Yuletide a time to ‘get twisted’

Studio Theatre presents the 4th Annual Twisted Christmas, a nice and naughty evening of entertainment, Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. at Winter Street Center, 880 Washington St, Bath. Leave the kiddos at grandma’s or find them a play date for “a festive evening full of stress-busting, mood-lifting unpredictable comic relief for grownups.” Songs, skits, audience participation and classic Christmas themes with a twist will make this a fun evening and a new favorite tradition. Audience members called the show “hilarious” and said “My cheeks hurt from laughing.” Tickets are $15 at the door or online at www.studiotheatreofbath.com. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and there will be a cash bar to add to the holiday spirit. 

Charlie Brown Christmas coming to Longfellow Square

The Heather Pierson Jazz Trio will bring “A Charlie Brown Christmas”to One Longfellow Square in Portland on Friday, Dec. 2.

Pierson is a pianist, singer/songwriter, and performer based in Conway, New Hampshire. When she is not on the road touring with HPAT, she is the house pianist at the White Mountain Hotel in North Conway and appears frequently at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” was originally telecast in December 1965 and was an instant hit with audiences who connected with Peanuts creator Charles M. Schultz’s cast of characters – especially with its rounded-headed hero Charlie Brown, his woefully scrawny Christmas tree, and his typewriter-wielding dog Snoopy. More than 50 years later, it still holds up as one of the most endearing Christmas tales ever told, and the story of commercialism run rampant echoes clearly to this day.

Joining Pierson will be Shawn Nadeau on bass and Craig Bryan on drums. The group will perform the entirety of the “Charlie Brown Christmas” album as recorded by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, as well as other well-known and popular Christmas and not-so-Christmasy tunes.

Tickets are $18 and are available at the One Longfellow Square box office or online at www.onelongfellowsquare.com. 

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Calendar

Collections & Donations

Saturday 12/3

Annual Christmas Gift appeal to help residents of the upper reaches of the Appalachian Mountains of western Maine, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Bath City Hall, 55 Front St., sponsored by Bath United Methodist Church. Suggestions at www.Bath UMC. org, or stop by the collection site, 443-4707 or the Economic Ministry at 678-2611.

Toys for Tots: bring a new unwrapped toy to ReVision Energy at Scratch Baking Company 7 a.m.- 6 p.m. Dec. 10 and 7 a.m.- noon Dec. 11 and receive a free cup of solar-heated coffee.  

Galleries

Friday 12/2

‘Holiday Offerings,” 10 a.m., Richard Boyd Art Gallery, 15 Epps St., Peaks Island, annual exhibit by gallery artists. Open 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through Jan. 29.

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Holiday Fairs

Festival of Greens, Dec. 9, noon to 8 p.m.; Dec. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Dec. 11, noon-4 p.m., hosted by Bath Garden Club at Winter Street Center, 880 Washington St. Wreaths, swags, arrangements, ornaments, vintage items, refreshments. 

Joy of Christmas Fair, Corliss Street Baptist Church Annex, 17 Weeks St., Bath. Friday, Dec 2, 4-6:30 p.m. & Saturday, Dec. 3, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Themed gift baskets, handmade gifts & ornaments, candies, toys, jewelry, baked goods, children’s corner, snack bar.

Sparkle Weekend, Dec. 2-3, Freeport. Free horse drawn wagon rides, Parade of Lights, free hot cocoa, visits with Santa, talking Christmas tree. sparklecelebration.com.

Holly Jolly Fair, First Parish Church, 40 Main St., Freeport. Dec. 2, 5-8 p.m., cake party, cookie walk, quilted & knit items, jewelry, soaps, crafts. Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., fish chowder & Italian sandwich lunch, cookie walk, knitted & quilted items, soaps, jewelry, crafts. 

Saturday 12/3

80th annual Christmas Fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 27 Pleasant St., Brunswick. Silent auction, handmade gifts, decorations, jewelry, knits & stitches, greens, gourmet ready-to-bake entrees. Free pictures with Santa 10 a.m.- noon. Lunch served 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 

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Holiday Craft Fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Pejepscot Terrace, Jordan Avenue, Brunswick. Crafts, cookie walk, white elephant, hot dog lunch.

