33rd Annual Holiday Festival - December 2nd!

For the 33rd year, Newtown Youth and Family Services in collaboration with Newtown Savings Bank will present the Annual Holiday Festival on Sunday, December 2, from 11 am to 4 pm. As one of the area's longest running holiday events, the Holiday Festival on Main Street has offerings for all ages, and proceeds will benefit Newtown Youth and Family Services.

General admission tickets are $15 for adults and $30 for families (two adults, two children); each additional child is $8 (3-12 years old, children under 3 are free). Tickets will be available at the door or can be purchased online by visiting newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org.

The Holiday Festival will feature narrated historical trolley rides through the Newtown Borough, Historic House Tours (this year featuring the homes at 60 Main Street; 10 West Street; 13 Sugar Street; 19 Glover Avenue; and 40 Queen Street with shuttle bus service between houses), a Festival of Trees, two performances of the Nutcracker Suite Ballet performed by Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet, a Holiday Tea, poinsettia sales and more!

"The Holiday Festival is a beloved holiday tradition in our town," said Candice Bohr, Executive Director of NYFS. "We are extremely grateful for the support of Newtown Savings Bank as title sponsor. They continue to support our mission and initiatives throughout town."

In addition to celebrating this family tradition that brings together many generations, NYFS will be bringing back the popular Polar Express train which will travel down Main Street. Children and families will have a great time as they take a ride on the train down Main Street. Tickets for the Polar Express are $3, and are separate from the general admission. There is no presale for the train tickets, which will be available for purchase only on Sunday. Train rides will run throughout the event.

During the first hour of the Holiday Tea (11 am to noon) children and families will love the Kids Tea in Edmond Town Hall's Alexandria Room, where they can enjoy caroling, holiday treats, a hot chocolate bar, and a visit from Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy, and Mrs. Claus.

Joining in on the fun will be Reid Kaplan, author of Let’s Eat Together, who will be in the Children's Department of the C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, at 2 pm. Mr. Kaplan will be reading his book along with A Charlie Brown Christmas.

For a detailed list of activities, events, and times, including ticket information, please visit NYFS’ website at www.newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org

House Tour Details

· The home at 60 Main Street is currently owned by Paul & Noelle D’Agostino. Built in 1850, this Greek Revival home is enhanced with Victorian details, gingerbread trim adorning the front covered porch, paneled doors, tall windows and antique hardware on the inside. The Honan Family, owners of the funeral home, resided in this home from 1938 to 2018. Corine Dell’Orso from Berkshire Hathaway Home Services will be decorating the home for this weekend's Holiday Festival ticket-holders.

· The home at 10 West Street is owned by Jason & Joni Besse. The earliest records of the house describe it as “a wood frame cottage of one and one-half stories with a gable roof,” circa 1848. Not much is known about its early history or residents. Rumor has it that it was one of several houses on West Street owned by a Main Street church in which visiting dignitaries were occasionally housed. The house has been greatly expanded and retains much of the original look of its earlier incarnation. This home will be decorated by Ethan Allen Design Center of Danbury.

· The classic Victorian home at 13 Sugar Street is currently owned by Francois & Nathalie DeBrantes. This home was built in 1888 for Mr. Harris and his wife, Jane, the daughter of David Glover, a direct descendant of one of the early founding fathers of Newtown. This house was built using only the finest materials including stained glass windows and brass imported from Scotland. A turret, gables, and curved windows are features of this striking home, and the interior contains many of its original features dating back to the construction of the house. This home will be decorated by Laurie Volkmann.

· Built in 1814, 19 Glover Avenue, is currently owned by Adam Carta & Jennifer Dalton. This home was built by William Glover, Newtown’s former First Selectman. This American Foursquare style home was popular from the mid-1890s to the late 1930s as a reaction to the ornate and mass-produced elements of the Victorian style. The American Foursquare was plain, often incorporating handcrafted "honest" woodwork. This style incorporates elements of the Prairie School and the Craftsman styles. Neva Rubini and The Green Spot will be decorating this home.

· The final home on the tour, 40 Queen Street, is owned by Rich Mowery & Liia Raamot. This 1933 Colonial style home was built as part of Newtown’s expansion after WWII. During recent garage renovations, Edmond Town Hall movie posters from the 1930’s were discovered and donated back to Edmond Town Hall. With a remodeled living room and kitchen, this 3 bedroom, 1 ½ bath home, sitting on approximately 1.3 acres, will also be decorated by Neva Rubini and The Green Spot.

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Newtown Youth and Family Services [NYFS] is a non-profit youth service bureau and mental health clinic for children, teens, adults and seniors. For over 30 years, NYFS has been committed to providing high quality human health services to promote individual and community wellness. Specialized services include: outpatient individual, couples and family counseling, substance abuse treatment services, Autism and social skills p