Holiday events throughout the region Tree sales and lightings, music, visits with Santa, scavenger hunt

 

By Stacia Spaulding
©2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Do you need a Christmas tree or other holiday decorations? Are the kids excited to meet Santa? How about a relaxing evening filled with holiday music?

The Telegraph has brought all of the holiday events in the region together in one place. Our Calendar of Events contains additional information about several listings.

Do you have a Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or other winter celebratory event that you would like to publicize? Email your events — as editable text only  — to Events Editor Stacia at calendar@chestertelegraph.org. Include a festive image as a jpeg or pdf.

We’ll update these events as they come in, so be sure to check back!

Now through Monday, Dec. 22

• 12 Gnomes of Christmas Scavenger Hunt. Twelve gnomes have been hidden around town — in public places and in a few businesses. Game cards will be available at locations in Chester. Record the location and code word associated with each gnome on the card, along with your name and contact information, and submit it to the Chester Town Office, 556 Elm St., no later than Monday, Dec. 22. One lucky winning card will be drawn from the eligible entries on Tuesday, Dec. 23. A prize of $100 is provided by The Chester Telegraph. Only one entry per person, please. Click here for more information.

Thursday, Dec. 4

• Community Reading of A Christmas Carol, 7 p.m. Walker Farm Theater, 703 Main St. in Weston. Featuring Weston beloveds Barbara Lloyd, Susan Haefner, David Bonanno and Willy Appelman. Free admission, but advanced reservations are required.

Friday, Dec. 5

• Springfield Garden Club’s Christmas Pop-Up Market, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. First Congregational Church, 77 Main St., Springfield. For sale will be handmade holiday arrangements, wreaths and other decorations.
• Springfield’s Annual Downtown Holiday Program, 4 to 8 p.m. Beginning at the Chamber of Commerce office, 56 Main St., with Sticker Map. Springfield Community Band will play at 5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m. at Springfield Co-op lot, Santa will make his grand entrance for the community tree lighting and will be in his special house until 8 p.m. to visit with all of the children. Cookies and cocoa will be served in the First Congregational Church (77 Main St.), and Kid’s Tree Decorating will take place in Springfield Town Library (43 Main St.).
• Londonderry Tractor Parade, Tree Lighting and Open House with Santa, 5:30 p.m. Mountain Marketplace, 5700 VT-100 in Londonderry. Cookies, hot chocolate and children’s activities.

Saturday, Dec. 6

• Christmas Bazaar, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Second Congregational Church, 2051 VT-11, Londonderry. Crafts, gifts and wreaths to purchase and the always-popular cookie walk. Lunch available to purchase. Click here for more information.
• Christmas Tree Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Route 103 across from Marshall Road in Chester. Vermont balsam trees $47. To benefit the Chester Fire Department. Staffed on weekends only. All other times, please leave payment in the mail slot or use the QR code for Venmo.
• Holiday Open House, noon to 4 p.m., Gallery at the VAULT, 68 Main St., Springfield. Cider and wine tasting with Eden Ciders and Shelburne Vineyards, music, refreshments, a table for making cards and shopping.
• INNdulgence Tour, noon to 5 p.m. Self-guided tour of seven inns in the Okemo Valley. Each is decked out for the holidays and offering an INNdulgent treat. All proceeds go to Vermont Foodbank. Click here for more information or to purchase tickets ($21.72, including fees).
• Springfield Community Chorus Holiday Concert: ‘Shout for Joy,’ 7 p.m. Chester Baptist Church, 162 Main St. Admission is free; donations are greatly appreciated.

Grafton Village Holiday Festival (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

• Christmas tree and wreaths for sale, holiday shopping, sugarhouse tours, wagon rides, cookie decorating, community fire with s’mores, The Big Raffle, bake sale, hot soups and treats, live music, cheese sampling and more.
• Gingerbread House Extravaganza, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Grafton Public Library, 204 Main St. Admire the gingerbread creations and bid on one to take home. Silent Auction winners to be announced at 3 p.m.
• Cookies, hot cider and make-your-own nature cards, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nature Museum, 186 Townshend Road.
• Dog Parade, 11:15 a.m. Bring your pup in its holiday best; meet at Grafton Elementary School, 58 School St.
• Santa’s Arrival, approximately 11:30 a.m. He will parade through the village to the library for story time with his elves.
• Ornament Making, historic Brick Meeting House, 2 Main St.
• Evening Stargazing with the Southern Vermont Astronomy Group, 6 to 8 p.m (weather permitting).

Christmas in Weston (11 a.m. to dusk)

• Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, horse-drawn wagon rides, book signings, Christmas caroling, cookie decorating, children’s crafts, goat-petting farm, fire pits and much more.
• Kinhaven Winter Concert, 12:30 p.m. Walker Farm Theater, 703 Main St. A joyful 30-minute program from the talented musicians at the Kinhaven Music School. Free admission, but advanced reservations required.
• Nordic Harmoni Holiday Program, 2 p.m. Old Parish Church, 144 Main St. Traditional Swedish and American  holiday songs and Lucia pageant. Free admission.
• Community Reading of A Christmas Carol, 3:30 p.m. Walker Farm Theater, 703 Main St. Featuring Weston beloveds Barbara Lloyd, Susan Haefner, David Bonanno and Willy Appelman. Free admission, but advanced reservations are required.
• Tree Lighting and Fireworks, 5 p.m. Village Green.

