Happy holidays SPRINGFIELD
Festival of Trees returns to MassMutual Center, D2 • Madison Curbelo to perform at MGM Springfield’s tree lighting ceremony, D4 • Gingerbread exhibit opens at Springfield Museums, D5
HAPPY HOLIDAYS SPRINGFIELD
Festival Trees of
Win your dream Christmas tree by paying a visit to this year’s festival at the MassMutual Center
By K eith O ’C onnor Special to The Republican
Imagine not having to climb the stairs up to your attic to find last year’s Christmas tree ornaments or going out to the garage to find your artificial tree that is on its last legs. This could be the year that your wish finally comes true — and all you have to do is attend this year’s Festival of Trees, sponsored by the Springfield Boys & Girls Club, which opens on Friday at the MassMutual Center.
Deanna Shepard of Agawam views the holiday trees on display at the 2024 Springfield Boys & Girls Club Festival of Trees. This year’s festival opens on Friday, Nov. 28, with free admission for opening day. At left is a scene from a past festival. (ABOVE: DON TREEGER; AT LEFT: STEVE SMITH)
Above are scenes from a past year’s Festival of Trees at the MassMutual Center. This year’s festival runs Nov. 28 to Dec. 14, with free admission on opening day.
(FROM LEFT: LEON NGUYEN; STEVE SMITH; LEON NGUYEN, FILE PHOTOS)
“Participating in the Festival of Trees is a good family tradition to begin and just plain fun to do as a family.”
ANA BISSONNETTE
Admission is free on opening day, Friday, Nov. 28, which begins when the ribbon is cut at 10 a.m. and ends at 8 p.m. The festival continues through Dec. 14 for 17 days of fun.
If you don’t mind waiting a while to put up your tree, you could take home one or more of the 110 one-of-a-kind decorated artificial trees — donated by local businesses, organizations, families and individuals — when the event concludes.
To receive the tree of your dreams, all you have to do is purchase raffle tickets, priced at $10 for 25 tickets. Drop those raffle tickets into the different ticket boxes in front of your favorite trees. All that is left to do after that is to cross your fingers and hope you are a winner.
In past years, some of the trees — which often include valuable gifts underneath and adorning the trees — are valued from $200 to $2,000. The splendor of past trees can be viewed online at sbgc.org But even if you are not lucky enough to bring one home, there is the spirit of giving and knowing that your contribution to the event provides funding for vital Boys & Girls Club after-school programs. The many programs — which include arts and crafts, swimming lessons, sports leagues, cooking classes, teen programs such as Job Ready and Youth of the Year, and STEM activities — play a crucial role
Breakfast with Santa
Enjoy Breakfast with Santa — which includes photo opportunities with Santa and a breakfast buffet, as well as free admission to the Festival of Trees — on Dec. 13. Tickets, priced at $14 for youth and $21 for ages 12 and older, can be purchased online at massmutualcenter.com. (STEVE SMITH PHOTO)
in enriching the lives of city youth.
Among the individuals participating in this year’s Festival of Trees are the Bissonnette family of Springfield, who last year created a gingerbread-themed tree.
“Until recently I was a part of the Boys & Girls Club for over 10 years. I had a new job opportunity but still wanted to be part of the good they do, so our family decided to begin donating a tree,” said Ana Bissonnette, noting their tree this year will honor Buddy the Elf from the “Elf” movie.
“Participating in the Festival of Trees is a good family tra-
that he smells like beef and cheese, so we will have gift cards for burgers,” Bissonnette said.
They will also have a gift basket under the tree with items related to the movie, such as candy canes and maple syrup.
Bissonnette said she hopes people will turn out once again this year to support the Boys & Girls Club.
“You will see some very different, pretty and creative trees at the event,” she said.
Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Springfield Boys & Girls Club’s Festival of Trees began with a vision to create a festive community event that also supports the youth of Springfield. The inaugural festival was held at the club with the aim to bring together families and friends during the holiday season, celebrating the spirit of giving and creativity.
“What makes our Festival of Trees so special is that most fundraising events held by nonprofits don’t have this
longevity and we are thankful for the support we receive from the community,” said Jamie Pimentel, director of development for the Boys & Girls Club of Springfield. Last year’s event raised $315,000.
In addition to looking for the tree that speaks out to you for decorating your home, the 17-day event will feature a variety of activities including a special visit from Santa, the magic of David Garrity, the comedy juggling of Bryson Lang, and the holiday harmonies of the Dan Kane Singers. Also, on Nov. 30 at 1 p.m., Madison Curbelo, semifinalist from NBC’s “The Voice,” will perform.
While at the Festival of Trees, Santa’s Store will be fully stocked with commemorative ornaments, an array of unique and fun items including light-up hats, whimsical scarves, delectable festive chocolate, squishable figures and more. There will also be holiday cards for purchase
dition to begin and just plain fun to do as a family,” she added about decorating the tree with her husband, Joel, and daughter, Emma, 11.
The Bissonnettes will be adorning their tree with ornaments that have quotes from the “Elf” movie, as well as gift cards that represent things that Buddy said in the movie.
“We will have a gift card, for example, to Starbucks because in the movie Buddy congratulates a coffee shop for having the World’s Best Cup of Coffee. Then, when he sees a fake Santa in a department store, he tells him
SEE TREES, PAGE D12
Jalbatross holiday show returns for 13th year
George Lenker
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
has long served as a time for old friends — especially those who have moved away — to get together and renew connections.
But for Chicopee native Ryan Jalbert, the holiday get-together has morphed and grown into a show that is now celebrating its 13th anniversary. The annual “Jalbatross” concert will be held at the Marigold Theater in Easthampton on Friday, Nov. 28, at 8:30 p.m.
