Christmas in Barre, Massachusetts

For Christmas in Barre organizers, planning starts well in advance of the holiday season. The Christmas in Barre committee is supported by funds from the tourism sub-committee of the Barre Business Association, a local non-profit business organization dedicated to improving businesses and services in the town of Barre, Massachusetts.

The focus of Christmas in Barre organizers is to spread holiday cheer by fostering community spirit, while promoting local crafters and businesses. Christmas in Barre encourages residents to take advantage of the many resources available to them and buy from local merchants.

This year, the fun begins with a Christmas in Barre Craft Fair to be held November 18 and 19 in the Barre Town Hall. In the past, Barre enjoyed a highly successful craft fair each Christmas season, discontinued several years ago. The Christmas in Barre committee revived the fair last year both as a way to promote the unique and original work of local crafters and businesses, and as a holiday shopping alternative to local residents. Christmas in Barre organizers point out that residents do not have to drive the 20 miles or more to malls and large retail centers to find high quality, unique and affordable gifts. The craft fair will run from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the Barre Hall on the Common in Barre. Craft space is still available to those interested in selling their wares; contact the Barre Business Association through their website (www.barrebusiness.com) for more information.

Thanks are owed to the Christmas in Barre committee and the Barre Business Association for organizing festive lights and holiday decorations throughout the town as well. Each year, the committee calls out to local residents to donate decorative lights and ornaments, and for help hanging the displays. Always taking it a step beyond, the group invites homeowners and businesses to showcase their Christmas decorating talents with a House Decorating Contest. Each year, the committee challenges locals to enter their home or business into one of several categories ranging from the traditional to candy land and most original. Potential participants eagerly await the announcement of contest categories and judging dates, expected to be released soon. Judging usually takes place during the first week of December. Residents from Barre and neighbors near and far are invited to take an evening drive around town and enjoy the efforts of all entrants. Only a handful can be award winners, but the entries are always unique and spectacular, a great destination for a relaxing holiday drive with the family. Winning homes are honored at an awards dinner hosted by a local business. Last year's host was The Harding Allen Estate, who won first place in the business decorating competition.

Santa Claus comes to town on November 25th, and he will be welcomed with a parade in his honor, also generously supported by the Barre Business Association and Christmas in Barre. The theme of this year's parade will be "Winter Wonderland". All are invited to dress up your children, pets and inner child. Thematic floats are welcomed by any local groups or individuals. The parade will step off from the Town common on November 25, time and more information to be announced, or contact the Barre Business Association through their website.

More fabulous Christmas festivities are in the works for a wonderful Christmas season in Barre. Both the Circle of Song and Barre Players Theater are hard at work perfecting their holiday shows. More specifics will be announced as the dates draw nearer, but the Barre Player's Theater has set tentative dates for their holiday performance of "Amahl and the Night Visitors" to be held on weekends between December first and fifteenth. Originally written in 1951 for NBC, "Amahl and the Night Visitors" is a classic Christmas tale of a crippled boy and his mother, and their transformational journey to Bethlehem while visited by three kings. Stay tuned to the websites of the Circle of Song and the Barre Player's Theater at www.townofbarre.com/Pages/Club_&_Organizations and www.barreplayers.homestead.com.

Christmas in Barre will be calling out for volunteers for these and other upcoming holiday projects. To lend a hand and make Christmas in Barre a little brighter, contact the Barre Business association at www.barrebusiness.com. Continue to check out the Association's site, as well as the official website of the Town of Barre for more holiday happenings announcements and calls for volunteers. The Town of Barre website is found at www.townofbarre.com.

Join the holiday fun at these and many more upcoming Christmas in Barre celebrations. Find your Christmas spirit, buy from talented local crafters and join in the fun! Continue to support the generosity of local member businesses of the Barre Business Association; without them, Christmas in Barre would be a much less festive time of year!