Holiday Fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick, Corner of Pleasant and Middle streets. Wreaths, crafts, hand knit items, book signings, live magic, children’s room, breakfast and lunch.

Jolly Snowman Christmas Fair, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Cape Elizabeth United Methodist Church, at 280 Ocean House Road. Crafts, wreaths, knit and baked goods, hidden treasures room, silent auction. Luncheon 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. featuring lobster rolls, hot dogs and homemade desserts. 

Old Fashioned Christmas Fair, Trinity Episcopal Church, 580 Forest Ave., Portland, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Arrangements & decorations, crafts, baked goods & candy, cookie walk, jewelry, fiber arts, antiques & collectibles, children’s shopping room, Trinity Cafe.

Season of Lights Family Fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Allen Avenue UU Church, 524 Allen Ave., Portland. White & Gold Elephant Flea Market, crafts, gifts & fiber arts, children’s activities, raffle baskets, canned items, co-op goods, breakfast & lunch café, facebook.com/events/1214019525331002/.

Annual Holiday Craft Fair, Poinsettia, & Wreath Sale, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Morrison Center, 60 Chamberlain Road, Scarborough. Forty local crafters, Santa, raffles, bake sale, homemade lunch, holiday greens and plants.

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“A Vintage Christmas,” 9 a.m.-1 p.m., First Congregational Church of Scarborough, 167 Black Point Road. Handmade items with a Maine theme, greens, vintage & collectibles, books, quilts, crafts, jewelry, baked goods, candy, chicken pot pie lunch.

Christmas Fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 236 Pine Point Road, Scarborough. Crafters, wreaths & centerpieces, baked goods, grandma’s attic, and raffles. Haddock chowder luncheon 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Ivy Rebekah Lodge #5 annual fair, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., 179 Ridgeland Ave., South Portland. Novelties, baked goods, jewelry, candy.

Winter Wonderland Christmas Fair, 9 a.m.- 2 p.m., Peoples United Methodist Church, 310 Broadway, South Portland. Jewelry, knits, crafts, baked goods, books, and trash and treasure. Lunch with chowder, chicken salad, dogs and chili served 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 

Christmas Fair, 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m., First Parish Church, 116 Main St., Yarmouth, Baked goods, handcrafts, special children’s shopping room, recycled holiday and attic treasures, silent auction, cookie walk, greens and wreaths, Kris Kringle’s lunch.

Saturday 12/10

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Christmas Fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Bath Area Senior Citizens Activity Center, 45 Floral St. Crafts, greens, silent auction, food by Senior Citizens Cooks, raffle. 

Museums

Thursday 12/3

“Mixers and Merriment at the Museum: A spirited celebration of Maine craft cocktails,” 7-9:30 p.m., Maine Maritime Museum, Bath. Specialty cocktails, small bites and sweet treats, soundtrack of festive favorites. Tickets $35-$40, 443-1316 MaineMaritimeMuseum.org.

Christmas with the Chamberlains, Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum, 226 Maine St., Brunswick, 1 & 3 p.m. seatings for talk, tour and decor about Chamberlain family Christmases and19th century holiday traditions. Refreshments, museum store open. Limited space; tickets $10/members or $15. https://chamberlainchristmas.eventbrite.com.

Music/Theater

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“The Snowy Day and Other Holiday Tales,” collection of seasonal scenes and songs by The Theater Project, 14 School St., Brunswick. Dec. 16-18; Friday/Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m., Pay-what-you-want, 729-8584, theaterproject.com.

Thursday 12/1

“The Turning of the Year: A Holiday Celebration with John Whelan, Low Lily & Katie McNally,”All-Ireland accordion champion John Whelan with American Roots band Low Lily and Scottish-style fiddler Katie McNall, 7:30 p.m., One Longfellow Square, Portland. Tickets $25, https://onelongfellowsquare.com/, 761-1757.