Jalbert grew up in Chicopee and became interested in music due to his parents’ huge record collection. He noted his father was a record collector and also played a bit of harmonica. “We’re going to actually make him play a little harmonica with us at the show,” Jalbert said.
He wound up taking guitar lessons and fell in love with the instrument, which led him to study jazz guitar at Westfield State University. Looking for a bit of a
post-college adventure, Jalbert followed a friend to Boulder, Colorado.
“I just kind of tagged along,” he said.
“I thought it was going to be about six months or a year or something, but 20-something years later, here we are.”
As fortune would have it, Jalbert almost immediately joined the band he is still in, The Motet. But he’d return for the holidays to see friends, and in 2012, he started the “Jalbatross” shows to play
Madison Curbelo to spread holiday cheer
MGM Springfield will host tree-lighting ceremony and open its outdoor ice-skating rink on Friday
By Ashley P otter apotter@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD — Madison
Curbelo will take the stage at MGM Springfield’s outdoor plaza this Friday to help ring in the Christmas season.
“I know some people think it might be too early, but I think we’re going to kick things off in a really good way,” she said in an interview with The Republican.
Curbelo, who is best known for her semifinalist finish on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2024, is performing as part of MGM Springfield’s annual tree-lighting ceremony and the opening of the city’s seasonal outdoor ice-skating rink.
Festivities kick off at 5:15 p.m., with special appearances by the New England Patriots cheerleaders, Pat the Patriot, Red Sox mascot Wally, Springfield Thunderbirds’ mascot Boomer, and Santa.
When Curbelo takes the stage at 5:30 p.m., she will play a mix of holiday classics, “songs that I just grew up listening to, and every year those songs get me in the mood for Christmas,” she said.
Curbelo has had a busy year performing shows across the country with her band and she’ll be looking to add more tour dates in the new year.
But for now, she’s happy to
including Curbelo’s concert, is free and open to all in the community. Tickets are required for the ice-skating rink and can be purchased in person.
“This festive tradition is one we look forward to all year. We’re especially thrilled to welcome Westfield native and ‘The Voice’ semifinalist Madison Curbelo to the stage to perform holiday favorites,” said Amanda Croteau, MGM Springfield’s director of entertainment, in a statement. “We hope you’ll join us for an evening filled with music, joy,
and the magic of the season.”
The ice-skating rink will remain open through Jan. 4, including on holidays. Normal hours are Wednesday and Thursday, from 4-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, from 1-10 p.m.; and Sunday, from noon to 10 p.m. Holiday hours, which include Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, are noon-10 p.m.
For more information on the ice-skating rink, go online to mgmspringfield.com/ icerink.
and the Lighting of the Quadrangle
be home for the holidays.
Getting in the holiday spirit ahead of her concert, Curbelo talked about her favorite Christmas tradition — staying up all night with her family on Christmas Eve.
“My cousins, my aunts, my uncles, friends of the family, everyone will come, and we’ll all stay up until midnight so we can celebrate the beginning of Christmas all together,”
she said. “We play music, we dance, we eat really good Puerto Rican food — which is my favorite part.”
The festivities at MGM Springfield will continue at 6 p.m. with brief remarks by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno followed by the tree-lighting ceremony, which marks the official opening of the ice-skating rink.
The tree-lighting ceremony,
LIVE WIRE
Madison Curbelo will ring in the holidays at MGM Springfield’s free tree lighting ceremony holiday kick-off event on Friday, Nov. 28. (SUBMITTED VIA MADISON CURBELO)
Museums’ sweet exhibit runs Friday through Dec. 31
Gingerbread exhibit brings visitors to Jurassic era Springfield
By K eith O ’C onnor Special to The Republican
The sign should read “Keep your hands off the gingerbread.”
After all, the temptation is there when visiting “Jurassic Gingerbread,” the Springfield Museum’s 16th annual holiday Gingerbread Exhibit.
The whimsical culinary creations, most of which are quite elaborate in presentation, will be on display Friday, Nov. 28, through Dec. 31.
The holiday attraction first began in 2010.
“Many visitors mention that it’s a family tradition to visit the gingerbread exhibit. And sometimes, after visiting for a few years, families decided to sign up and create a display. While new participants join every year, we do have some bakers who have been part of the exhibit for more than a decade,” said Larissa Murray, director of education for the Springfield Museums.
“Dinosaurs are an ever-popular subject and are supported
within the Springfield Science Museum collection. So, our ‘Jurassic Gingerbread’ theme is a great fit. Participants seem to be very excited about the theme with most people planning to incorporate dinosaurs into their holiday display in some way or another,” she added.
The 2024 exhibit featured 44 gingerbread displays, one of their largest ever. They currently have 53 entries and Murray noted 2025 will “mostly likely be our largest exhibit yet.” More than 15,000 visitors are expected to view the show.
Louise Padilla, of Springfield, will be entering this year’s gingerbread exhibition for the fourth year with the help of her two children, Harley and Gus.
“It’s a collaborative effort. We create the design together and I make the component gingerbread pieces to put together, then the kids decorate it. It takes about an hour
Clockwise from top left: Matt Weber from Virginia, originally from East Longmeadow, visits a past gingerbread exhibit with his son Hank Weber; Sarah Gogal, Springfield Science Museum’s preparator, adjusts a gingerbread house on its pedestal in a past year; and Odalis Perez, visiting from Puerto Rico, takes photos of the gingerbread house during a past year. (LEON
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THURSDAY
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20
By M ichael O ’ Sullivan
The Washington Post
most anticipated movies of the holiday season
This past weekend’s opening of “Wicked: For Good” signaled the unofficial start of holiday movie season. That means a rush of Oscar contenders in theaters, plus an endless supply of snow-dusted Hallmark movies and the tinsel-strewn dreck from streaming services. Our annual holiday movie guide will help you sort through the clutter, with ideas for romantics; bookworms; horror hounds; and lovers of music, mystery, comedy, sci-fi and serious drama. And, of course, something for the kids.
