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If you’re feeling a bit like Scrooge already, the Holiday Stroll organized by Plymouth’s Downtown Waterfront District might brighten your mood, while welcoming you to some of the many small businesses in the area. Christine de la Torre, marketing manager for the group, said the weekend of Friday, Dec. 5 through Sunday, Dec. 7, will feature live music, Victorian costumed carolers, holiday lights, treats, Santa, and more in what de la Torre calls the “heart of Plymouth.”
Live music starts at 4:30 on Dec. 5, setting the scene for the Christmas tree and menorah lighting on the Town Hall Green, 26 Court St. The band, Road Back Home and Plymouth Public Schools bands will perform until 6 p.m., when Santa arrives to flip the switch and light the tree and menorah. Following that, local band Trillium Jazz will perform until around 8 p.m.
Court Street will be closed between North and Howland streets on Friday. Russell and South Russell streets (on either side of Town Hall) will also be closed. If you park in a public lot, de la Torre said, you can grab a free ride on an electric Ride Circuit vehicle. They’ll be making the rounds from 4 to 9 p.m. all weekend. For those with a handicap placard, there will be an accessible parking lot behind the Town Hall’s doors. There will also be an accessible viewing area for the tree and menorah lighting.
After the lighting, Santa will make his way across the street to the Spire, accompanied (or surrounded) by children.
“I guess the little kids go crazy for him,” de la Torre said. There will be more family fun at the Spire, including photo opps with Santa, kids’ activities, hot cocoa and other treats, until about 7:30 or 8 p.m.
“That’s what this whole weekend is all about – the magic and the spirit of the heart of Plymouth,” de la Torre said.
On Saturday, Dec. 6, from 3 to 6 p.m., a ticketed cookie trail will guide participants to 13 businesses where they’ll pick up a wrapped cookie at each spot. Tickets are $12.51, and you can buy them here.
“It’s a nice way for someone to make it into a business maybe they’ve never been in, discover something new,” de la Torre said.
Mike Lombard, owner of Ms. Vicky’s Tours and part of the downtown group, will offer free holiday light tours in a festive golf cart on Saturday and Sunday, from 4 to 7 p.m.
At 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, the illumination of “Light the Night” will take place in Brewster Gardens, an event that the group has organized for the last four years. This year there will a 20-foot “light tunnel.” The area will continue to be lit up from sunset to sunrise every day through New Year’s Eve.
On Sunday, Dec. 7, Santa will be stationed in front of Bamp’s Toy Vault, 36 Main St., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Depending on the weather, he might move inside the hot new store.
To keep the spirit of the holidays in the air, Victorian carolers will sing from 5 to 8 p.m. downtown and on the waterfront.
For more deals and ways to support downtown businesses, you can download a “Merry and Local Bingo Card” for a raffle that ends on Sunday, Dec. 21, here.
To get all the information about the Holiday Stroll weekend, go here.
Monday, December 1
The musical “Wicked: For Good,” the sequel to “Wicked,” will continue screening at Plimoth Cinema at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. Starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Ephaba, the film delves further into their evolving relationship. Also screening is “Rental Family,” starring Brendan Fraser as a lonely American actor living in Japan who works for a rental family service, playing stand-in roles in other people’s lives. Film times are 4:30 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
Tuesday, December 2
The Local History Book Club will meet in the History Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The club celebrates the rich history of the region by reading and discussing books about the South Shore. The group meets quarterly on the first Tuesday evening of March, June, September, and December. Books discussed are available for checkout at the circulation desk four weeks before the meeting. Registration is required, and you can do that here.
Wednesday, December 3
“Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: Wild and Swingin’ Holiday Party” will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Hall. The show is a unique approach to American swing and jazz music with a Christmas focus. The group says it brings a “quirky take” to classic holiday tunes like “Jingle Bells,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” and “Winter Wonderland.” Tickets are $45.25, $56, $67, and $89, and you can order them here.
Thursday, December 4
State Representative Michelle Badger will hold community office hours from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Manomet Room at the Plymouth Public Library’s Manomet Branch, 12 Strand Ave. Stop in to share what’s on your mind, find out what’s happening on Beacon Hill, or just to have a friendly chat.
