Maritime Aquarium Announces 2022 Holiday Events

NORWALK, CT — The Maritime Aquarium has announced a number of upcoming holiday-themed events, including shark diving and breakfast with Santa.

According to a news release, the following events are scheduled to take place this holiday season at the aquarium in Norwalk:

Shark-Diving Santa

Santa Claus will join the Maritime Aquarium's dive team to help demonstrate that sharks aren’t the blood-thirsty killers of myth. Dives will begin on Saturday's and Sunday's starting Dec. 3-31, workload permitting. Santa will strap on his custom scuba outfit and enter the aquarium’s 110,000-gallon 'Ocean Beyond the Sound" exhibit, which is home to sand tiger and lemon sharks. He'll swim up to the exhibit window and pose with children, so bring your camera for a unique holiday photo.

The Santa dives are part of a regular aquarium program where guests can see and talk with volunteer divers swimming in the exhibit. The purpose of the dives is to correct common misperceptions about sharks, as the divers demonstrate how sharks do not see humans as prey.

Please check the aquarium's website to confirm the dates when Santa can pull himself away from the North Pole and exchange his snow boots for swim fins. All the dives are free with aquarium admission.

Breakfast with Santa

Exclusive to members, enjoy a breakfast pajama party with Santa and a "The Polar Express 4D Experience" showing.

Members are invited to join us on Saturday, Dec. 17 from 8 a.m to 10 a.m. in their pajamas for a breakfast with Santa Claus! Bring your camera...Santa will be available for pictures.

Plus, join us in our 4D Theater for a showing of "The Polar Express 4D Experience" at 9:40 a.m. This 13-minute film, based on the beloved 2004 Warner Bros. film, features thrill-enhancing sensory special effects such as snow, wind, scents of hot cocoa and more.

Tickets are $30 per person. Tickets for this experience are required for all guests, including those under 3 years old. Please check the aquarium's website for details.

4D Theater Movies

Enjoy two multi-sensory film experiences each hour.

A visit to the Maritime Aquarium goes to a whole additional dimension – literally – with the memorable film experiences available in the 4D movie theater. This cinematic experience sends the action visually spilling off the two-story screen and over the audience, combined with such thrill-enhancing sensory special effects as bubbles, snow, wind, mists, scents and more.

"The Polar Express 4D Experience" opens Nov. 25 for multi-sensory film experiences each hour. The animated film, featuring Tom Hanks as the voice of the conductor, will play every hour in the 4D Theater through Jan. 2.

More information is available at www.maritimeaquarium.org.