‘Beauty and the Beast’
The Bromfield School Drama Society will present the musical “Beauty and the Beast” Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. in the Cronin Auditorium at the Bromfield School. The cast includes students in grades 6 through 12. Tickets—available at the door—are $15 for adults, and $10 for students and seniors.
Bare Hill Band
The Harvard General Store will host Harvard’s own Bare Hill Band at its Pub Night Friday, Dec. 6, at 8 p.m. Food and drink will be available from 6:30 to 9 p.m., and the band will perform at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5.
Holiday Dinner and Music
Center on the Common will present a holiday dinner and music by John Chapman and Friends Friday, Dec. 6, from 7 to 10 p.m. BYOB. Tickets are $35 per person and are available at centeronthe common.org.
Christmas Tree Sale
The Bromfield Baseball Booster Club will host a Christmas tree sale at the General Store on Dec. 6, 7, and 8, and Dec. 13, 14, and 15. Hours will be Friday, 4 to 7 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Trees will be Fraser firs, 6 to 8 feet tall, with a portion of each sale going directly to support Bromfield baseball. Receipts will be provided for the tax-deductible portion of a purchase. For questions or to reserve a tree in advance, contact Darren at dmagan1@yahoo.com.
Family Movie at Library
The Harvard Public Library will host a family movie night Friday, Dec. 6, at 6:30 p.m. The movie will be rated PG. Popcorn and water will be served. Register at 978-456-2381.
Cub Scout Wreath Sale
The Harvard Cub Scouts will hold their annual wreath sale at the transfer station Saturday, Dec. 7, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until they sell out. These handmade 24″ balsam fir wreaths from Maine are $12 undecorated, and $17 decorated.
Public Input for Town Hall Project
Selectmen will host a public input session to elicit ideas for renovating Town Hall within the existing budget Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Center on the Common.
Christmas Fair and Tree Festival
The Congregational Church of Harvard will host its annual Christmas Fair and Festival of Trees Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the church. A special preview will be held Friday, Dec. 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Lunch with Santa
Santa will visit the Congregational Church of Harvard Saturday, Dec. 7. Seatings for lunch will be at 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m. Tickets are available at the church office for $7.
Winter Hiking Clinic
Educators from the nonprofit group JUMP (Just Understand My Potential) will offer a hiking clinic Saturday, Dec. 7, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Fruitlands Museum. Participants will learn cold weather hiking skills while enjoying the beautiful landscape at Fruitlands. Free with the price of museum admission.
Francis Poulenc’s ‘Gloria’
Harvard Pro Musica will perform “Gloria” by Francis Poulenc and other music of the season, Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Harvard Unitarian Church, at 9 Ayer Road. Anne Watson Born will conduct, and Deborah Selig will be the soprano soloist. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors. For more information, visit www.harvardpromusica.org.
Holiday Crafts and Puppet Show
Evergreen Garden Playschool and the Oxbow Schoolhouse will host a holiday fair for families Sunday, Dec. 8, from 12 to 4 p.m. at the playschool, 270 Barnum Road, Devens. The fair will offer live music, refreshments, wreath decorating, arts and crafts for children, and local artisan crafts for sale. The Cobb Meadow Puppeteers will also perform two marionette shows, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Admission is $5 adults, $12 children. Information at 978-772-9595 or evergreengardenplayschool.org.
St. Benedict’s Choir Concert
The St. Benedict’s Choir, consisting of Brothers and Sisters from the Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Still River, will perform traditional Christmas carols Sunday, Dec. 8, at 3 p.m. at the Harvard Historical Society, 215 Still River Road. Donations are appreciated and will benefit the Immaculate Heart of Mary School building project and the Harvard Historical Society organ restoration project. A reception will follow the performance.
Holiday Centerpiece Workshop
The Garden Club of Harvard will be making centerpieces for house-bound residents at their holiday greens workshop Monday, Dec. 9, at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Parish. The public is welcome to attend. Bring your own container or buy one. Florist foam and trimmings will also be sold.
Holiday Games for Teens
The Harvard Public Library will host “Holiday Rush Games” Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.. The program is suitable for grades 6 and up.
Holiday Gingerbread Party
Village Nursery School invites parents or caregivers and toddlers to a morning of gingerbread-themed activities and crafts Friday, Dec. 13, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the school, 40 Poor Farm Road. Children can create a gingerbread project, play holiday games, and explore indoor activities or the outdoor playground. The event is free; participants may bring friends. RSVP by Dec. 11 to info@villagenurseryschool.org or 978-456-3993. (villagenurseryschool.org)
Winter Wonders for Children
Fruitlands Musuem will present storyteller Jackson Gillman for children ages 2 to 12 and their caregivers Saturday, Dec. 14, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the museum. The performance will include songs and stories about shoveling, snowmen, snow angels, and nature in winter. Reservations are required at 978-456-3924, ext. 291, or programming@fruitlands.org.