‘Eternity’
(Nov. 26, PG-13)
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, Callum Turner, John Early, Olga Merediz, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Betty Buckley, Barry Primus.
After 65 years of marriage, Larry and Joan (Primus and Buckley) die suddenly — he chokes on a pretzel, she’s got cancer — and wake up in the afterlife as their younger selves (Teller and Olsen).
The twist? In this version of the Great Beyond, the
deceased have one week to decide where they want to spend eternity and with whom, leaving Joan to choose between Larry and her first husband (Turner), who’s been patiently waiting for her for 67 years.
‘Hamnet’
(Nov. 26, PG-13)
Starring: Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Zac Wishart, Joe Alwyn, Emily Watson, David Wilmot.
After a poorly received
turn at the helm of Marvel’s superhero misfire “Eternals,” writer-director Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”) returns to her comfort zone of quietly interior drama, adapting Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel about William Shakespeare’s family life. Mescal plays the Bard, and Buckley is his wife, Agnes (better known as Anne) Hathaway. In this winner of the People’s Choice Award for best film at the Toronto International Film Festival, Wishart plays the couple’s
son, Hamnet, whose death at age 11 precipitates a meditation on the ways grieving affects marriage and art.
‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’
(Nov. 26; available Dec. 12 on Netflix, PG-13)
Starring: Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church. Filmmaker Rian Johnson (“Knives Out”) continues his revival of the old-school whodunit, with a twist on the classic locked-room mystery. Set in upstate New York, the plot is set in motion when a fireand-brimstone priest (Brolin) is found dead inside a locked vault shortly after arguing with an underling (O’Connor). True to form, Johnson
assembles a star-studded cast of colorful suspects: a holier-than-thou church lady (Close), taciturn groundskeeper (Haden Church), type A attorney (Washington), ambitious politico (McCormack), town doctor (Renner), best-selling author (Scott), concert violinist (Spaeny) and local cop (Kunis).
‘Zootopia 2’ (Nov. 26, PG)
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Quinta Brunson, Tommy Chong, Macaulay Culkin, Dwayne Johnson, Bonnie Hunt, Shakira, Jean Reno, Jenny Slate, Danny Trejo, Alan Tudyk, Wilmer Valderrama, Patrick Warburton. Disney Animation’s sequel
Above, from left, Callum Turner, left, and Elizabeth Olsen appear in a scene from “Eternity,” and Sydney Sweeney as Millie Calloway in “The Housemaid.” (A24 VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS; DANIEL MCFADDEN / LIONSGATE)
This image by Focus Features shows Jessie Buckley in a scene from “Hamnet.” (AGATA GRZYBOWSKA / FOCUS FEATURES VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Movies
CONTINUES FROM PAGE D6
to its Oscar-winning 2016 allegory, set in a city of anthropomorphic animals, continues to ply the theme of prejudice and stereotyping. Here, odd-couple cop protagonists Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, a fox and rabbit voiced by Bateman and Goodwin, look into the arrival of a venomous pit viper (Quan), with their investigation taking them to the Marsh Market district and its underworld of seedy speakeasies lit by heat lamps.
‘Troll 2’
(Available Dec. 1 on Netflix, TV-14)
Starring: Ine Marie Wilmann, Kim Falck, Mads Sjogard Pettersen, Sara Khorami, Karoline Viktoria Sletteng Garvang, Anne Krigsvoll. In Hollywood, Roar Uthaug is known for his big-screen adaptation of the video game
“Tomb Raider” — a film The Post described, with equivocation, as “the most not-bad, not-good movie” of 2018.
Outside Tinseltown, the Oslo-based filmmaker is better appreciated for such fare as the 2015 Norwegian-language disaster flick “The Wave.” Then there’s “Troll,” released
globally on Netflix in 2022 and now the streamer’s most popular non-English title. Good news, fans of fairy-tale horror: The sequel marks the return of the first film’s intrepid troll hunters: paleontologist Nora (Wilmann), nerdy government wonk Andreas (Falck) and dashing special ops commando Captain Kris (Pettersen).
‘100 Nights of Hero’ (Dec. 5, PG-13)
Starring: Emma Corrin, Nicholas Galitzine, Maika Monroe, Amir El-Masry, Charli XCX, Richard E. Grant, Felicity Jones.
Based on Isabel Greenberg’s acclaimed 2016 graphic novel — itself loosely inspired by the Arabic folktale “One Thousand and One Nights” — this queer feminist fantasia is set in a parallel universe of a medieval-style patriarchy. Monroe plays Cherry, a new bride whose husband (El-Masry) has made a wager with his friend Manfred (Galitzine) to test his wife’s fidelity. Corrin plays the title role of Cherry’s maid (and lover), who helps her mistress fend off Manfred by spinning Scheherazade-like stories.
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ (Dec. 5, PG-13)
Starring: Josh Hutcherson,
Perhaps you’ve heard about a movie, still in production, based on the stage musical “Merrily We Roll Along”?
Richard Linklater is directing, and the story — which plays out in reverse chronology over the course of 20 years — will be filmed, like Linklater’s groundbreaking “Boyhood,” in real time. This is not that movie. Rather, while you wait for Linklater to finish, sate yourself with a filmed version of the hit New York revival of Stephen Sondheim’s musical about the vicissitudes of life undergone by three friends.
