FUN TIMES AHEAD

Community holiday festivities starting in Shelburne County

Whoville and Miracle on Dock Street are back on the festivities calendar in Shelburne, while new events have been added to the line-up in Barrington Passage this holiday season.

The fun gets underway on Nov. 25 when Santa visits Whoville from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Atlantic House Park on Water Street in Shelburne. Whoville was created last year by numerous community volunteers and businesses.

The town’s Community Participation and Volunteerism Committee were busy setting up Whoville on Nov. 17, said Robin Smith, executive coordinator for the Town of Shelburne. The display will remain until the new year.

“Everything is the same as last year except we do anticipate it being a bit more popular as last year we needed to check proof of vaccinations (for Santa’s visit),” said Smith.

A1 Pizza has sponsored treat bags for the kids. The Shelburne & Area Chamber of Commerce will be serving hot chocolate. The town will provide cookies for the visit from Old St. Nick.

In Barrington Passage, the Barrington & Area Chamber of Commerce has added several events to the annual parade of lights, which is set to go on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.

The parade route is through the Barrington Passage business district.

Following the parade, it’s party time at the Christmas Village/Winter Wonderland

being created in the empty lot across from the Barrington Municipal Library.

“We’re going to have free cookies, hot chocolate, coffee and tea. Santa is going to be there, a mailbox for kids to deliver their letters then Santa will write back, a sitting area with rustic benches, blankets, throws to wrap around you, outdoor propane fire pits and there will be guitar players and singers playing Christmas music around the fire,” said Stella Nickerson, one of the chamber’s volunteers who is spearheading the event.

Around 25 vendors will also be on site. There will be a Christmas tree for children to decorate with another 25 decorated trees on site, which

will be sold. There will also be places to take photos with vintage-looking backdrops, Nickerson said.

The Christmas Village/ Winter Wonderland will also be put to use the following day on Nov. 27 for a Family Dump Day Party from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in celebration of the start of the lobster season.

Nickerson said Santa will be there again, there will be kids’ games and prizes, picture taking with Santa and horseback riding on the nearby multiuse trail.

The idea to add the two events to the parade weekend came about at a chamber meeting one night, Nickerson explained. “We were talking about the parade and how when the parade is over, there is nothing to do.”

Nickerson said when she contacted landowner and local businessman Terry Zinck about using the land both he and his wife Sandra “were excited that we wanted it for that.” She said the chamber has had a lot of community support putting the event together saying people are excited about it.

Nickerson said the chamber would like to thank Zinck as well as Wilson’s Shopping Centre and Harris’s Tree

Farm for their support in getting the Christmas village organized and set up.

Back in Shelburne, the second annual Miracle on Dock Street is scheduled for Dec. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. Stationary floats will be set up along Water and Dock streets, which will be closed to vehicular traffic until after the grand finale fireworks display.

Foot traffic will be free to move along the streets where there will be firepits and seating along the route. Fifteen floats were registered for the event by mid-November.

The Shelburne Guild Hall Market will be open from 5 to 8 p.m. and the Hillcrest Academy Choir will be singing in front of Atlantic Park at 6 p.m. The fireworks show is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes for float decorations, which will be voted on by the public.