I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving Day and that you all were able to relax with family and friends.  Now that the holiday season is officially upon us, we all surely begin a time of frantic activity that will continue through New Year’s Day.

While we will most likely be out and about during this busy time, I would like to remind everyone to take advantage of the great restaurants and shops that there are in Middlesex County.  The towns in our County provide a great destination for folks to get out and eat, shop, or both during the holidays.

To keep in the holiday spirit, the city of Middletown once again offers its Holiday on Main Street festivities each weekend prior to Christmas.  This is the 23rd consecutive year that it is offered and it is a tremendous way for everyone to enjoy the holidays in a community setting.

I would be remiss if I did not thank Chairman Trevor Davis of the Central Business Bureau, Holiday On Main Street committee chairman Al Santostefano and co-chairman Rich Greco, all of our sponsors, and all of our committee members who have given so much effort in putting this outstanding holiday event together.  Also, the Chamber thanks staff member Cathy Duncan and Downtown Business District Director Marie Kalita-Leary for their hard work in planning this event.  All of these people really have worked to provide an event that brings the community together during this special time of year.

This past Friday, we kicked off the Holiday on Main Street series with three tree-lighting ceremonies along Main Street; it was the most event-filled Holiday on Main Street to date.  The festivities began at 1 p.m. with a host of activities that included popcorn and hot pretzels in front of the Chamber along with holiday music.  Big thanks to Music Plus DJ Service for providing their service on this day.  

At 4 p.m., everyone enjoyed free hayrides along Main Street courtesy of Kidcity Children’s Museum and Liberty Bank.  Then, at 5 p.m., the first tree-lighting event got underway on the South Green with the Middletown High School Chorus and Band along with the Woodrow Wilson Middle School Chorus leading the way in a carol sing.

At 5:45, Mayor Giuliano and Santa lit the 10,000 white LED lights on the South Green Tree.  These lights are unbelievable, and are a definite upgrade from the 2,500 standard bulbs that were used on the tree in year’s past.  

The LED bulbs are not only environmentally-friendly because they save electricity, but they are also much more radiant than traditional bulbs.  Big thanks to Claudia DeFrance and Pat Hutton for stepping up to the plate to help raise the money for these bulbs.  Also, kudos to the city of Middletown for making the decision to go in this direction.  

The 23rd Annual Holiday on Main Street runs throughout the month of December and I encourage all families to come to Downtown Middletown on one of the three remaining weekends of the event to enjoy what the city has to offer.  The remaining dates for Holiday on Main Street activities are: Saturday, December 6; Saturday, December 13; Sunday, December 14; and Saturday, December 20.  Detailed information can be found at the Chamber’s website, www.middlesexchamber.com.

In addition to the Holiday on Main Street activities, there are other holiday attractions around the County.  There are many great Christmas tree farms as well as small, specialty Christmas shops in the region that are sure to be useful for your holiday plans.

In Essex, the Essex Steam Train offers its “Santa Special” each weekend through Christmas.  Here, families can ride on rail cars that are decorated with a vintage holiday theme and children have the chance to have their wish lists reviewed by Santa himself. There are 1 and 2:30 p.m. departures each weekend.  What a great way to enjoy the holidays with the family.

Also, there will be tree-lightings in Westbrook and Portland on December 7.  In Portland, the Portland High Band will provide holiday music and cookies and hot chocolate will be available to all.  The following week in Portland, the town hosts its Lighted Fire Engine Parade on December 14.  This is another great event for the family and I hope you get a chance to see it.

Without question, there are some tremendous events throughout the county to entertain the entire family.  During the hustle and bustle of your holiday preparations, be sure to find some time to get out and enjoy this special time of year with the people that you care about; this is a big part of what the holiday season is all about.

For more information on holiday events throughout Middlesex County, contact the Connecticut Heritage River Valley Visitor Center at (860) 347-0028 or visit its website at www.enjoycentralct.com.  Happy Holidays to all!

For more information on Chamber activities, please contact Matt Fraulino at (860) 347-6924 or email him at