‘The New Yorker at 100’ (Available Dec. 5 on Netflix, R)
Starring: Julianne Moore,
Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Matthew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich, Megan Fox, McKenna Grace, Wayne Knight. Hutcherson, Lail and Rubio reprise their roles from the 2023 video-game-inspired horror film as characters traumatized by a Chuck E. Cheese-like pizza parlor featuring demonic animatronic animals. The sequel promises to explore the origin story of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, with Lillard confirming, in an interview with People magazine, that returning director Emma Tammi and writer Scott Cawthon “listened to what fans had to say” about upping the so-so scares from the first film.
‘Merrily We Roll Along’ (Dec. 5, PG-13)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez.
tosh.
On the occasion of the storied magazine’s centennial earlier this year, Oscar-nominated documentarian Marshall Curry (“Street Fight”) assembles a parade of A-list celebs — and names that only subscribers may know from bylines or the masthead — to sing the New Yorker’s praises.
‘Ella McCay’ (Dec. 12, PG-13)
Starring: Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, Albert Brooks, Woody Harrelson, Jack Lowden, Rebecca Hall, Julie Kavner, Spike Fearn.
After a 15-year hiatus, Oscar-winning writer-director James L. Brooks (“Terms of Endearment”) delivers a dramedy centering on a 34-year-old lieutenant governor (Mackey), who steps into the role of governor when her predecessor (Brooks) resigns. Emma’s sudden advancement occurs against a swirl of family drama involving her father (Harrelson), mother (Hall), aunt (Curtis), husband (Lowden) and younger brother (Fearn).
‘Goodbye June’ (Dec. 12; available Dec. 24 on Netflix, R)
David Remnick, Jesse Eisenberg, Jon Hamm, Sarah Jessica Parker, Roz Chast, Emma Allen, Françoise Mouly, Deborah Treisman, Nick Paumgarten, Hilton Als, Rachel Syme, Fergus McIn-
Starring: Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn, Andrea Riseborough, Kate Winslet, Timothy Spall, Helen Mirren, Stephen Merchant, Jeremy Swift.
Four estranged adult siblings (Winslet, Collette, Flynn
Above, Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman, left, and Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, in a scene from “Zootopia 2.” At right, Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri in “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
(DISNEY VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS; 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS/ TNS)
Jurassic
CONTINUES FROM PAGE D5
to bake everything and a couple hours more to decorate. We work on it in shifts by first putting it in the freezer, then taking it out to put together before it goes back into the freezer for a second time, before it comes out again for the kids to decorate,” she said.
They are planning a traditional gingerbread house for this year, with two cookie dinosaurs having a snowball fight outdoors. The family’s past entries have included a gingerbread house patterned after Whoville and a Candy Land board game.
Long-time participant Peter Arvantely, of Northborough, has been making gingerbread houses for the past 11 years to create fun pieces that his daughter calls “cringy niche style.”
This year, he has taken on a real challenge.
“My idea this year is to imitate a French impressionist pointillist painting but with dinosaur characters. So, we will see. It’s mainly me doing it now that the kids are older,”
Arvantely said.
Pointillism is a painting technique that involves creating a picture with tiny dots of color.
“I found a candy store in Hudson that sells scoops of small candies like M&Ms and Nerds, which I plan to use, as well as Swedish Fish for the lake I will be including,”
Arvantely said.
Arvantely’s love for the Springfield Science Museum has spanned generations.
“My grandfather came here from Greece and often brought my father, who loved science, to the museum.
When growing up in Enfield in the ’70s, my father would take us to the museum and later I would do the same with our kids. When they were little, they would see the gingerbread displays every year and I told them when they were older that we would do it,” he said.
Visitors are encouraged to take notes during their visit to maybe create their own gingerbread displays at home, as well as to vote for the “People’s Choice” display. Winners will be posted in January 2026 on
Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed on Monday. It is closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
the Springfield Museums’ social media channels and the museum blog.
In addition to visiting “Jurassic Gingerbread,” admission includes stopping at The Grinch’s Grotto in the Wood Museum of Springfield History, where you can step inside the Grinch’s home on Mount Crumpit and strike a pose for holiday photos. New this year is a large-scale Whoville where Grinch lovers can write a letter to the Grinch and drop it in the Whoville Post. There
will also be games for young visitors. The online museum calendar lists the dates and times when the Grinch will make his appearances, but when he is not home, there is a Grinch selfie station.
The holiday adventures continue in the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts with “Winter Wonderland: The Enchantment of the Season,” an exhibition of winter-themed
Above, Joanie of West Springfield, left, and Janet of Westfield, right, check out a past year’s gingerbread exhibit, and at right, a gingerbread creation from a past year at the Springfield Museums. (LEON NGUYEN, FILE PHOTOS)
Holiday season at Historic Deerfield
The holiday season is coming alive at Historic Deerfield, where timeless traditions and festive flavors will once again fill the village with warmth and wonder. From handcrafted wreaths to dinners with Santa, the Deerfield Inn, Champney’s Restaurant & Tavern, and Historic Deerfield are inviting families to celebrate the most magical time of year together.
The festivities include a beloved tradition: the Historic Deerfield Wreath-Making Workshops, held Nov. 30 through Dec. 3 at the Deerfield Community Center. The wreaths will be hung on Dec. 5 and will stay up until early January, so visitors can enjoy the annual Wreath Walk and stop in at the Historic Deerfield Gift Shop and bookstore for a special holiday season sale.