Sunday, Dec. 7

• Christmas Tree Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Route 103 across from Marshall Road in Chester. Vermont balsam trees $47. To benefit the Chester Fire Department. The lot is staffed on weekends only. All other times, please leave payment in the mail slot or use the QR code for Venmo.
• INNdulgence Tour, noon to 5 p.m. Self-guided tour of seven inns in the Okemo Valley. Each is decked out for the holidays and offering an INNdulgent treat. All proceeds go to Vermont Foodbank. Click here for more information or to purchase tickets ($21.72, including fees).
• Springfield Community Chorus Holiday Concert: ‘Shout for Joy,’ 3 p.m. First Congregational Church, 77 Main St., Springfield. Admission is free; donations are greatly appreciated.

Saturday, Dec. 13

• Christmas Tree Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Route 103 across from Marshall Road in Chester. Vermont balsam trees $47. To benefit the Chester Fire Department. Staffed on weekends only. All other times, leave payment in the mail slot or use the QR code for Venmo.
• Gift-Making Workshop for Kids, 10:30 a.m. Wilder Library’s temporary location in the Old The Old Parish Church, 166 Main St. in Weston. Art teacher Casey Junker Bailey invites children of all ages to make presents for holiday giving: shrunken apple head St. Nickolas dolls with red robes and bags full of surprises. Be aware that space is limited.
• Meatball Day!, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Erskine’s Grain & Garden, 54 Grain Store Road, Chester Depot. Hot drinks, cookies and lots and lots of homemade meatballs. Everybody attending will receive one free ticket toward the raffle with many great prizes, including Erskine’s hats, T-shirts and hoodies, cat and dog toys, Poulin feed certificates and more. A special Grand Prize to be announced later. Extra raffle tickets available for purchase. Peter & Donna Hudkins and the Suffolk Punch Draft horses of Smokeshire Hilltop Farm will also be back (weather permitting) giving wagon rides around the neighboring fields. All proceeds from the sale of raffle tickets and donations for wagon rides benefit Chester-Andover Family Center. Click here for more information.
• Springfield’s Winter Market, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Inside the Great Hall, 100 River St., Springfield. Handmade products and food.
• VSO Brass Quintet and Counterpoint Concert, 5 to 7 p.m. Grafton Community Church, 55 Main St., Grafton. Enjoy a mix of sacred and holiday music. Admission is free, but reservations are required. Send an e-mail that includes your name, telephone number and the number of tickets required. Click here for more information.
• The Dance Factory’s ‘The Nutcracker,’ 7 p.m. Springfield High School, 303 South St. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children/students. Click here for more information.
• Friends of Ludlow Auditorium Christmas Program: A Christmas Wassail, 7 p.m. Heald Auditorium, Ludlow Town Hall, 37 S. Depot St. Gypsy Reel will perform modern Christmas favorites, beloved carols, traditional Celtic instrumentals and a few unexpected surprises. Author Joe Clinch will share a favorite passage or two from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and his own novel, Marley, a prequel to A Christmas Carol that reveals how Scrooge became Scrooge. Admission is free; donations are gratefully accepted.

Sunday, Dec. 14

• Christmas Tree Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Route 103 across from Marshall Road in Chester. Vermont balsam trees $47. To benefit the Chester Fire Department. The lot is staffed on weekends only. All other times, please leave payment in the mail slot or use the QR code for Venmo.
• Chester-Andover Senior Christmas Dinner, noon. Green Mountain Union High School, 716 VT-103, Chester. The menu includes turkey and all of the fixings. Reservations for dining in and takeout are recommended; call Pat Budnick at 802-376-6643 or Chester Town Hall at 802-875-2173. Click here for more information.
• The Dance Factory’s ‘The Nutcracker,’ 2 p.m. Springfield High School, 303 South St. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children/students. Click here for more information.

Thursday, Dec. 18

• Holiday Concert, 6:30 p.m. Perkinsville Community Church, 35 Church St. Classical Christmas music with pianist Jacob McLaughlin. The concert will conclude with a sing-along of Silent Night. This is a free event, but donations will be accepted for a local charity.

Saturday, Dec. 20

• Christmas Tree Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Route 103 across from Marshall Road in Chester. Vermont balsam trees $47. To benefit the Chester Fire Department. The lot is staffed on weekends only. All other times, please leave payment in the mail slot or use the QR code for Venmo.
• Holiday Express, 563 Depot St., Chester. Trains depart Chester Depot station (9 and 11 a.m. and 1, 3, and 5 p.m.) for a one-hour magical train ride. Meet Santa and his elves and enjoy hot cocoa and cookies. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
• Solstice and the Joy of Giving Celebration, 10:30 a.m. to noon. South Londonderry Free Library, 15 Old School Road, South Londonderry. Families can visit maker stations throughout the library to make Snowy Villages, Wooden Elves, Thumbprint Reindeer, Moonlight in Vermont Cards, Tin Ornaments, Pinecone Christmas trees and more. There will be refreshments and music. Each family will receive a copy of the delightful book Snow.
• Seraphic Fire ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas concert, 7:30 p.m. Brick Meeting House, 2 Main St., Grafton. Timeless carols and a reading of the famed 1823 American poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas. Admission fee. Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.

Sunday, Dec. 21

• Christmas Tree Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Route 103 across from Marshall Road in Chester. Vermont balsam trees $47. To benefit the Chester Fire Department. The lot is staffed on weekends only. All other times, please leave payment in the mail slot or use the QR code for Venmo.
• Holiday Express, 563 Depot St., Chester. Trains depart Chester Depot station (9 and 11 a.m. and 1, 3, and 5 p.m.) for a one-hour magical train ride. Meet Santa and his elves and enjoy hot cocoa and cookies. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
• Springfield Community Band Holiday Concert, 6 p.m. Riverside Middle School, 13 Fairground Road, Springfield. To be joined onstage by members of the Riverside Middle School and Springfield High School band and chorus.