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
The Harvard Friends of the Arts will host a staged reading of the Old-Time Radio Theatre play “It’s a Wonderful Life” Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Volunteers Hall in the library. See article on this page.
Photography at Center on the Common
Center on the Common will present the photos of John Rizzo, Neal Rantoul, and Fred Sway in Gallery A and the photos of Holly Yates in Gallery B Dec. 14 through Jan. 10. A reception for the photographers will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information, visit centeronthecommon.org.
Christmas Pageant
The Ecumenical Christmas Pageant, featuring the children of Harvard, will be presented Sunday, Dec. 15, in two performances, at 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., at the Harvard Unitarian Church. Refreshments will be served at the Congregational Church after each performance.
Tree Lighting
The annual Christmas tree lighting will take place Sunday, Dec. 15, at 5:30 p.m. on the Town Common.
In-Town Courses
- Art and Cloth: Wednesdays, 3:30 to 5 p.m. for grades 2 through 5; Fridays, 3:30 to 5 p.m. for grades 6 through 8. Six-week sessions at Center on the Common.
- African Drumming with Moussa Traore: Each Friday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Center on the Common.
- Mind-Body Music Therapy: Dec. 2 through Feb. 13 on the second Thursday of each month at the Healing Garden. Free and open to all.
- Energy Medicine: Monday, Dec. 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Healing Garden. Free and open to the public.
Save the Date
- Dec. 17: Holiday cookie workshop for teens at library
- Dec. 18: Brown Bag Book Club at library.
- Dec. 19: Great Books discussion group at library
- Jan.1: Conservation Trust New Year’s Day walk
- Jan. 4: Winterfest weekends begin at Fruitlands Museum
OUT OF TOWN
Concert Series at Bull Run in Shirley
- Friday, Dec. 6: NRBQ
- Saturday, Dec. 7: Adam Jensen and Harvard native Ashley Jordan
- Saturday, Dec. 7: Tom Rush
- Friday, Dec. 13: Savoy Brown featuring Kim Simmonds
- Saturday, Dec. 21: Bill Kirchen
- Saturday, Dec. 21: Erin Harpe
Tickets available at www.bullrunrestaurant.com.
Outdoor Wellness Walk
The Nashua River Watershed Association will host its monthly walk on the Nashua River Rail Trail Saturday, Dec. 7, from 3 to 4 p.m. The walk, which is free and open to all (except dogs), starts at the Station Avenue kiosk in Groton. The trail is flat and paved. A map and directions are available at NashuaRiverWatershed.org. For more information, call 978-448-0299, or email MaryM@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.
Classical Guitar
St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church will present classical guitarist John Muratore Sunday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. at the church, 435 Central St., Acton For more information, call 978-263-2822 or email office@saint-matthews.org.
Holiday Plays
The River’s Edge Arts Alliance will present the River’s Edge Players’ holiday production of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” and “The Gift of the Magi” Friday, Dec. 6, and Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Hudson Town Hall. A matinee will be presented Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m.
Benefit for Loaves & Fishes
Littleton jazz pianist Molly Flannery will perform a concert to benefit the Loaves & Fishes food pantry Sunday, Dec. 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Acton Jazz Cafe. All are welcome to attend in exchange for donations of canned foods, sundries, new toys, gently used jewelry, and/or $10. The concert will feature holiday favorites rendered in jazz style with horns, piano, bass, drums, and voice. For more information visit actonjazzcafe.com, MollyFlannery.com, or loavesfishespantry.org.
Marriage Equality Play
Lawrence Academy’s theatre director, Joel Sugerman, will direct faculty and staff in a reading of “8,” a play that explores marriage equality by chronicling California’s Proposition 8 trial, Perry vs. Schwarzenegger, Thursday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the Richardson-Mees Performing Arts Center at Lawrence Academy, Groton. A discussion will follow the performance.
Out-of-Town Courses
- Science in the Kitchen – The Nashua River Watershed Association will host “Science in the Kitchen” for children ages 7 to 11 Saturday, Dec. 7, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., at the NRWA River Resource Center, 592 Main St., Groton. The class will appeal to those who enjoy mixing kitchen ingredients to make mystery concoctions, pH indicators, and gak. It is open to children from all communities. The cost is $20 for NRWA members, $25 for nonmembers; pay full price for the first child, half price for the second. Registration is required at 978-448-0299, or MaryM@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.
- Therapeutic Horsemanship Clinic – The Perkins School Therapeutic Horsemanship Center will host an open-centered riding clinic Friday, Jan. 10, Saturday, Jan. 11, and Sunday, Jan. 12, at its facility in Lancaster. The clinics will be led by level-IV instructor Judy Cross Strehlke, and offer mounted and unmounted lessons. The center has taught therapeutic horsemanship skills for over 25 years as an alternative to traditional therapeutic interventions for children and adults with mental health, social, and behavioral needs. Space is limited to 16 riders per day. To register contact Cherie Ansin at 978-368-4804 or cansin@perkinschool.org.