Once the wreaths are hung, families can look forward to an especially heartwarming treat at Dinner with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Champney’s, happening select evenings from November 30 through December 16. From 4 to 6 p.m., families can enjoy dinner while Santa and Mrs. Claus visit each table, share stories, and listen to holiday wishes. A $30 Santa Experience fee applies, and reservations are required at 413-7745587. Mrs. Claus cookies are
complimentary for all guests. Throughout the season, the charm of Deerfield continues with festive activities and local favorites, including:
• Hayrides by Clay Hill Farm on select weekends (November 29–30; December 6–7, 13–14, and 20), offering one-mile rides through the heart of Historic Deerfield with complimentary hot mulled cider.
• Music by the Fire with local musician John Waynelovich in Champney’s Tavern (November 13, 20, 28; December 4, 11, and 18), creating the perfect backdrop for cozy evenings.
• Hands-on history at the Family Program: Make a Simple Gift (November 22, 23, 28, 29, 30), where visitors can craft a handmade beeswax candle at The History Workshop.
• Society of the 17th Century at Hall Tavern (November 29), featuring historical reenactors, open-hearth cooking, and traditional crafts from the colonial era.
• Wreath Walks (December 6-early January), when visitors can stroll along the street to enjoy the handmade wreaths hung on the historic houses.
For a full calendar of Historic Deerfield’s events, and more information, visit www. historic-deerfield.org.
CALENDAR
SPRINGFIELD
Nights are looking brighter
Bright Nights at Forest Park is now open for the holiday season. Hours are Sunday through Thursday, from 5-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, from 5-10 p.m.; and holidays, from 5-10 p.m. Bright Nights will be open nightly through Sunday, Jan. 4, with the exception of Dec. 1 and 2. Tickets begin at $25 per car and can be purchased online at brightnights.org. (THE REPUBLICAN, FILE PHOTO)
THURSDAY
Bright Nights at Forest Park 2025: Thu.-Sun., Forest Park. The lights will be lit through Sunday, Jan. 4 (Closed Dec. 1, 2). Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 5-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 5-10 p.m.; Sun. 5-9 p.m. Holidays: 5-10 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance online or at Big Y. For more information, registration or for tickets, visit www.brightnights.org. Sumner Avenue, Springfield.
FRIDAY
Bright Nights at Forest Park 2025: See Thursday listing Comedy Project Open Mic: Fri, 7 p.m. LAVA Center, $1-$5 suggested donation. 324 Main St., Greenfield.
Karaoke Night: Fri., 7 p.m. Tangle Chocolate Lounge. All ages welcome. Laughter and fun guaranteed. You don’t have to be an experienced or even a good singer to have fun with karaoke. Free. 5 Main St. Route 9, Williamsburg. The Lighting of the Quadrangle 2025: Fri., 5 p.m. Quadrangle Welcome Center, This festive holiday celebration features appearances by the Grinch and Santa Claus, music, refreshments,
and more. Plus visit The Grinch’s Grotto and “Jurassic Gingerbread.” Free and open to the public. No admission to the museum required. 21 Edwards St., Springfield. 413-263-6800 or www. springfieldmuseums.org.
MGM Springfield Tree Lighting and Ice Rink Opening: Fri., 5:15 p.m., MGM Springfield, Festivities kick off at 5:15 p.m. with visits from Santa and sports mascots. Then, enjoy a performance by Westfield native and “The Voice” semifinalist Madison Curbelo at 5:30 p.m. The tree lighting and rink opening ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. For complete information about hours and admission for the ice rink visit www. mgmspringfield.mgmresorts. com; the ice rink is open through Jan. 4, 1 MGM Way, Springfield. Springfield Boys & Girls Club Festival of Trees: Fri.-Sun., MassMutual Center. Hours: Closed Mon.-Tues.; Wed. (Private Parties); Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Santa’s Hour: Fri.Sun. 12 p.m.–4 p.m., Admission: $5; Seniors: $4; Children 12 & Under: Free Active Military, Veterans, First Responders & their families. 1277 Main St., Springfield. 413787-6600 or www.massmutualcenter.com.
Thanksgiving Weekend Family
Holiday Hangouts: Fri.-Sat, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. High Five Books. Come get cozy at the bookstore with us over the long Thanksgiving weekend with all-day and evening shopping, crafting, and snacking. Free. 141 North Main St., Florence.
SATURDAY
Bright Nights at Forest Park 2025: See Thursday listing Springfield Boys & Girls Club Festival of Trees: See Friday listing
Thanksgiving Weekend Family Holiday Hangouts: See Friday listing
SUNDAY
Bright Nights at Forest Park 2025: See Thursday listing CitySpace Volunteer Drop in: Sun, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Blue Room at CitySpace. Learn about how you can tap into CitySpace’s events and family. Free and open to all. Sign-up online at cityspaceeasthampton.org/volunteer/, 43 Main St., Easthampton; The Driftwoods-Beach Boys Tribute: Sun, 2 p.m. Shortstop Bar & Grill, in the new garage. SEE CALENDAR, PAGE D10
Calendar
There will be open seating with doors opening at 1:30 p.m. The two hour show will have an intermission, although there will be no eating during the show. Beverages may be brought into the seated area. 99 Springfield Road, Westfield, 413-642-6370.
Springfield Boys & Girls Club Festival of Trees: See Friday listing Sunday Live Music: Sun, 2 p.m. Tangle Chocolate Lounge. The line up includes Martha Grinnell, Louise Coombe, Matt Emmer, The Lonesome Brothers, Don Chiulli, Stephen Katz, Luke Deroy and many more. Free. 5 Main St. Route 9, Williamsburg.
