Downtown Manchester Holiday on Main Celebration

Return to your roots this holiday season and experience an old fashioned holiday in the heart of Manchester's historic district. Join in a community carol sing while you help light the Downtown Christmas Tree, visit with Santa, observe an ice sculpture being created. Let an old fashioned trolley transport you to entertainment and museum sites in South Manchester where you can watch a special holiday performance of "Christmas Has Been Canceled!", decorate a gingerbread man, see Civil War interpreters demonstrate what life was like in the 19th Century, tour museum exhibits, hear a harp concert and do some unique holiday shopping. A complete list of planned activities includes:

Holiday on Main - Downtown Manchester Christmas Tree Lighting

6:45 PM to 7:45 PM, Lawn of St. James Church, 896 Main St., Manchester        

Santa arrives by Manchester Fire Engine to light the Downtown Christmas Tree and

kick-off the holiday season. Award winning WTIC AM Morning Sportscaster, Scott Gray, will serve as Master of Ceremonies. The 2010 Christmas Tree Lighters will be:  Principal Patricia Kanute and Students from St. James School, A Blue Ribbon School. The Summit Singers, Silk City Barbershop Chorus and Ensemble from the Salvation Army Band will perform.  Join in a community carol sing and visit with strolling costume characters.  Bring a new, unwrapped toy to benefit the Blue Angels Foundation Holiday Party.  For info call the Downtown Manchester Special Services District (860) 645-2101 or visit www.downtownmanchester.org . For weather related cancellation tune to the WTIC Storm Center at WTIC NewsTalk 1080. Extreme weather date: Friday, Dec. 3.

  Saturday, December 4, 2010 Holiday on Main - Visits with Santa 11 AM to 2 PM, Mary Cheney Library, 586 Main St., Manchester Children visit with Santa and his reindeer, enjoy musical performances by the Manchester Musical Players, and partake of holiday crafts, and cookies.  Bring your own camera for photos with Santa. For info call the Downtown Manchester Special Services District (860) 645-2101 or visit www.downtownmanchester.org For weather related cancellation tune to the WTIC Storm Center at WTIC NewsTalk 1080. Saturday, December 4, 2010 Holiday on Main - Downtown Manchester Celebration 11 AM to 2 PM, Forest Street Parking Lot and throughout Downtown Manchester

Enjoy FREE family-oriented activities including a petting zoo and pony rides, an ice sculpting demonstration, and strolling costume characters. Be serenaded by strolling Dickens Carolers from the Full Gospel Interdenominational Church. Bring a new, unwrapped children's toy for the Blue Angels Foundation Holiday Party. Drop-off location is Downtown Community Policing Station, 707 Main St.

Holiday on Main sponsors include the Downtown Manchester Special Services District, State Farm Insurance – Mike Esposito, Agent, Kristian Ager, Agent; Webster Bank And Summit Studios

For info on all of the activities listed above call the Downtown Manchester Special Services District, (860) 645-2101 or visit  www.downtownmanchester.org   For weather related cancellation tune to the WTIC Storm Center at WTIC NewsTalk 1080.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

S.H.A.R.E. Holiday Trolley Shuttle

11 AM to 3 PM

S.H.A.R.E. - The South Manchester History, Art, Recreation and Education collaborative -  is sponsoring a FREE trolley that will shuttle visitors between the Downtown, Lutz Children's Museum, Cheney Hall, Old Manchester Museum, the Cheney Homestead, and Manchester History Center. Each site is offering a variety of fun, free holiday activities for the young and young at heart. They include:

Little Theatre of Manchester presents "Christmas Has Been Canceled" (Yes, that's the name of the show!)  A fun and fantasy play for children of all ages! The evil Ice Queen wants to see that Christmas is cancelled and her dastardly trolls help her do that! But Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves have other ideas about what Christmas

really means!  Friday, December 3 at 7 p.m., Saturday, December 4 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday, December 5 at 2 p.m.  All tickets $10 (12 and up) $5 (11 and younger) - available only through the box office at Cheney Hall / Little Theatre of Manchester, 177 Hartford Road, Manchester, CT   860/647-9824

Lutz Children's Museum presents Gingerbread Cookie Decorating, 1 PM to 3 PM. Drop-in and decorate a gingerbread man. Explore hands-on exhibits and see live animals during the regular museum hours of 12 noon to 5 PM. Lutz Children's Museum, 247 South Main Street, Manchester, CT 860 643-0949 www.lutzmuseum.org 

Manchester Historical Society Winter Open House - Come visit all the Historical Society properties FREE to enjoy special holiday activities, music and décor.

• Cheney Homestead, 106 Hartford Road, 11 AM to 2 PM – where the Fireside Patriots, Civil War-era interpreters, will demonstrate life in the nineteenth century, presenting a living history throughout the open house.
• Manchester History Center, 175 Pine Street, 11 AM to 2 PM - the former Cheney machine shop, where equipment was made and repaired during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Students from the MusicMakers Academy will present a harp concert at 1 p.m.
• Old Manchester Museum, 126 Cedar Street, 10 AM to 4 PM – will feature a bake sale, seasonal exhibits and maps of Manchester.

Don't forget to shop for the holidays in the History Center and Old Manchester Museum stores from 10 AM to 4 PM where you will find books, note cards and other items of interest to local historians.  Call (860) 647-9983 for more information or visit www.manchesterhistory.org

Open House Art Show and Sale at Photosynthesis, 136 ½ Pine St. (diagonally across form the Manchester history Center) 10 AM to 5 PM – Enjoy complimentary coffee, popcorn and cider while you shop for holiday gifts.  860 783-5443.

The S.H.A.R.E. trolley shuttle takes approx. 25 minutes to complete its route.

Look for trolley stop signs bearing the S.H.A.R.E. logo at these locations:

• Mary Cheney Library, 586 Main St.
• Sincerely Yours Postal Contract Station, 1009 Main St.
• Cheney Hall, 177 Hartford Rd.
• Manchester History Center, 175 Pine Street
• Old Manchester Museum, 126 Cedar Street
• Cheney Homestead, 106 Hartford Rd.
• Lutz Museum, 247 Main St.

Members of S.H.A.R.E. include: Cheney Hall/Little Theatre of Manchester, the Downtown Manchester Special Services District, Greater Hartford Arts Council, Lutz Children's Museum, Manchester Art Association, the Connecticut Fireman's Museum, Manchester Historical Society.