Community Calendar

Sustainable CT, the statewide organization that supports municipal sustainability initiatives, is now accepting applications for its 2026 Fellowship Program – this is a paid fellowship.
Sustainable CT places highly qualified fellows across the state’s Councils of Governments (COGs) to help cities and towns become registered, certified, or recertified with Sustainable CT during the summer.
Fellows are directly engaged in supporting cutting-edge sustainability initiatives and local government operations.
The application deadline is February 9 at 5pm.
• You must be enrolled in a post-secondary degree program or must have graduated in the most recent academic year (2025-2026).
• You must be either enrolled in a Connecticut college or university or be a permanent resident of the state.
Find out more about the Sustainable CT Fellowship Program at sustainablect.org.

🎶✨ Celebrate the Season with Strolling Connecticut Yuletide Carolers! 🎄🎤
Join us for a festive celebration as talented carolers, dressed in beautiful traditional garb, fill the air with holiday cheer throughout the Broadway and Chapel Historic Districts!

When & Where:
📍 Chapel Street Historic District:
• Saturdays, November 29, December 6, 13 & 20
• ⏰ Time: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
📍 Broadway Shopping District:
• Sundays, November 30, December 7, 14 & 21
• ⏰ Time: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

📸 Capture the Magic! Don’t miss the great photo opportunities as our merry carolers spread holiday spirit throughout the districts!

Bring your family and friends to soak in the festive atmosphere and create cherished memories together! 🎉
👉 For more details, visit https://theshopsatyale.com/holiday/

🎅📸 Join Us for Storytelling with Santa & Mrs. Claus! ✨

Bring the holiday magic to life at The Shops at Yale! Join Santa and Mrs. Claus for enchanting story time and selfies This delightful event is FREE and open to the public, complete with complimentary snacks! 🍪

Event Details:
📍Location:
• B Natural Kitchen, 260 College Street
o Dates: Saturdays, November 29 & December 6
o Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

📍 Location:
• Barnes & Noble/The Yale Bookstore, 77 Broadway (lower level)
o Dates: Saturdays, December 13 & 20 (these dates include complimentary crafting with Paper Source at The Yale Bookstore)
o Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Bring your family, share in the joy of storytelling, and capture memories with Santa and Mrs. Claus!

👉 Mark your calendars and join us for a festive celebration! Happy Holidays! 🎁❤️

❄️✨ Chapel Street Ice Carving Extravaganza! 🎉🧊

Get ready for a magical experience as a professional ice carver transforms two massive 300-pound blocks of ice into stunning holiday-themed masterpieces in the Chapel Street Historic District!
📅 When:
• Saturdays, November 29, December 13 & 20
• ⏰ Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
📍 Where: In front of Üni-Home Life - 1046 Chapel Street
🎨 Featured Creations: • Elm City Elf – November 29 • Reindeer – December 13 • Holiday Bear – December 20

🍿 Enjoy complimentary fresh kettle popcorn from The Kettle King on Saturday, November 29 while you marvel at the artistry of the incredible ice sculpture!
Bring your family and friends for a festive afternoon filled with creativity and holiday cheer! 🎊

👉 Don’t miss out on this cool holiday tradition!

Led by a Museum Docent

Discover the Parrish with a guided tour from a Museum Docent. Docent-led tours offer visitors a focused insight into the Museum and exhibitions on view. Tours are approximately 40 minutes.

Free with museum admission. Drop-in program. Space is limited to a maximum of 20 visitors per docent.

The Connecticut Early Music Society presents a special holiday performance of Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, December 20 at 2pm at Connecticut College’s Harkness Chapel. For the first time in three years, audiences will experience Messiah performed in its entirety, brought to life by world-class musicians playing on authentic period instruments.

While many ensembles present highlights or selected movements during the busy holiday season, the Connecticut Early Music Society is offering the full, sweeping arc of Handel’s masterpiece. The performance invites audiences to join a powerful musical journey that has resonated for nearly three centuries.

Tickets and Information:
Saturday, December 20th at 2pm
Harkness Chapel at Connecticut College
270 Mohegan Ave, New London, CT 06320.

Tickets are available now at ctearlymusic.org
$45 in advance. $50 at the doors. Students $10.

Questions?
Contact:
earlymusicct@gmail.com

Saturday, December 20, 2025, 2–3:30pm

The Bruce invites you to take a break from the holiday hustle and bustle. Come and relax in a serene setting and learn how to create a unique Freeform crochet wall hanging. This workshop, inspired by Ursula Van Rydingsvard’s works on paper displayed in the new exhibition States of Becoming, will guide participants through an open-ended creative crochet experience. Freeform crochet does not follow a pattern or set of rules; instead, it invites the maker to create an artistic, improvisational piece. Participants will leave with a beautiful crochet wall hanging to give as a gift or proudly display in their home. Materials will be provided, but feel free to bring your own hooks and yarn. This class is best for advanced beginners who know the crochet basics (chain, single, double and treble crochet).

Fee: $16-member, $20 non-member

Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946), starring James Stewart and Donna Reed, has become a beloved American holiday classic. Celebrated for its timeless message of hope, resilience, and community, the film's heartfelt story reminds audiences of the impact one person can have. A perfect holiday tradition, it continues to warm hearts and inspire joy year after year.

The Bethel Pride book club meets the third Saturday of each month in person at Rainy Day Paperback at 3PM or online via Discord (see below).
March: Queer Palestine and the Empire of Critique
April: Nicked by M.T. Anderson
May: Body Horror: Capitalism, Fear, Misogyny, Jokes
June: Man O'War by Cory McCarthy
July: Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity
August: Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

If you cannot attend in person, book club is also hosted via text chat on Friday & Saturday via Discord. Please visit store website for a link!

Following the success of our summer concert, the Monroe Summer Orchestra is happy to have its winter concert on December 20th. The program will include popular holiday tunes, as well as music from "Home Alone."