Victorian Candlelight Tours: Sun., 6 and 8 p.m. Stone House Museum. Tours will be led by interpreters wearing traditional Victorian dress. Reservations are needed. For ticket information, call 413-230-2022 or go online to stonehousemuseum.org, 20 Maple St., Belchertown.
Quadrangle
George Walter Vincent Smith
Art Museum: Permanent exhibit: “Ancient Treasures,” a display of artifacts from ancient China, Greece, Rome and Egypt. On the first Wed. of every month through the end of 2026, admission to the Springfield Museums is free. For more information, visit www.springfieldmuseums.org.
Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History: Meet the Grinch in the Grinch’s Grotto. Nov. 28, 29, 30; Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Visit with Mt. Crumpit’s most famous resident, snap a few photos, and explore a winter wonderland of holiday spirit. Note: Because he needs his beauty rest, the Grinch will take a short break every 40 minutes. Permanent exhibit: More than two dozen Indian motorcycles and related memorabilia.
Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts: Holiday Happenings 2025, with activities available through all five museums. Springfield Science Museum: Permanent exhibit: State-of-the-art Zeiss Projector and updated International Space Station exhibit.
The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum: Permanent exhibit. Firstfloor exhibition provides opportunities to explore new sounds and vocabulary, play rhyming games, invent stories, and engage in activities that encourage teamwork and creative thinking, with interactive
Visit with The Grinch
7-year old Stevie Wright of Torrington, Conn., got to visit with The Grinch in his grotto at the Wood Museum of Springfield History in this 2024 file photo. The Grinch’s Grotto will again be open this holiday season, with The Grinch available for photo ops on select days and times. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN, FILE PHOTO)
three-dimensional exhibits. Second floor contains Geisel’s personal memorabilia. For more information, visit springfieldmuseums.org.
Quadrangle admission - $25 for adults, $16.50 for seniors (60+) and college students with ID, $13 for children ages 3-17; free to children under age 3 and members, Springfield residents are free with proof of residency. Welcome Center and Museum store. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Museums
Amelia Park Children’s Museum: Permanent exhibits include spaceship, construction site, library, grocery store, and weekday activities. Hours: Thu.-Tue., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; open for groups on Wed. Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day. Open New Year’s Day. $8 adults; $8 children (12 months and older); $4 grandparents/seniors (60+); military personnel and teachers receive a 10% discount off the price of regular admission; members/ infants free. 29 South Broad St., Westfield or www.ameliaparkmuseum.org.
Anchor House of Artists: Rotating art exhibits, self-staged by fine regional talents. The best leastknown gallery in the Pioneer Valley. Free public receptions on the 2nd Fri. of the month from 5-8 p.m. For more information, email artists@
seum: “Anni’s Orchestra: Theme and Variation in the Prints of Anni Albers,” through Dec. 9. Lower Lake Road, South Hadley or www.mtholyoke.edu.
New England Air Museum: “Behind the Scenes Restoration Hangar Tours,” Nov. 28, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For one day only the NEAM restoration team will be offering tours of the Restoration Hangar. This event is included with standard admission. 36 Perimeter Road, Windsor Locks or www.neam.org.
Norman Rockwell Museum: “Jazz Age Illustration,” through April 6. Step back into the vibrant world of the 1920s and 1930s. “Norman Rockwell: Home for the Holidays,” through Feb. 22, featuring a heartwarming collection of holiday themed works by Norman Rockwell, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. “Shine A Light: The Art and Life of Deb Koffman,” through June 7. “Illustrators of Light: Rockwell, Wyeth, and Parrish from the Edison Mazda Collection,” through Jan. 4. 9 Route 183, Stockbridge or www.nrm.org.
smith.edu.
Springfield Armory National Historic Site: Ranger-led interpretive programs offered in the museum in the afternoon. Junior Ranger programs conducted frequently each day. Wed.-Sun, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 1 Armory Square, Springfield or www.nps.gov/spar.
Titanic Museum: Permanent exhibit: Exhibits from the collection of the International Titanic Historical Society. Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $4, $2 children and students, 208 Main St., Indian Orchard or www. titanic1.org.
University Museum of Contemporary Art - Fine Arts Center: Permanent exhibit. The University Museum is open through May 1; Tue–Fri, 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sat & Sun, noon–4p p.m.; and first Thursdays until 8 p.m. Closed Mondays, holidays, and academic breaks. 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst
anchorhouseartists.org, go online to anchorhouseartists.org, or call 413-588-4337. 518 Pleasant St., Northampton
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art: Permanent exhibit: Gabrielle Healy Carroll Storytime Programs are held Tues. and Fri. 10:30 a.m.; Sat. 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m., free with admission. Museum hours: Wed.Fri, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun, noon-5 p.m. “The Art of Grace Lin: Meeting A Friend in an Unexpected Place,” through Jan. 4. “Cooking with Eric Carle,” through Aug. 23, 2026. 125 West Bay Road, Amherst or www.carlemuseum. org.
Historic Northampton Museum and Education: Permanent exhibit. Hours: Wed.-Sun. noon-5 p.m. $5 suggested donation, 46 Bridge St., Northampton or www. historic-northampton.org.
Josiah Day House: Permanent exhibit: Featuring guided tours, artifacts, furniture, clothing and documents from 1754-1902. Call for open house schedule and individual tours. $3, $1 children 6-12, free for members. 70 Park St., West Springfield, 413-734-8322.
Mead Art Museum: Permanent exhibit. Museum hours: Tues.-Thu. and Sun., 9 a.m.-midnight; Fri., 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 220 South Pleasant St., Amherst or www.amherst.edu.
