That championship feeling
Nic Elsass, Ethan Mallet and Evan Morrow celebrate after the Ellington boys soc cer team’s dramatic 2-1 double-overtime victory over Weston in the Class M state championship game last month. More photos, pages 10-11.
Photo courtesy of Tracy Elsass
Country Diner Co-Founder Passes
ENFIELD - On Nov. 26, Joseph Ravalese III - co-founder of Enfield’s Country Diner - passed. The following is a message from his family: “Joe did so many kind for kind peo ple and helped organizations in need that we could never list them all here.
He will be truly missed by so many and his legacy will live on here in Enfield. We all hope that those who knew him will forever smile when rem iniscing your fond memories together.
For those who never got to meet him, know he was a guardian angel to so many in need.”
PRST-STD U.S. Postage Paid Springfield, MA Permit No.142 FREE Local Postal Customer 860.749.0482 48 South Road, Unit 2, P.O. Box 398 Somers, CT 06071 www.statelineseniorservices.com Holiday Blessings from from all of us Guide INSIDE! Why Choose Mitsubishi Ductless? YOU’LL LOVE THE BENEFITS! Sta昀ordHeatingandCooling.com Call (860) 684-9485 Stafford Mechanical Services, Inc. Heating & Cooling Contractors LEARN MORE ABOUT DUCTLESS & IF IT’S RIGHT FOR YOUR HOME! Many homeowners are choosing to install ductless heating and cooling, and Mitsubishi ductless o昀ers many great bene昀ts! No ductwork required, so installation is quick and easy Room-by-room temperature control Helps 昀lter out germs and allergens Save money on energy bills
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Joseph Ravalese III
2 North Central News December 2022 DEC1-12.qxp_NCN new template 11/29/22 6:05 PM Page 2
A guide to holiday happenings...
Santa Claus is coming to your town
By Laura Hayden
Santa and his official helpers will be busy this month visiting North Central Connecticut towns before the big event on Dec. 25.
Look at the list below – checking it twice – and you’re sure to find the busy fellow planning a pre-Christmas appearance at a venue close to you.
Somers Holiday Fest./Tree Lighting
Somers Common (Town Green) 19 Battle St.
Somers Saturday, Dec. 10, 4-7 p.m.
Santa will enter the holiday festiv ities at 6:30 p.m. to light the town Christmas tree. He will be preceded by a late afternoon performance by the Somers High School Honors Choir and a Girl Scout carol sing. In addition, the Connecticut Yuletide Carolers and Shoreline Ringers will perform, and there will be a 6 p.m. reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Renata Bowers.
Ellington Winterfest 2022 Ellington Town Green Main/Maple Street
Saturday, Dec. 3, 4:15 p.m.
Santa will arrive on the Town Green during outdoor events starting at 4:15 p.m., with music, a visit from Santa, and the lighting of trees, all culminating in the Torchlight Parade at 5:15 p.m.
Warehouse Point Library 107 Main St.
East Windsor
Monday, Dec. 5, 6-7:50 p.m.
You must preregister your 2- to 10-year-old child for one of the four time slots starting at 6 p.m. in which Santa will be at the library. Sign up at warehousepointlibrary.info.
New England Air Museum 36 Perimeter Road (off Route 75) Windsor Locks
Saturday, Dec. 10, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Santa is coming to the New England Air Museum. Climb aboard Santa’s trusty helicopter in a one-ofa-kind cockpit experience. The event is included in the price of admission: $16 for adults, $10 for children ages 4-14, and free for 3 and under, $14 for seniors (ages 65 and older).
Connecticut Trolley Museum 68 North Road East Windsor Dec. 3, 10, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Two special Storytime Trolleys with Santa and his Elf events invite visitors to take a 20- to 30-minute ride in a decorated vintage trolley where Santa will visit with each child. Also, while on board, Santa’s elf will read a holiday story and each child will complete a holiday craft.
December 2022 North Central News 3
Clear Mountain Alpaca Farm 45 Pioneer Heights, Somers, CT • 860-749-2510 www.ClearMountainAlpacas.com Come join us on the farm for winter family fun! • Come see the babies and enjoy feeding the alpacas • Visit our Farm Store and give the gift of alpaca for everyone on your list! HOLIDY OPEN FARM DAY Come Visit the Farm Saturday, December 10th • 10 am-3 pm Regular Store Hours: Tues & Thurs evenings 6pm-8pm and Sat. 10am-2pm Fill a bingo line with stickers from participating businesses and enter to win Gift Cards Go to ellington-ct.gov< > Shop Ellington November 26th - December 11th
Full Service Salon Gift Certificates • Gift Baskets Product Lines • Goldwell • Aluram • Alcove • Emera and CBD Daily Happy Holidays! 11 West Road, Ellington • 860-871-4109 Hours: Sun. & Mon. Closed • Tues, Wed 9-7 • Thurs 9-3 • Fri & Sat 9-1 VOTED BEST STYLIST 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 Walk Ins Welcome
Santa takes part in Stafford WinterFest 2021.
SANTA/page 4
Photo by Amy Hartenstein
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Bright Nights returns for another year in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — The 28th season of Bright Nights at Forest Park is brighter than ever.
Thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, there are new light displays at the front of the gift shop, a sweet shop display, as well as giant lollipops and candy canes. The blizzard tunnel in North Pole Village is also be new .
“This is just the beginning,” said Spirit of Springfield President Judy Matt. “We have designs for more dis
plays to be added in the future. Santa’s Forest in Bright Nights will be a desti nation for everyone visiting Bright Nights.”