Friday, December 5
The Downtown Waterfront District’s Holiday Stroll kicks off with lighting of the Christmas tree and menorah on Plymouth Town Hall Green starting at 4:30 p.m. See the lead story in this column for more details.
The Plymouth Garden Club will hold its Holiday Greens Sale from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. It will include decorated live wreaths, porch and gravesite baskets, door swags, and baked goods. The sale continues on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Americana Theatre Company, Plymouth’s professional theater company, will present its holiday season biennial tradition, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” at 7 p.m. at Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St. The radio play adaptation by Joe Landry tells the familiar story of George Bailey from the movie “It’s a Wonderful Live,” but the story takes place in a radio studio with a small ensemble cast playing multiple roles and creating sound effects. Tickets are $45 for adults, $40 for students and seniors. To purchase them, go here, or call 508-591-0282.
Saturday, December 6
The Downtown Waterfront District’s Holiday Stroll continues with the illumination of “Light up the Night” in Brewster Gardens at 5:30 p.m. See the lead story in this column for more details.
The Plymouth Antiquarian Society invites the public to its free monthly Burial Hill Tour at 1 p.m. This month the theme is “Home for the Holidays,” and the one-hour tour’s leader will be food historian Paula Marcoux, author of “Cooking with Fire.” Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather and be prepared to walk on some slippery slopes. Participants should meet at the top of Burial Hill.
The Plymouth Garden Club’s Holiday Green Sale will continue from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St.
The Pilgrim Festival Chorus will present “Rejoice! Festive Music for the Festive Season,” from 7:30 to 9 p.m., at the Church of the Pilgrimage, 8 Town Square. The concert will present two sets of carols, both arranged for organ and orchestra – Alice Parker’s “Seven Carols for Christmas,” and Shawn Kirchner’s “Behold New Joy: Ancient Carols for Christmas.” If you can’t make Saturday’s performance, two more concerts will take place on Sunday, Dec. 7, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., or from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 general admission, $20 for seniors and students over 18. Card to Culture attendees and children age 18 and under are admitted for free. You can get tickets here.
The public is invited to a “Frosty Village Craft Fair” at West Elementary School, 170 Plympton Road, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is a West Plymouth holiday tradition, featuring
more than 70 local vendors, photos with Santa, raffle prizes, and a bake sale with holiday-themed treats. The proceeds will benefit the school’s enrichment programs. It’s free to attend, and photos with Santa are free from 12 to 2 p.m.
Pilgrim Hall Museum will hold its 17th Annual Holiday House Tour, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour offers the chance to visit private homes decorated for the holidays, from North Plymouth to Chiltonville, Ellisville, and Cedarville. You’ll receive a program describing the houses on view and the treats to be served along the way. The exact locations of the houses remain confidential until just before the event. The booklet and map with house locations will serve as the admission ticket, and must be picked up at the Pilgrim Hall Museum, 75 Court St., between 3 and 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, or between 9:30 a.m. and 12 noon on Saturday, Dec. 6. Reservations are required. Tickets are $55 each, and $50 for members. You can buy tickets here or by calling 508-746-1620, ext. 3. Proceeds from the tour will go toward supporting the museum’s early American historical collections and its educational mission.
Chocoholic? Get “A Taste of Costa Rica: Live Chocolate Tour from Indigenous Territory in Costa Rica” at 2 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Guide Alejandro Cano Ospina will lead a live tour and introduce us to the Indigenous Bribri traditions of chocolate-making. This 90-minute interactive virtual program has the option of attending in person or online. Enjoy stories, live demonstrations, fun activities, and a chance to win Costa Rican chocolate. Come in person to this hybrid program and enjoy the tour with hot chocolate or choose to watch at home (with your own hot beverage). If you decide to attend virtually, you will receive the event link via email prior to the start time. Registration is required, and you can do that here.
Sunday, December 7
The annual Jingle All the Way to The Pinehills Village Green event will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festivities include Book Love’s Holiday Farmers Market, the 19th Annual Reindog Parade, benefiting Plymouth Helping Hands for Animals, Mayflower Brewing’s Winter Beer Garden, Santa at The Pinehills Post Office, food trucks, shopping and a Hot Cocoa Crawl, carolers, face painting, a petting zoo, and ornament making at The Market. For more information, go here.
