Start a holiday tradition, get in the spirit of the season, or make some special memories. Many local events are happening throughout Trumbull County in the next few weeks to celebrate the holiday season.
Some of the events mentioned are free, others have a nominal charge. Some require reservations. Call the number listed for more information.
Kent State Trumbull will present "A Little House Christmas" at 3 p.m. Dec. 14 in the campus theater. The production is based on the "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In "A Little House Christmas," the Ingalls family hosts their neighbors for an early Christmas dinner to thank them for welcoming them to the area. They wake up on Christmas Day to find themselves stranded by bad weather, and the Ingalls sisters learn the true meaning of friendship and the Christmas spirit in this classic tale. Call 330-675-8887 for more information and tickets for the show.
The ice-skating rink is open until Jan. 19 on Courthouse Square after school, on weekends and holidays. Call 330-372-RINK for hours of operation.
The Stephen Foster Barbershop Chorus will present a holiday concert at the First Presbyterian Church on Mahoning Avenue in Warren at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14.
Dec. 14 is also the final day of the Victorian Holiday Walk. This is a walking tour along Historic Millionaires Row in downtown Warren featuring a number of sites decorated in holiday splendor: the Perkins Mansion, Connecticut Land Title Office, Kinsman, Upton & John Stark Edwards Houses, Sutliff Museum and the First Presbyterian Church. For information, call 330-675-3081.
The Avon Oaks Ballroom in Girard has dancing with the Del Sinchak Band from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 14. They offer ballroom dancing lessons on Dec. 19 and 26 and another evening of dancing to the Jeannette Jones Band from 8 to 11 p.m. Dec. 20. A New Year's Eve dance with the Don Burns Orchestra from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. requires reservations and will include a buffet, noisemakers and champagne. Avon Oaks is located at 1401 N. State St., Girard. For more information or to make reservations for New Year's Eve, call 330-545-4882.
The Harriet Taylor Upton House, 380 Mahoning Ave. N.W., will host a number of holiday events. On Dec. 17, they will celebrate Harriet's Birthday at 7 p.m. Story time with Mrs. Claus for children ages 3 to 9 will be held at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 20 and at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 21. Mrs. Claus will read stories, pictures will be taken, and children can decorate a frame to hold their photo. A kid-friendly lunch will be served. Reservations are required, and the cost is $10 per child. For more information about events at the Upton House, call 330-395-1840.
Henn Pottery will have an outlet sale from 9 a.m. until noon Dec. 20 at Henn Pottery, 1001 Country Way, Lordstown. The Henn family has crafted dinnerware, bakeware, serving pieces, accessories and home furnishings on their homestead in Warren for five generations. Take advantage of the opportunity to complete your Christmas shopping locally. Call 330-824-2575 for more information.
At 7 p.m. Dec. 20, The Salem Youth Chorus will perform a concert titled "A Christmas Pastorale," featuring sacred Christmas music at St. Pius X Church, 1401 Moncrest, Warren. The program presents Christmas music spanning five centuries drawn from American, English, German, Polish, Slovak, French and Spanish cultures, according to director Jon Simsic. An offering will be received at the concert to benefit the Youth Chorus.
The Cortland Community Band will perform its final concert of the holiday season at the Eastwood Mall at 3 p.m. Dec. 21. The band is an all-volunteer organization of musicians who enjoy music and fellowship and perform throughout the year in the area. There are currently about 40 members in the band which was started in 1983.
"A Christmas Carol," Charles Dickens' tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge who is opposed to holiday cheer and indifferent to the sufferings of the poor in Victorian London, will be presented at the W.D. Packard Music Hall at 3 p.m. Dec. 21. Call the box office at 330-841-2931 for tickets or information.
Trumbull Art Gallery is holding an ongoing exhibition of the works of Warren native Don Drumm. Drumm now lives and works in Akron, and his works in cast aluminum are in public and private collections around the country. TAG is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call 330-395-4876. The Gallery Shop at TAG features original works of art and contemporary crafts by local artists.