DURING NOVEMBER

AROUND THE AREA

Barre Through December 31,

Holiday Season Art Show at Studio Place Arts at 201 N. Main Street, wide variety of arts and crafts by local artisans including hundreds of handmade

gifts.

Randolph Through January 20,

Exploring My World, watercolors and more by Phyllis Greenway of Northfield at Gifford Medical Center, 44 S.

Main Street, FREE.

Stowe Through January 3, Festival

of Lights and Trees, 11 Vermont evergreens decorated by a number of Vermont artists at the Helen Day Art Center.

WEDNESDAY,

DECEMBER 23

Northfield 6 p.m. – Girls Basketball,

Northfield v. So. Royalton

at home. 6 p.m. – Masonic Bingo,

Masonic Temple.

Williamstown 7:30 p.m. – Boys Basketball,

Williamstown v.

Hazen at home.

Warren 7 p.m. - Christmas Eve

Concert, performance by the 50 person Mad River Chorale, Sugarbush Resort Gate House Lodge, $15 general/$ 20 reserved seating/ free ages 18 and under, 496-4781 for information and tickets.

THURSDAY,

DECEMBER 24

Northfield 7 p.m. – Christmas Eve

Service and Candle

Lighting, United Church. 7:30 p.m. – Christmas Eve Service and candle

lighting, United

Methodist Church. 4 p.m. – Christmas Eve

Mass with Children’s Pageant, St. John the

Evangelist Catholic

Church. 9 p.m. – Christmas Eve

Mass at St. John the Evangelist Catholic

Church.

Roxbury 6:30 p.m. - Mini Concert

by Endless Spring followed at 7 p.m. with traditional service of Lessons and Carols, Roxbury Church, All

welcome.

Williamstown 7 p.m. – Christmas Eve

Mass at St. Edwards

Catholic Church.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25

Northfield 8:30 a.m. – Christmas

Morning Mass, St. John

the Evangelist Catholic

Church. 6 p.m. – Free Dinner at the

United Methodist

Church.

Williamstown 10:30 a.m. – Christmas

Morning Mass, St. Edwards Catholic

Church.

Barre Noon - 2 p.m. - Baree

Community Christmas Dinner, FREE and open to all, volunteers and donations needed, Hedding United Methodist Church.

SATURDAY,

DECEMBER 26

Williamstown 9 a.m. - Noon - Winter

Farmer’s Market, root vegetables, canned goods, crafts and more, Congregational Church, 522-5569 for information.

MONDAY,

DECEMBER 28

Northfield 10:30 a.m. – Step N Time

Line Dancers of Central Vermont with Sid McLam at the Northfield Senior Center, Call Briana at 476-2668 for

information, priority

given to seniors. 6 p.m. – Northfield Girls’

Basketball v. Randolph

at Home.

Barre 6 – 8 p.m. – Green Mountain

Cloggers at Green Mountain Tavern, 10 Keith Ave., classes are $20 per month.

TUESDAY,

DECEMBER 29

Northfield 10:30 a.m. – Step N Time

Line Dancers of Central Vermont with Sid McLam at the Northfield Senior Center, Call Briana at 476-2668 for

information, priority

given to seniors. 6 p.m. – Boys’ Basketball

Northfield v. Randolph at Home.

WEDNESDAY,

DECEMBER 30

Northfield 10:30 a.m. – Step N Time

Line Dancers of Central Vermont with Sid McLam at the Northfield Senior Center, Call Briana at 476-2668 for information, priority

given to seniors.

Stowe 5 p.m. – Film screening of

Azur and Asmar: the Princess Quest, an animated fairy tale fantasy film written and directed by Michael Ocelot in 3D computer animation, Helen Day Art Center, FREE, donations accepted.

THURSDAY,

DECEMBER 31

Montpelier 1 p.m. – Free ice skating at

the Central Vermont Civic Center and cross country skiing at Morse Farm Nordic Center for

First Night Button

Holders. 2 p.m. – Teddy Bear

Parade at St. Augustine’s Church with a

fashion show, games

and picnic treats. Beginning at 4 p.m. –

Eleven downtown venues begin First Night performances with the disco ball dazzling festival goers, Marko the Magician, Willem Lange with his story telling and the Vermont Philharmonic, Anais Mitchell at the Unitarian Church, Eric McDermott and the Dixie Red Delights with their blue grass, Americana and alt-country

rock in two shows at

Trinity Church. 8:30 p.m. – Fireworks on

the State House Lawn 9 p.m. to Midnight – Starline

Rhythm Boys headline performances at City Hall for the New Year’s Eve Dance Party while down the street at Union School a Michael Jackson Tribute will include dance tunes from “the King of Pop’s” 40 year career plus live performances by local

musicians and dancers.

Barre 7 p.m. - New Year’s Eve

Bingo at the Masonic Temple, doors open at 4 p.m. with Primas beginning at 5:45 p.m., kitchen opens at 5 p.m. with free coffee, Winner Take All Last Game, for reservations call Anita 476-7287 [No bingo New Year’s Night].

VERMONT PUBLIC TELEVISION PROGRAM

HIGHLIGHTS FOR

DEC. 27-JAN. 2

Dec. 27: Sunday at 6

p.m., the British drama “Lark Rise to Candleford” returns to the Vermont Public Television schedule. The arrival

of a new teacher causes

divisions. At 10 p.m., “Augustus

Saint-Gaudens: Master of American Sculpture” looks at the life of the man considered America’s premiere sculptor of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Saint-Gaudens National

Historic Site is in

Cornish, N.H.

Dec. 28: Monday at 7:30

p.m. on “Profile,” Fran Stoddard talks with Lyman Orton, proprietor of the Vermont Country Store and cofounder

of the Orton

Family Foundation. At 9 p.m., Louisa May

Alcott is the subject of “American Masters.” The celebrated author of “Little Women” was a free thinker who was

also the pseudonymous

writer of potboilers.

Dec. 29: Tuesday at 7:30

p.m. on “Outdoor Journal,” snowshoeing and cross-country skiing -- and hunting snowshoe

hare -- are the wintry

stories. At 8 p.m., “Nova: What

Darwin Never Knew” reveals answers to some scientific riddles Darwin could not explain. The focus is

on new science nicknamed

“evo devo.”

Dec. 30: Wednesday at 8

p.m., in “A Girl’s Life,” author Rachel Simmons explores the lives

of four remarkable

teenagers. At 9 p.m., “P.O.V” presents

Steven Sebring’s documentary on the legendary rocker, poet and artist Patti Smith.

It’s narrated by Smith

herself.

Dec. 31: Thursday at 8

p.m., VPT celebrates New Year’s Eve with “Live From Lincoln Center.” The New York Philharmonic gala features American music from Gershwin, Copland and Broadway with baritone Thomas Hampson as soloist.

The program repeats at

10 p.m.

Jan. 1: Friday at 9 p.m.,

it’s the annual “From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration.” Julie Andrews hosts from the Musikverein, where Georges Pretre leads the Vienna Philharmonic in a festive selection

of Strauss Family

favorites.

Jan 2: Saturday brings a

collection of “VPT Favorites” throughout the day. Selected shortly before air, the lineup may include encores of viewers’ favorites or programs not previously seen.