Mount Holyoke College Art Mu-
Old Sturbridge Village: “For the Purpose of Illumination.” Learn how New Englanders needed, used, and created artificial lighting methods in the 1830s and see first-hand artifacts from the era. Included with standard daytime general admission. Standard daytime admission is $30 for adults, $28 for seniors (55+), $15 for youth (4-17), $15 for college students (with a valid college ID), and free for children 3 and under. “Christmas By Candlelight,” Nov. 28-30, Dec. 5-7, 12-14, 19-23, and 27-30, 2 8 p.m. Route 20, Sturbridge or www.osv.org.
Pan African Historical Museum USA: Permanent exhibit: Exhibitions by local artists. Hours: Tues.Fri. noon-4 p.m. Free. 1500 Main St., Springfield, 413-733-1823.
Polish Center of Discovery and Learning: Permanent exhibit: Galleries include “Coming to America”; “At Home in America”; “Folk Art”; “History.” The Polish Center is open to the public daily, Mon.Fri, 1-5 p.m., except for inclement weather and holidays. Other times may be scheduled by appointment. $5 donation. 33 South St., Chicopee or www.polishcenter.net.
Smith College Museum of Art: Permanent exhibits: “Ancient World Gallery, Beyond the Museum: Art on Smith’s Campus.” Hours: Tues.-Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., closed Mondays and major holidays. SCMA exhibition “A City in Flux: Reflecting on Venice,” through March 22. “Michel Kameni: Portraits of an Independent Africa,” through Jan. 4. SCMA Exhibition “Crafting Worlds,” through Aug. 23. All exhibits at SCMA are free. Elm Street at Bedford Terrace, Northampton or www.scma.
Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum: Permanent exhibit: guided tours of the first and second floors. Weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Ghost Tours with Robert Oakes,” Nov. 29, 7 p.m. Robert Oakes is an author, teacher, storyteller, and performing songwriter. This is not an active investigation. Minimum age to attend is age 12. Reservations are strongly recommended as tickets are limited. Walk-ins accommodated as space allows. For reservations visit https://gildedage.org/pages/calendar or call 413-637-3206. Admission is $30. 104 Walker St., Lenox or www.gildedage.org.
Volleyball Hall of Fame: Permanent exhibit. Open Tues.-Sun, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Closed Mon. Last admission is 30 minutes prior to close. $8 adults; $5 seniors 65 and older; $5 students, active and retired military; and free for children 12 and under. Group rates also available online. 444 Dwight St., Holyoke or www.volleyhall.org.
Windsor Historical Society: Permanent exhibit. Hours: Wed.-Sat. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. with house tours at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. General admission to the library and historic houses is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 for students and free to children under 12 and WHS members. 96 Palisade Ave., Windsor or www.windsorhistoricalsociety.org.
Wistariahurst Museum: Permanent exhibit: Gardens and grounds open daily from dawn to dusk. Carriage House and gift shop open Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For information about house tours, group tours and upcoming events visit www.wistariahurst.org. 238 Cabot St., Holyoke
SPRINGFIELD
Movies
and Riseborough) and their exasperating father (Spall) are brought together just before Christmas when the family’s ailing matriarch (Mirren) takes a turn for the worse. Winslet makes her directorial debut here, working from a screenplay her 21-year-old son, Joe Anders, drafted for a writing class. “He was like, ‘Mum, it’s not supposed to be a real thing,’” Winslet told the Mirror, “and I was like, ‘Well, it’s going to be a real thing, and this is what we’re going to do, so let’s literally write down who are our dream people to play these parts.’”
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ (Dec. 19, PG-13)
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, Cliff Curtis, Kate Winslet, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, Edie Falco, Giovanni Ribisi, Jemaine Clement, David Thewlis, CCH Pounder.
The 21st-century version of the movie disclaimer has arrived: “No generative AI was used in the making of this film.” (I first spotted this at the end of last year’s “Heretic.”)
Now director James Cameron has announced, without irony, that the third installment of his sci-fi franchise — as notable for its heavy use of CGI as for its clunky dialogue — will boast a similar pledge.
‘The Housemaid’ (Dec. 19, R)
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar.
Based on novelist Freida McFadden’s twisty 2022 bestseller, this psychological
thriller from director Paul Feig centers on tensions between Millie (Sweeney), a live-in housekeeper with a criminal past; Millie’s unstable new boss, Nina (Seyfried); and Nina’s creepy husband (Sklenar). Known for such female-led films as “Bridesmaids” and the darkly comic and pulpy “Simple Favor” movies, Feig has described the chemistry between Sweeney and Seyfried as “through the roof.”
‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’ (Dec. 19, PG)
Starring: Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Carolyn Lawrence, Douglas Lawrence Osowski (a.k.a. Mr. Lawrence), Mark Hamill, Sherry Cola, Regina Hall, George Lopez.
The fourth animated feature based on Nickelodeon’s absurdist undersea series is also the first U.S. theatrical release for the franchise in 10 years, with 2020’s “Sponge on the Run” going straight to Netflix. The new story follows SpongeBob (voice of Kenny) and sidekick Patrick Star (Fagerbakke) as they venture to the underworld to confront a recurring nemesis: the ghostly Flying Dutchman (voice of Hamill, replacing regular Brian Doyle-Murray). Series veteran Derek Drymon handles directing duties in the absence of creator (and marine biologist) Stephen Hillenburg, who died in 2018.
‘Anaconda’ (Dec. 25, not yet rated)
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Thandiwe Newton, Steve Zahn.
Full disclosure: Amid all the prestige, Oscar-baity holiday fare, this is probably the movie I am most excited about.
