Holiday Tradition Returns To Historic Beverly Theater After 3 Years

BEVERLY, MA — The sweet ringing sound of the Christmas bell will be heard throughout the historic Cabot Theater in Beverly for the first time in three years next month.

The traditional showing of "The Polar Express" to support the Isabella Rose Marino Endowment Fund will be held on Dec. 11 for the first time since 2019. The event was canceled for the past two years because of the COVID-19 health crisis.

This year's holiday family fun will include kids' games, milk and cookies and a visit from Santa Claus.

Also available will be pre-signed books by author Chris Van Allsburg who, along with his wife Lisa, have been big supporters of this North Shore tradition.

Money raised at the event will go toward the endowment fund that was established 20 years ago in honor of Bella Marino, who died from a rare blood disorder at 4 years old.

Mortgage Network will sponsor the event.

Children, and their parents, are invited to wear pajamas to the move and settle in for a day of holiday memories revisited.

Tickets are $20. The event usually sells out so those interested are advised to purchase tickets in advance here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)