In addition to the gift shop, Santa’s Magical Forest includes a concession stand, carousel rides, and plenty of opportunities for photos. Santa will be strolling around Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through Dec. 23.
Bright Nights is open daily through Jan. 1, 2023. For details and a cmoplete schedule, visit brightnights.org.
Santa is making the rounds throughout region
continued from page 3
After the ride, head to the Visitors Center, a Winter Wonderland with multiple model train layouts and lights galore. Tickets: $25 all ages (nonmembers)/$12.50 (members).
Tickets must be purchased in advance at ct.trolley.org. Arrive 15 minutes prior to departure time. Tickets are nonrefundable .
Breakfast with Santa/Sonny’s Place 349 Main St. Somers
Saturday, Dec. 17, Sunday, Dec. 18, Seatings at 9, 10, and 11 a.m. An all-you-can-eat breakfast
with a visit from Santa. Reservations recommended.
Tickets include a 2-hour arcade card and early access to the park. Adult: $40; Child (3-9): $30; Child under 2: free (arcade card not included). Order at sonnysplace.centeredgeon line.com/areas/areas.
Stafford WinterFest
Downtown Stafford (Main Street) Saturday, Dec. 10 (weather date Sunday, Dec. 11), 3-7 p.m.
This tradition features live per formances, Main Street lined with luminaries, and a bonfire. The Parade of Lights starts at 5 p.m. down Main Street to Town Hall. There will be vis
its with Santa in Haymarket Common (31 Main St.) after the parade.
Enfield Torchlight Parade
Enfield Town Green Sunday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m.
Santa will make his appearance at the end of the parade, which kicks off at Enfield Street School at 6 p.m. and ends at the Town Green where there will be a carol sing and the lighting of the town tree.
Windsor Lions Club Fundraiser
Santa will be making stops around Windsor Locks. Reserve a spot. This is a fundraiser, donations are accept ed. To arrange a visit call Dawn Sopelak at (860) 614-6022.
4 North Central News December 2022
Bright Nights is back for its 28th season in Springfield. Photo courtesy of Bright Nights
www.ct-trolley.org More info: 860-627-6540 WINTERFEST AND THE TUNNEL OF LIGHTS Thru December 23rd Friday, Saturday & Sunday 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm December 26th thru December 30th Sunday thru Thursday 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm STORYTIME WITH SANTA AND FRIENDS December 3rd, 10th, and 17th • 9am to 3pm HOLIDAY FLOWER CENTERPIECE WORKSHOP December 14th 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 58 North Road East Windsor, CT 06088 111 Main St. Somersville, CT • 860.265.2282 • www.somersvillagegifts.com Open Mon.–Fri. 10-6 • Sat. 10-4 • Sun. 1-4 (Located 1/2 mile from Enfield Line) Delivery to most area towns, including Massachusetts AN ENCHANTING LITTLE COUNTRY GIFT SHOPPE Memory Lamps All-Occasion Specialty Baskets Jams, Jellies, Jarred Specialty Foods and Dips & Gifts It’s time to place your gift basket orders for the holidays! Christmas is Coming! We have all your gift giving needs. Gifts Of All Types Jewelry, Holiday Decor, Hats, Gloves, Scarves, Candy, Baking Mixes, Holiday Teas, Many Other Treasures Too! DEC1-12.qxp_NCN new template 11/29/22 6:05 PM Page 4
EAST HARTFORD — The “Magic of Lights” is back at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field through Jan. 1.
Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field will shine bright as guests weave through the spectacular 1.5-mile drive-through holiday lights display with various holiday light fea tures.
A complete schedule and contactless ticket information is available at www.magicoflights.com.
Last year, Magic of Lights was held at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field for the first time.
Inside the comfort of their vehicle, guests will tour brand-new displays, including the 32-foot-tall animated Mattel’s Barbie, Prehistoric Christmas, featuring life-sized dinosaurs celebrat ing the season, Big Foot Monster Trucks, Winter Wonderland, and Magic of Lights favorites including the 12 Days of Christmas, Toyland, and the 200-foot-long Enchanting Tunnel of Lights.
Created with over 1 million sparkling lights, Magic of Lights is a nostalgic and festive experience for guests of all ages.
Quick facts on Magic of Lights
• Includes 32-foot-tall animated Barbie display.
• Close to 2 million lights per Magic of Lights event
• There is 12.6 miles of light cord per
Magic of Lights event
• It takes approximately 3,750 man hours to set up each Magic of Lights event
• The steel displays are designed, bent, cut, and welded into about 800 frames that are combined in different configurations to create each show's giant winter holiday scenes. each frame of each scene is designed using the lat est CAD technology and hand built in-house from 15 pages of design specifications each.
• Each Magic of Lights show uses about 10 miles of steel to build the displays and 10 miles of LED light ing installed inside the displays. There are 10 different colors of LED bulbs used in the shows.
• Scenes are as high as 32 feet tall and as long as several hundred feet.
Magic of Lights will open each day at 5 p.m. and run through 10 p.m. dur ing the run of the show.
Some exclusions may apply. Visit www.magicoflights.com for a complete schedule. Tickets can be used any night Magic of Lights is open, tickets are per vehicle, not per person.
Patrons interested in group tickets should contact Katie Force at Katie.Force@OakViewGroup.com or (860) 548-2000.
Contactless tickets are on sale now at tickets.magicoflights.com. For more information and a complete schedule please visit www.magicoflights.com.
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