New location for Farmer’s Market

The popular Bridgton Farmer’s Market will continue to operate, for a while at least, but it is in a new location for the winter. The market will take place on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, but instead of being next to the Bridgton Community Center on Depot Street it will be held at the United Methodist Church, 214 Main St. in Bridgton.

Festival of Lights

Don’t forget that Bridgton officially kicks off the holiday season at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, with its Festival of Lights parade, tree lighting, and other celebrations on the theme of Christmas Around the World. Join Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Community Center on Depot Street for crafts, music, snacks and a bonfire to help you get into the Christmas spirit.

Adopt-A-Child program

Each Christmas season the First Congregational Church of Bridgton distributes new clothing to local families through its Adopt-A-Child Christmas Program. Nearly 200 Bridgton children, from infants to middle school students, are helped by community members taking part in this program.

Anyone can “adopt a child” this Christmas. Just pick up a “Wish List” card at the church office, 33 S. High St., or call Chris Lowell at 647-5197. Each card contains a child’s age, gender, and clothing requests and sizes. No names appear on the cards. Adopters may take one or more cards to use as shopping lists for the gifts that parents have requested. Adopters then return the unwrapped gifts with the wish list cards to the church between Dec. 4-11.

If you cannot adopt a child, monetary contributions to the program are also welcome. Please send a check with “ADOPT-A-CHILD” written in the memo field to the First Congregational Church, P.O. Box 243, Bridgton, ME 04009-0243. Monetary donations can also be dropped off at the church office on weekdays between 9 a.m. and noon.

Fire Department events

The Bridgton Fire Department is a happening place this holiday season. It will be selling Christmas trees again this year beginning Friday, Nov. 25. The new location will be at the Central Fire Station, 7 Gibbs Ave. The trees will be on sale Thursdays and Fridays 5-8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and will continue until all the trees have been sold.

On Friday, Dec. 2, an afternoon of ornament-making and learning about fire safety for kids is scheduled at the Central Fire Station from 2 to 6 p.m. Also, a gathering to decorate Christmas stockings will take place there from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10. Both events are free. For more information contact [email protected].

Annual Tree of Love

The Bridgton Hospital Guild is sponsoring its annual ‘Tree of Love’ inside the front entrance of the Bridgton Memorial Hospital starting Monday, Nov. 28. Visitors are encouraged to purchase a bulb for the tree lights in memory of a loved one or a friend. A monetary donation of the buyer’s choosing is suggested for each bulb purchased. All proceeds go to support Hospital Guild activities throughout the year. Bulbs will be available for purchase at the tree inside the hospital entrance or at the Hospital Guild Coffee Shop.

Medieval Christmas concert

If you are looking for something a bit out of the ordinary, the concert of medieval music at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 42 Sweden Road (Rte. 93), may be of interest. On Sunday, Nov. 27, beginning at 2 p.m., the Calderwood Consort will perform “Music for a Medieval Christmas,” based on an unusual telling of the Christmas story from the Wyclif Bible, which was printed in 1380. The story is narrated in Middle English and accompanied by music from the 11th to the 17th centuries, including Gregorian chants and songs played on replicas of period instruments.

The second half of the performance features a variety of traditional and folk songs and dances, again with music played on replica period instruments such as crumhorns and recorders.

A $10 donation at the door is suggested; children are admitted free. For more information call the church at 647-8549.

Sing Noel

The Lake Region Community Chorus will perform in its fourth annual Winter Concert at the Twitchell Chapel at the Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11.

The choral group is made up of 52 members from 14 surrounding towns in the Lake Region. The program offers a variety of musical styles from the classical to popular and everything in between. Songs will including Pachelbel’s “Canon of Peace,” John Rutter’s “We Wish You Christmas” and the ever popular Silver Bells. The Rev. Cynthia Priem will  join the chorus’s instrumental accompanying team on violin, and Mark Priola will be playing percussion. The chorus welcomes back Zachary Gray on trumpet and Bernie Vigna on African drums.

Plan on other other musical surprises as well, and the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus with audience participation.

Bridgton’s Christmas tree will be lit Saturday, Dec. 3, during the Festival of Lights.

The Lake Region Community Chorus will perform in its fourth annual Winter Concert at the Twitchell Chapel at the Bridgton Academy next month.