Full Round-Up Of Middletown & Beyond Holiday Events

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The holiday season is in full swing and we've got the best round-up of everything going on in Middletown and nearby this season:

From now until Dec. 15: Drop your child's letter to Santa!

Middletown Elves will once again be collecting letters and delivering them directly to the North Pole! Santa will write a personalized return letter to your child! This year, special mailboxes are located at:

• Croydon Hall - outside the Senior Center
• Middletown Arts Center
• Middletown Public Library
• Tonya Keller Community Center
• Town Hall - outside the Clerk's Office entrance

Please mail your letters by December 15! To ensure delivery by Christmas, mailboxes will be removed on December 16.

Dec. 10-12: See "The Nutcracker" at Count Basie https://www.ticketsales.com/co...

December 10 at 8 p.m. – See "A Christmas Carol" at Playhouse 22 at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center. The classic Christmas tale of a miserable miser who learns to keep Christmas in his heart with the help of several ghostly visitations. All tickets are $15. Tickets must be purchased online at Playhouse22.org or over the phone at 732-254-3939.

Dec. 11: Long Branch holiday arts festival and craft market https://patch.com/new-jersey/l...

Dec. 12: Breakfast with Santa at the Cliffwood Vol. Fire Company. 8-11:30 a.m. 478 Angel Street, Cliffwood Learn more here: https://www.facebook.com/photo...

Dec. 15, 16 and 17: Middletown Family dodge ball tournament. 3 different age brackets. Learn more here: https://www.middletownnj.org/c...

Dec. 16: Luann de Lesseps - A Very Countess Christmas at the Count Basie

Dec. 18: Brian Kirk at the Count Basie https://www.ticketsales.com/co...

Dec. 17, 18 and 19: See "The Nutcracker" at State Theatre in New Brunswick. American Repertory Ballet. Buy tickets here: https://www.stnj.org/

Dec. 17, 18 and 19: Horse-drawn carriage rides through New Brunswick City Center – Continuing with a New Brunswick holiday classic, City Center will host family carriage rides in the winter evenings. $20 per carriage family.

• December 17 at The Heldrich Hotel from 5-8 pm
• December 18 at The Heldrich Hotel from 4 -7 pm
• December 19 at The Heldrich Hotel from 4 -7 pm

Dec. 20: Moonrise Hike at Poricy Park Nature Center (345 Oak Hill Road, Red Bank) 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Join us for a hike on the longest night of the year! Bundle up and enjoy beautiful Poricy Park in the early evening. A headlamp or flashlight is recommended. Warm up after with hot cocoa by the fire and then watch the moon rise. Preregistration is recommended. All children must be accompanied by an adult. https://www.middletownnj.org/C...

Dec. 21, 22: Holiday Express at the Count Basie

Dec. 23: Colonial stories by candlelight: Celebrate the holidays at the Murray Farmhouse! Join our costumed interpreter in reading stories of the season, sipping hot cider, and enjoying the warmth of the hearth fire. Fun for all ages! Time: 4:00pm - 5:30pm Location: Poricy Park Nature Center (345 Oak Hill Road, Red Bank)

Dec. 23: Elf on the Shelf at the Count Basie https://www.ticketsales.com/co...

Dec. 30: Black Nativity at the Count Basie. Black Nativity is a retelling of the classic Nativity story with an entirely black cast. https://www.ticketsales.com/co...

Dec. 31: Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes at the Count Basie https://www.ticketsales.com/co...

Dec. 31: New Brunswick New Years Eve fireworks festival, numerous locations and participating bars and restaurants: https://www.newbrunswick.com/p...

Jan. 1: New Year's Day Sandy Hook Beach Walk with the American Littoral Society https://www.littoralsociety.or...

Jan. 2: 4 p.m. The Hip Hop Nutcracker at State Theatre. The Hip Hop Nutcracker is coming to the State Theatre with a holiday mash-up for the whole family! Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music. With new-age visuals and digital graffiti, the classic ballet is reset in contemporary New York City. https://www.stnj.org/event/hip...

Did we miss great holiday event this season? Please let me know! Contact the Middletown Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com Sign up for Patch emails to stay in the know: https://patch.com/subscribe