Friday 12/2

“Christmas in Maine,” 7:30 p.m., Maine native and Grammy Award- winning pianist Paul Sullivan accompanied by flute, cello and percussion, Chocolate Church Arts Center, 804 Washington St., Bath. Tickets $15/advance at 442-8455, chocolatechurcharts.org, $18/door.

Saturday 12/3

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Burns Sisters’ Celtic Christmas show with guitarists Bobby Sweet and Josh Pincus, 7:30 p.m., Chocolate Church Arts Center, 804 Washington St., Bath. Tickets $15/advance at 442-8455, chocolatechurcharts.org, $18/door. 

USM Chamber Singers annual holiday concert, 4:30 p.m., Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 133 Pleasant St., Portland. Reception follows. Free.

Sunday 12/4

Festival of Lessons and Carols, advent and Christmas choral music, with choirs from eight Brunswick, Topsham & Harpswell churches, and The Parish Ringers, 3 p.m., St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 39 Pleasant St., Brunswick. By donation. 

Wednesday 12/7

“WinterNight,” acoustical evening of music to herald the winter holidays, 6:30 p.m., Patten Free Library, Bath, 443-5141.

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Friday 12/9

Rockin’ Holiday Concerts, 7:30 p.m., with Rock My Soul, 25-member secular choir that specializes in roots-based gospel, and The RMS Five, five-member vocal ensemble that sings roots, Americana, and gospel, One Longfellow Square in Portland.

Saturday 12/10

CÒIG Celtic Christmas concert, 7:30 p.m., Chocolate Church Arts Center, 804 Washington St., Bath. Tickets are $22 advance/$25 door and available at www.chocolatechurcharts.org or the box office, 442-8455. 

Tuesday 12/20 

“Kotzschmar Christmas with Cornils,” 7:30 p.m., annual celebration with the King of Instruments and Portland’s Municipal Organist Ray Cornils, joined by ensembles, hand bell choir and Kotzschmar Festival Brass. Tickets $23-$41 at PortTIX, 20 Myrtle St., Portland, 842-0800.

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Festive Fun

The Candy Cane Train, 75-minute trips from Brunswick Station/Visitor Center to Portland and back Dec. 10  & 11 at 8:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m. Santa & Mrs. Claus, model trains, refreshments, Story Reader and Nor’Easters Barbershop Chorus. Tickets $20 at candycanetrain.org or Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006. Proceeds benefit Tri-County Literacy.

“Magical Evenings with Santa,” Dec. 8, 15 & 22, 5-7:30 p.m., after-hours event at Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath, includes a visit with Santa and a tour of Captain Christmas’ Magical Boatshop. Adults $5; ages 6 to 12 $3; under 6 free, 443-1316, MaineMaritimeMuseum.org.

Saturday 12/3

Santa Day at Skolfield-Whittier House, 9 a.m.-noon, Pejepscot Historical Society, 161 Park Row. Meet and take photos with Santa, carols sung by Miscellania, Bowdoin’s women’s a capella group. 

Santa in the Park/Tree Lighting, 5-6:30 p.m., beginning at 4 p.m., park at the high school and take a wagon ride for free hot chocolate, fire pits, fireworks. An unwrapped toy for Project GRACE requested. Make-up date Dec. 4.

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Saturday 12/10

Jolly Family Jamboree, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., explore the Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath, at a reduced rate, with holiday-themed crafts, activities, a visit from Santa, and Captain Christmas’ Magical Boatshop, 443-1316, MaineMaritimeMuseum.org.

“The Grinch,” by Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers, 10:30 a.m. & 1 p.m., Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath. For details or to purchase tickets, call 443-1316 or visit www.MaineMaritimeMuseum.org.

“The Polar Express: a Read Aloud with Conductor Jim Nawrocki,” 10:30 a.m., Sam L. Cohen Children’s Library at Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Square.  

Tree Lighting

Hosted by Community Services at Memorial Park, Scarborough. Event runs 5-6:30 p.m.; free hot chocolate and wagon rides from the high school parking lot to the ark begin at 4 p.m. (Make-up date 12/4) 


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