The Downtown Waterfront District’s Holiday Stroll carries on with Santa’s presence outside Bamp’s Toy Vault from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. See the lead story in this column for more details.
The Pilgrim Festival Chorus will present “Rejoice! Festive Music for the Festive Season,” from 3 to 4:30 p.m., and from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at the Church of the Pilgrimage, 8 Town Square. Tickets are $25 general admission, $20 for seniors and students over 18. Card to Culture attendees and children age 18 and under are admitted for free. You can get tickets here.
Monday, December 8
Celebrate five years of grassroots activism with the Community Land and Water Coalition at a free event from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. For the first hour, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., the executive director, members, and volunteers will share information about how to get involved. A reception and a socializing will follow, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Attendance is either in person or on Zoom, and you can RSVP here. For more information, email rachel@communitylandandwater.org.
Learn about “The Ghosts of Christmas Past” with Dustin Pari, from 4 to 5 p.m., in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Pari will explain the history of the often-forgotten Victorian Christmas Ghost Story, a classic tradition. He’ll also share tales and real-life stories of holiday visits from the ghosts of Christmas past. Pari is known as an investigator on TV’s “Ghost Hunters” and “Ghost Hunters International,” and has appeared on “Destination Truth” and “Ghost Nation.” Registration is required for this scary but festive event, and you can do so here.
Thursday, December 11
Charles Conway will discuss his memoir, “Layman’s Alzheimer’s Observations: A 10+ Year Caregiving Journey,” from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Conway will recount his own experiences with Alzheimer’s, including the emotional and financial burdens that can overwhelm caregivers. Attendees will each receive a free copy of Conway’s memoir. Registration is encouraged, and you can do so here.
Saturday, December 13
The America’s Hometown Garden Club will hold its annual Greens Sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Wreaths, tabletop arrangements, cemetery baskets, and baked goods will be on sale to help support the club’s Plymouth community projects throughout the year. Cash, check, credit card, and Venmo will all be accepted. For more information email americashometowngardenclub@gmail.com.
Find unique gifts at a Winter Craft Fair to be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hanover Apartment complex,25 Plaza Way (near Colony Place). The fair will feature creations by members of The Great Island Artisan Guild in the Pinehills. There will be a variety of handmade jewelry, soaps, candles, beach-themed items, hand-woven baskets, wood creations, woolen mittens, and more. You may find sewn and crocheted items, mosaics, and glass-painted items – a little something for everyone.
The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates the holiday season with four “Hometown Holiday” performances at Memorial Hall during the weekend. Music Director Steven Karidoyanes will lead the orchestra in performances of “O Holy Night” and “Rejoice Greatly” from Handel’s Messiah, as well as a tribute to “A Charlie Brown Christmas” to recognize its 60th anniversary. At 3 p.m., the performance will feature soprano Kristen Watson as well as the Plymouth Community Intermediate School’s sixth grade chorus. At 7:30 p.m., the orchestra performs again, without the school chorus. Audience members are invited to bring unwrapped gifts to participate in the orchestra’s March of the Toys community parade, benefiting the Children’s Holiday Fund. Tickets for the concerts are $36, $61, $71, and $151, which includes a Memorial Hall restoration fee. You can get tickets here.
Sunday, December 14
The Church of the Pilgrimage, 8 Town Square, will welcome the public to visit its free display of more than 50 nativity scenes (creches) at 11 a.m. There will also be a Christmas carol sing-along, and refreshments. The creches were contributed for the event by members and friends of the congregation and come from all over the world. A card near each creche describes something distinctive about it, including where it came from and its special meaning. The public is also invited to attend the church’s 10 a.m. service in the sanctuary prior to the creche display.
The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Music Director Steven Karidoyanes, continues its “Hometown Holiday” concert series with two more performances, at 1 p.m., and 5 p.m. The orchestra will be joined by soprano Kristen Watson and the Plymouth Community Intermediate School’s sixth grade chorus for both performances. The audience is invited to bring unwrapped gifts for the orchestra’s March of the Toys community parade, to benefit the Children’s Holiday Fund. Tickets are $36, $61, $71, and $151, including a Memorial Hall restoration fee, and you can buy them here.