Christmas Tree Lighting at the firehouse. Enjoy hot chocolate, coffee and plenty of cookies, all while Santa arrives to meet the kids, and help us light up our firehouse for the season.
Saturday, Dec. 7
8 to 11 a.m. Breakfast With Santa (St. Mary’s Church, 212 Elizabeth St., Derby)
Join St. Mary-St. Michael School for a Christmas Breakfast, plus a visit from Santa. Menu includes pancakes, bacon, sausage, orange juice, coffee, tea, hot chocolate. Special dietary options will be available. Cost is $10 per person.
To reserve, call the school office at: 203 – 735-6471.
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Valley First Responders Toy Drive (several locations)
Help Valley First Responders fill their vehicles with new, unwrapped toys to donate to TEAM, Inc.’s Toys 4 Kids. This third annual effort brings together Seymour, Shelton, Derby and Ansonia for a collective effort to help all kids in our communities have a magical holiday and create lasting lifetime memories. Donations will be collected at Target in Ansonia, BJ’s in Derby, Stop & Shop in Seymour and Walmart in Shelton (also on Sunday, Dec. 8).
Following the toy collection, First Responders will parade through downtown Shelton, ending at the TEAM Toy Store, where the collected toys will be brought in and added to the shelves. Welcome the parade back to the Toy Store at approximately 1:30 to 2 p.m., 430 Coram Ave, Shelton.
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Christmas on the Hill (Great Hill United Methodist Church, 225 Great Hill Rd., Seymour)
Complete your last-minute Christmas shopping while enjoying complimentary refreshments, Christmas music and our seasonally decorated hall. Also enter for chance to win one of two $50 AMEX gift cards.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Holly Fair (St. Mary Margaret Church, 50 Donovan Lane, Shelton)
Crafts, vendors, bake sale, basket raffle, books, treasures, lunch, Santa and more.
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Breakfast With Santa (The Sons & Daughters of Italy, 73 High St., Derby)
Kick off the holiday season with pancakes & sausage, and let Santa know what special gift is on the top of your list. Drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) will be available for purchase at the bar. Please note, this is a cash only event. Cost is adults $8; kids $5 and kids under 3 eat free.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shelton Holiday Craft Festival (Hyatt House Hotel, 830 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton)
Crafts in several categories will be featured. Free admission.
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Holiday Marketplace (Ansonia Armory, 5 State St., Ansonia)
Crafters and vendors galore, plus a visit from Santa. Each child will receive a bell from Santa’s sleigh.
4 to 7 p.m. Seymour’s Santa Visit by Seymour Culture and Arts Commission (Downtown Seymour/Main Street)
Welcome Santa as he steps off the 6:20 p.m. train. Pictures with Santa and tree lighting at American Legion hall, Bank Street. Drop letters to Santa at Seymour Town Hall. Popcorn, candy, face painting, hot dogs, hot cocoa, petting zoo, pony rides and bicycle raffle. Also collecting new, unwrapped toys for Team Inc.’s Toys 4 Tots.
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.Holiday Open House at Shelton History Center (Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Rd., Shelton)
Brownson House will be dressed up in festive cheer and light refreshments will be served as we ring in the season. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5, or help us help our neighbors this holiday season and bring a non-perishable item for Spooner House.
Member preview from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Doors open to the public from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
7 p.m. Movie Showing “It’s A Wonderful Life” (Strand Theater, 165 Main St., Seymour)
Come watch a holiday classic, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Tickets are $12.51 and all proceeds from this screening will go towards purchasing bulk food that will be delivered and donated to area organizations in need. Cash donations for local food banks and animal shelters will also be accepted. The concession booth is cash only.
Sunday, Dec. 8
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Holiday Festival of Trees (Brightview Senior Living Center, 30 Beard Saw Mill Rd., Shelton)
Join us for our second annual Festival of Trees to help raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association. Event includes live music, photos with Santa, children’s holiday movies playing in our theater, hot cocoa station, appetizers, desserts, mimosas and silent auction.
12 to 4 p.m. Holly Day Fair Handcrafted Artisan Market and Food Trucks (Seymour Historical Society, 59 West St., Seymour)
Hosted by The Seymour Historical Society, the event will feature two floors of vendors, and the entire home will be decorated for the holiday season inside and out. Vittles Food Truck and Tiano’s Brews Coffee Truck will be on hand.
2 p.m. Christmas Carol Sing (St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 25 Church St., Shelton)
Join us in our old Church for a Festive Carol Sing. Refreshments following in our Parish Hall.
2 to 4 p.m. Holiday Tea Fundraiser (Christ Episcopal Church, 56 S. Cliff St., Ansonia)
Join Christ Episcopal Church Ansonia for a Holiday Tea Fundraiser.
