N ew Haven’s Thanksgiving Week traditions—impudent live music, delightful model trains, locavorous gift shopping—return.
Wednesday, November 24
East Rock Brewing Company (285 Nicoll St, New Haven; 475-234-6176) probably inadvertently pings the timely themes of kinship and temptation and Hobbit-like gluttony with a Lord of the Rings Trivia Night at 6:30.
Dean Falcone’s 25th Annual Vomitorium—“a musical trainwreck for all” that brings 27 performers together in order to “overcook perfectly good songs and violate them,” this year with a ’90s theme extending to a costume contest—blasts off at 8 at Cafe Nine (250 State St, New Haven; 203-789-8281). Tickets cost $12.88 (with fees) in advance or $15 at the door.
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Thursday, November 25 – Thanksgiving
Enjoy the day—and if you need a home COVID test kit before meeting up with the fam, Walgreen’s on York Street had a handful in its back left corner as of Sunday night.
Friday, November 26
The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop (915 Whitney Ave, Hamden) reopens to the public for the first day of its annual Christmastime show of American Flyer model trains, which were at one time produced right here in New Haven by the A. C. Gilbert Company. And this year there’s a new feature to the train you can drive around the miniature landscape centerpiece: a conductor’s-eye view from the cockpit, achieved via a tiny camera. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, tomorrow and Sunday, with weekend hours repeating through January 16 and expanded hours the week of December 27.
Also starting at 10, “travel back to the 1600s” at the Henry Whitfield State Museum (248 Old Whitfield St, Guilford), located in the state’s oldest surviving house. Family-friendly doings include self-guided tours, scavenger hunts and an opportunity to donate “new, unwrapped toys” to kids in need via Toys for Tots. Admission runs $6, or $5 for seniors (60 and over) and free for kids (12 and under).
A “Lighting of the Vineyard” ushers in the holiday season at Rose Vineyards (2 Valley Rd, North Branford; 475-221-8636). The “lighting ceremony will start promptly at dusk,” with locally made Christmas decor available for sale from 2 p.m. and an ice carver whittling away starting at 5.
Saturday, November 27
From 10 to 3, a Winter Festival at the North Haven Fairgrounds (290 Washington Ave, North Haven) promises “30+ local crafters and vendors,” decorated trees, basket raffles and “free entertainment, games and crafts for kids.”
Starting an hour later is a Small Business Saturday-aligned Winter Market in Westville, on the public patio between Fountain Street and Whalley Avenue on Central Avenue.
Following “the festive sounds of solo horns and tubas at Sherman’s Alley” from 1 to 4 p.m. yesterday, The Shops at Yale continue seasoning up downtown shopping two ways today: with the Victorian-styled Connecticut Yuletide Carolers roaming from 12:30 to 4:30 and “storytelling [from 1 to 2] and selfies [from 2 to 3] with Santa and Mrs. Claus” at Book Trader Cafe (1140 Chapel St, New Haven).
The Shubert (247 College St, New Haven; 203-624-1825) hosts 1 and 5 p.m. performances of A Charlie Brown Christmas Live On Stage. In this adaptation of the classic TV special, “Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and the whole gang put on their own Christmas play and ultimately discover the true meaning of Christmas.” $40-66 with fees.
Sunday, November 28 – First Night of Hanukkah
Hannukah begins, and so does a virtual Hanukkah Film Festival offering “limited-time access to this series of 11 films, plus exclusive filmmaker discussions and more, with new content added each night of Hanukkah.” The festival’s many partners include the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven, which has arranged for a 25% discount code, “NHNGHS,” to use at checkout, putting the price at $36.
Written by Dan Mims. Image provided courtesy of Dean Falcone. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations and prices before attending events.
