Holiday on Main Kickoff, Friday November 25

From the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce

Daniel Ostrow, chairman of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Central Business Bureau, announced the 26^th annual Holiday On Main Street will kick off on  Friday, November 25 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.  The Holiday on Main committee chaired by Al Santostefano and co-chairman Rich Greco, in conjunction with the Middletown Commission on the Arts, invites everyone to ring in the festive season by attending the four tree-lighting ceremonies along Main Street, Middletown.

The schedule for Friday is as follows:

• 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - The Middletown Lions Club will be staffing the popcorn and hot pretzel stand in front of the Chamber; Holiday music will be provided by Harvest Woods Audio.

• 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Middletown High School crew team selling hot chocolate and coffee in front of the Church of the Holy Trinity.

• 4:00 p.m.- Free hayrides along Main Street courtesy of Bank of America and Oddfellows Playhouse.

• 5:00 p.m. – Gather at the South Green for a carol sing with Middletown High School Chorus, directed by Michael Gosselin, and the Woodrow Wilson 7^th and 8^th grade chorus, directed by Steve Matthews, and sponsored by Middletown Commission On the Arts, with Emcee Don DeCesare from WMRD / WLIS Radio.  Songbooks will be provided at the South Green by Downtown Business District.

• 5:20 p.m. - Wild Thing arrives on the hay ride with 3rd grade Middletown students that were chosen for their good school citizenship.  One student will be chosen to ride with Santa.

• 5: 30 p.m. – Led by the Middletown High School Band, directed by Marco Gaylord and Kimberly Everson, Santa and Middletown Mayor Daniel Drew arrive by horse and carriage, courtesy of Webster Bank, for the tree-lighting on the South Green.

• 5:45 p.m. - Middlesex Hospital’s Hospice & Palliative Care Program will light The Tree of Lights, in the Veterans Memorial Gazebo on the South Green.  Each light on the tree will shine in honor or in memory of a friend or family member.

• 5:55 p.m. – One Book, One Middletown – Mayor Drew, will announce the title of the book chosen to be the One Book for the Rotary Club project.

• 6:00 p.m. – Tree-lighting on the South Green; Mayor Drew  and Santa will turn on the lights on the big tree on the South Green.

• 6:15 p.m. – Parade up Main Street to the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce (393 Main St.), where Mayor Drew and Santa turn on the lights on the tree on the Chamber Roof.  The tree on the Chamber roof is donated by Indian Hill Brook Tree Farm and the lights are donated by Wal-Mart of Cromwell.

• Free pictures with Santa, courtesy of Wesleyan University’s Center for Community Partnerships in front of the Chamber, immediately following the tree-lighting at the Chamber.  Pictures will be taken by Middletown Councilman Phil Pessina.

• Free horse and carriage rides and hayrides continue until 8:00 p.m.

• 8:15 p.m. -  4^th annual tree-lighting in front of Eli Cannon’s Tap Room, 695 Main Street, where Santa will arrive on his sleigh to light the tree, elves will be on the sidewalk with popcorn, cookies, hot chocolate and treats for the kids.

Please Note:  In case of inclement weather, the tree lightings and parade will be held the next evening, Saturday, November 26^th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Holiday on Main Street continues each Saturday on Main Street, Middletown until Christmas from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on  November 26, December 3, 10 and 17;  festivities on December 10 begin at 9:30 a.m.

For more information on the 26^th annual Holiday on Main Street, please contact Cathy Duncan at the Chamber at cathy@middlesexchamber.com or call 860-347-6924.