Tickets are $25 per person and includes afternoon tea, entertainment and three raffle tickets. More raffle tickets can be purchased separately. Contact the church office 203 – 734-2715 or Sue 203 – 906-7619 to purchase a ticket beforehand.
Tuesday, Dec. 10
6:30 p.m. Cantica Nativitatis — Nine Centuries of Christmas Music with Tenor Richard Franklin Donohue (Seymour Public Library, 46 Church St., Seymour)
No tradition has yielded a greater collection of music than that of Christmas. On this evening, hear carols from the 10th through 19th century sung, with electronic harpsichord accompaniment, in their original languages by Tenor & Historical Musician Richard Franklin Donohue. This event is free and registration is not required.
Thursday, Dec. 12
3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Men’s Night (Marks of Design, 389 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton)
Gentlemen, it’s time to dazzle and delight your special someone with the perfect holiday gift. Join us for Men’s Night where you fulfill your significant other’s wish list in style. The event will feature Hand Rolled Cigars by @mobilecigarlounge, cigar rolling from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (yes, you can smoke ‘em in the store). Portions of profits donated to veteran and first responder organizations. Raffle will feature a whiskey, bourbon and beer basket.
6 to 8:30 p.m. Holiday Ceramic Painting Event (Caffe Italia Shelton, 813 River Rd., Shelton)
The Giggling Pig is hosting a ceramic painting event. Choose from either a gingerbread house or winter sleigh. We will provide all supplies and help you along as you paint your own ceramic lantern. Cost is $55 per person, and includes a glass of wine.
Call Caffe Italia at 203 – 513-8441 to reserve a spot. Space is limited.
Friday, Dec. 13
1 to 6 p.m. Hurricane Holiday Gathering (Catholic War Veterans, 112 Derby Ave., Derby)
Come one come all. All Hurricanes, past and present are welcome. Come out and see old friends, meet Hurricanes you might not know yet. Potluck or just bring yourself — always plenty of food and stories.
6 to 8 p.m. Holiday Wreath Making Class (Rooster’s Nursery and Garden Center, 20 New Haven Rd., Seymour)
6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Gala of Ghosts – An Elegant Evening of “A Christmas Carol” (Twisted Vine Restaurant, 285 Main St., Derby)
Valley Shakespeare Festival invites you to a once-in-a-lifetime holiday gala at the historic Old Haunted Bank. Join us for an unforgettable evening of elegance and history as we raise funds to support our nonprofit theater company. Your evening will include a Prix Fixe Dinner and cash bar. The event will feature a one-man performance of A Christmas Carol.
6:30 p.m. Free Movie Showing of “The Polar Express” (Seymour Congregational Church, 45 Broad St., Seymour)
Free movie. Hot cocoa and popcorn will be served.
Saturday, Dec. 14
9 a.m. Seymour Fire Santa Toy Delivery
Want Santa to come deliver presents on a firetruck to your home this holiday season? Great Hill Hose Co. and Citizens Engine Co. are hosting the annual Santa Toy Delivery. Crews will hit the road delivering presents starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 14th.
Send an email to Santa.hotline@greathillhose.com to register.
9 a.m. Annual Popcorn Toss with Santa (Huntington Fire Co., 44 Church St., Shelton)
Santa and his elves will be on the road by 9 a.m. If calls come in, that remains our #1 priority. We will do our best to hit every road Saturday and if needed, Sunday.
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Breakfast with Santa (Seymour Land Trust, 13 Chatfield St., Seymour)
$5 pancake breakfast, free photos with Santa, gift basket raffles.
11 a.m. 2024 Polar Bear Plunge (39 Birchbank Rd., Shelton)
For more information click this link.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Santa Visit (Dynamic Smiles Orthodontics, 315 Center Rock Green Suite 10, Oxford)
Come meet Santa when he visits his orthodontist. Everyone will receive a digital photo, and a small gift for each child.
2 to 3:30 p.m. Holiday Gnome Needle Felting Craft (Ansonia Nature Center, 10 Deerfield Lane, Ansonia)
Join Ranger Dawn as we explore the art of Needle Felting. You will be supplied with a complete kit with all you need to make a holiday gnome with step-by-step instructions. Bring a towel you can roll up to felt on. Materials fee is $20 (to be paid in advance).
Click here to register for this adult-only program.
4 p.m. Home for the Holidays — Traditional and Contemporary Choral Music (Seymour Congregational Church, 45 Broad St., Seymour)
Concert featuring the United Girl’s Choir and Elm City Girl’s Choir. $10 donation suggested at the door.
