Free Downtown Salem Holiday Performances To Help Spread Yuletide Cheer

SALEM, MA — Salem's downtown will be bustling with yuletide cheer this holiday season as the Salem Public Art Commission presents a series of free, family-friendly events throughout November and December.

The "Merry & Bright" program includes carolers, interactive shows and a mini-festival and market.

History Alive, Inc. will be out and about near Old Town Hall Friday night as the carolers ring in the holiday season following the tree lighting in Lappin Park. The show is set for 32 Derby Square at 7:30 p.m. featuring Christmas favorites, holiday punch and cookie decorating.

The Petticoat Pages will run on Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. The one-woman show includes a version of "A Christmas Carol" where members of the audience will be invited to participate as helpers. The Dec. 14 is set to coincide with the school early release day and encourage student participation.

Younger audience members are invited to bring their iPads, sketchbooks and other tablets so they can draw and write throughout the show. While the show is free, donations of non-perishable food items are encouraged.

On Dec. 17 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. members of the city middle school bands and a professional brass quartet will fan out across Derby Square and the surrounding areas filling the streets with familiar holiday tunes.

"Merry & Bright" will conclude on Dec. 18 with a Winter Solstice Healing Market and Mini-Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The market will include gift vendors with some selling items where money will go toward recovery efforts in Ukraine. Public Artist in Residence Maia Mattson will host a free wreath-making workshop and the Boy Scouts will have wreaths for sale.

The second floor of Old Town Hall will host three healing performances and a workshop during the festival with Lisa Kawksi offering Sound Healing for the Soul from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., James Felitto will have a performance from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and Kim Kesslak will close out the day with a Healing Workshop from 3 to 5 p.m.

(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.)