Festive Family Fun In Sherbrooke

Christmas lights, candles and yuletide celebrations will set the tone for festive family fun, as the sixth annual Old Fashioned Christmas celebrations get under way on Friday, Nov. 24, at 7:30 p.m.

The activities will begin with lighting the Community Tree at Maple Manor Senior's Complex. A candlelight procession down Main Street and into the restored Victorian village will follow. This year, over 20,000 lights will adorn the buildings and surroundings of Nova Scotia's 1999 Tourism Attraction of the Year. The gala opening night will include a carol sing, free hot chocolate, a visit from Santa Claus, wagon rides, treats for the children and a fireworks display.

Saturday, Nov. 25, will see numerous family activities, such as a Christmas buffet breakfast, children's crafts, wagon tours and children's stories. The Old Fashioned Christmas Concert will be held at the Lions Community Centre featuring music, skits, recitations and lots of family fun. It begins at 7 p.m.

On Sunday, Nov. 26, the family fun will include wagon tours, a craft and pantry sale, children's stories and an ecumenical choir service. The choir service will be held at the St. James Presbyterian Church at 3 p.m. and will feature the St. Mary's Male Choir, as well as a number of choirs from the community and area churches.

Old Fashioned Christmas continues Friday through Sunday, Dec. 1-3, with more crafts, festive foods, dinner theatre, a Victorian tea, and a Christmas finale concert with East Coast Music Awards winner John Gracie. The Victorian Tea takes place Saturday and Sunday, from 2 until 5 p.m. The finale concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

One-, two- and three-night all-inclusive packages are available.

For more information on Old Fashioned Christmas, call 1-888-743-7845 and ask for Holly, or visit our website at http://museum.gov.ns.ca/sv/christmas.html .