7:30 p.m. “Nuncrackers” — The Nunsense Christmas Musical (Center Stage Theater, 54 Grove St., Shelton)
The Nunsense Christmas Musical “Nuncrackers” is presented as the first TV special taped in the Cable Access Studio built by Reverend Mother in the convent basement. It stars the nuns you love, plus Father Virgil (played by Marc J. Garofalo) and four of Mount Saint Helen’s most talented students. This show is filled with wacky Nunsense humor, some of your favorite carols, and a “Secret Santa” sequence featuring audience participation.
Tickets are $36 for adults; $18 for students, and they can be bought here. For more information call 203 – 225-6079 or email: meghan@centerstageshelton.org.
There will also be performance at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 12, 13, and 15.
Sunday, Dec. 15
2 to 3 p.m. (or until food runs out) Free Christmas Dinner — Holiday Masters Table (Assumption Church Hall, 61 N. Cliff St., Ansonia)
Drive up meal pickup only. Enter parking between church and school. Do not exit vehicle. Cancellations of dinner are announced Thursday prior to dinner on wfsb.com and wtnh.com or Facebook. Donations are greatly appreciated.
For more information call 203 – 732-7792 or email masterstablect@gmail.com.
Wednesday, Dec. 18
5 to 9 p.m. Holiday Hounds (Chick-fil‑A, 801 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton)
Bring your dogs through the drive-thru. Starting at 5 p.m. we will give the first 50 dogs in the drive-thru a pup nug and a pet bandana.
Saturday, Dec. 21
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Santa takes quick break at 1 p.m.) Santa Visit (Jones Family Tree Farm, 606 Walnut Tree Hill Rd., Shelton)
12 to 1 p.m. Christmas Break Creature Feature (Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Lane, Ansonia)
This live animal program includes information about adaptations and the natural history of each species. Get a chance to touch a snake or even a hissing cockroach. Free for all ages.
Click link to register.
12 to 4 p.m. Santa Claus Visit (Central Subalpi Club, 30 Parker St., Ansonia)
Come take your photo with Santa. Event features crafts, photos, refreshments, Christmas music and gifts. Please let your family and friends know all are welcome. Let us know how many children will be attending and age. You can text or call CSC at 203 – 893-5045.
Sunday, Dec. 22
8 a.m. Seymour Fire Department Popcorn Ball Sunday
When you hear sirens coming down your street, be sure to come outside for popcorn balls and a visit from Santa. Crews will hit the road at 8 a.m. and make their way down every street in Seymour throughout the morning.
2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Holiday Ice Skating Show (The Sports Center, 784 River Rd., Shelton)
Free event with donation of non-perishable food item.
Times vary: Night of Lights Merry Christmas Hayride (Fairview Tree Farm 2 Saw Mill City Rd., Shelton)
Dec. 22 is the final night for hayrides. Click here for more information.
Friday, Dec. 27
7:30 p.m. Movie Showing of “Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2” (Strand Theater, 165 Main St., Seymour)
Tickets are $6 cash at the door. Concession stand is cash only.
Click link for more information.
Saturday, Dec. 28
7 p.m. Hijacked Holiday- A Murder Mystery Dinner Event (Twisted Vine Restaurant, 285 Main St., Derby)
Get ready for a night of suspense, intrigue and delicious food. Put on your detective hat and try to solve the mystery of the Hijacked Holiday. Enjoy a buffet dinner while interacting with the suspects and gathering clues.
The buffet dinner includes a garden salad, Penne alla Vodka, chicken marsala, eggplant parmigiana, garlic mashed potatoes and dessert. Cash bar during the event.
General Admission, $59.95 per person and includes dinner, Murder Mystery, sales tax and gratuity. All tickets sales are final & non-refundable.
For more information, call the restaurant at 203 – 734-2462.
Tuesday, Dec. 31
8 p.m. to 2 a.m. New Year’s Eve Party (The Hops Co., 77 Sodom Lane, Derby)
Raise a glass to 2025! Secure your spot at our New Years Eve Party for an unforgettable night. DJ starting at 8 p.m. Limited tickets available.
Outside the Valley...
For those who’d like to venture outside the Valley, here’s a few other holiday lights and happenings throughout the state:
*Now through Dec. 29
12th Annual Holiday Lights at Lake Compounce (185 Enterprise Dr., Bristol)
Holiday Lights will run Fridays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Click here for more information.
*Now through Dec. 29
Glow Hartford Holiday Light Festival and Market (Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Blvd., Hartford)
Click here for more information.
*Now through Dec. 23
Northern Lights Limited (242 E. Main St., Thomaston)
The Northern Lights Limited is our evening train, departing Thomaston Station for Santa’s Workshop. Leaving under the cover of nightfall, experience the magic as the lights inside and out of each car are lit, illuminating the entire train.
Click here for more information.
*Now through Dec. 31
Holiday Lights Spectacular (Olde Mystick Village, 27 Coogan Blvd., Mystic)
