2022 Holiday Events In Vernon

VERNON, CT — There is no shortage of things to do in Vernon to get the winter holiday season off to a festive start.

Christmas and Hanukkah intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18 through Dec. 26. Christmas, of course, fans on its traditional Dec. 25. Residents of ----- certainly don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays.

Here is a sampling of some of the scheduled holiday events:

• Winterfest, the free annual holiday celebration that features a fire truck parade, the lighting of the tree in Central Park and the snowflake on the Fox Hill Tower, and the arrival of Santa Claus is scheduled to begin at about 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2. A DJ will play holiday music, the Rockville High School Marching Band will perform, decorated fire trucks will parade into Downtown Rockville and Santa Claus will arrive to hear children’s Christmas wishes at the Santa House. The parade begins between 6 and 6:15 p.m. and travels down East Main Street to West Main to Central Park. The fire truck parade will feature firefighters from Vernon and several neighboring towns. Mayor Daniel Champagne will lead the lighting of the tree, the snowflake on Fox Hill Tower and the lights at Rockville Memorial Hospital. After the tree lighting, sugar cookies and apple cider will be served in front of Town Hall. Candy canes will also be handed out.
• The Henry park lights will be illuminated each night from 4 to 10 p.m. beginning on Friday, Nov. 25. People can drive through the park and enjoy the lights at their leisure.
• The Satnta House across from town hall will be offering free photos with Santa snd Mrs. Claus starting with Winterfest on Dc. 2 at 5:45 p.m. and then on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 3 through Dec. 18.
• The Cornerstone Clothing Bank, Etc. and Community Kitchen are hosting their 38th-annual Christmas party on Dec, 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Recreation Hall at St. Bernard Church, 25 St. Bernard Terrace. The event is for children ages 2 – 10. To sign up, go to Cornerstone's Community Kitchen at 15 Prospect St. Monday through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Each child's birth certificate will be required for sign up. This event is for children from Vernon, Tolland and Ellington. For more information, contact Christine Filanowicz at 860-870-0500 or visit www.cornerstone-cares.org.
• The Vernon Fire Department is selling trees at its Hartford Turnpike station in Vernon Center.