Amanda Seyfried as Nina Winchester in “The Housemaid,” based on the book by Freida McFadden. (DANIEL MCFADDEN / LIONSGATE)
(Have I lost all credibility yet?) Rudd and Black play childhood best friends who, in the midst of midlife crises, decide to remake their favorite movie: the 1997 reptile creature feature “Anaconda.” Newton and Zahn play friends assisting on the jungle set, where an accident involving a prop snake forces the filmmakers to seek out a larger, much scarier one.
‘Is This Thing On?’
(Dec. 25, R)
Starring: Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day, Bradley Cooper, Sean Hayes, Ciarán Hinds, Christine Ebersole, Amy Sedaris.
As with “A Star Is Born” and “Maestro,” Cooper pulls double duty in this dramedy, directing and performing as the best friend of Arnett’s protagonist, Alex Novak, a troubled man who accidentally discovers the therapeutic benefits of stand-up after stumbling into an open mic night as his marriage falls apart. Early reviews laud the naturalistic performances of Arnett and Dern, who plays
Alex’s wife, in a story loosely based on the life of English comedian John Bishop.
‘The Choral’ (Dec. 25, R)
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Roger Allam, Mark Addy, Alun Armstrong, Robert Emms, Simon Russell Beale.
From writer Alan Bennett and director Nicholas Hytner, the distinguished British filmmakers behind “The Madness of King George,” “The History Boys” and “The Lady in the Van,” comes the story of an atheist music director (Fiennes) who must use creative measures to assemble a competent church choir in the midst of World War I. The Guardian calls it “a quiet and consistent pleasure: an unsentimental but deeply felt drama which subcontracts actual passion to the music of Elgar and leaves us with a heartbeat of wit, poignancy and common sense.”
‘Marty Supreme’ (Dec. 25, not yet rated)
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara, Fran Drescher.
Director and co-writer Josh Safdie, one half of the now-defunct sibling filmmaking duo behind “Uncut Gems,” makes his solo feature debut with a story about a cocksure table tennis prodigy (Chalamet) intent on proving his greatness in a disrespected sport. Loosely inspired by the career of real-life table tennis pro Marty Reisman, the film garnered early raves after a surprise screening at the New York Film Festival and was born out of Safdie’s childhood obsession with the sport.
‘Song Sung Blue’ (Dec. 25, PG-13)
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Ella Anderson, King Princess, Hudson Hensley, Michael Imperioli, Fisher Stevens, Mustafa Shakir, Jayson Warner Smith, Jim Belushi.
An obscure 2008 documentary about Milwaukee husband and wife Mike and Claire Sardina, who in the late 1980s and 1990s performed as the Neil Diamond tribute act Lightning & Thunder, won both the audience and grand jury prize for documentary at that year’s Slamdance Film Festival. So it’s a little surprising that it’s hard - but not impossible - to find Greg Kohs’s nonfiction feature on streaming. But “Song Sung Blue” made an impression on Craig Brewer. The “Hustle & Flow” director first caught the film at the 2009 Indie Memphis Film Festival and decided to turn it into a narrative feature starring Jackman and Hudson. The Hollywood Reporter calls “Song,” which charts the couple’s relationship and career triumphs and tribulations, “a sweet serve of feel-sad, feel-glad corn done right.”
‘The Plague’ (Jan. 2, R)
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Everett Blunck, Kayo Martin, Kenny Rasmussen. Inspired by source material like “The Shining” and “Full Metal Jacket,” writer-director Charlie Polinger’s debut screenplay — a psychological thriller set at a boys’ summer water polo camp — caught the attention, via Polinger’s agent, of actor-director Edgerton. The filmmaker (“Boy Erased”) immediately wanted to direct it himself. But Polinger, who based the film on his personal experiences, demurred. Edgerton ultimately agreed to take a small part and produce.
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prints from the permanent collection that combine visual art with engaging photo opportunities and hands-on activities.
You can check the museum’s website, springfield museums.org, for a variety of special programming on the weekends and December school vacation. For those 21 and older only, the museum is hosting “Grinchmas After Hours” on Dec.
4 from 5-8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and include visits to Grinch’s Grotto and the “Jurassic Gingerbread” exhibit, a train ride under lights on the Quadrangle Green, jazzy holiday music, a view of the winter sky in the rooftop observatory, and hors d’oeu-
vres. Beverages also will be available for purchase.
Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed on Monday. It is closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Admission
is $25 and includes all five museums, $13 for youth ages 3-17, and children under 3 are free. Students and seniors 60 and over are $16.50. For more information, call 413-263-6800 or visit springfieldmuseums.org.
Trees
made by kids at the Boys & Girls Club.
Hours after opening day are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Santa’s hours are Friday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
General admission is $5, seniors are $4 and children 12 and under are free. First responders, active military, veterans, and their families are free with ID courtesy of AT&T. Tickets can be ordered online at sbgc.org.
Additionally, a special 5050 raffle is available for those who want to provide further support to the youth of the Boys & Girls Clubs for $5 a
ticket.
The MassMutual Center will also sponsor a Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 13, with proceeds also supporting the Springfield Boys & Girls Club.
Tickets for the event, which includes photo opportunities with Santa and a breakfast buffet, are $21 for ages 12 and older, and $14 for ages 2 to 11.
Ticket purchases, available in advance at massmutual center.com, include free admission to the Festival of Trees.
The new Convention Center Carpark, adjacent to the MassMutual Center, is now open to the public. There is also free parking at the MGM Springfield casino garage. For more information about the Festival of Trees, visit sbgc.org.
with his brother, Colin, who is a drummer.
“I would fly back, and it was just a way for me and my brother to have a lot of friends out and play some music. We did a lot of cover songs,” he said. “‘Jalbatross’ was just sort of an umbrella term I used for different projects. But it was really meant for me and my brother Colin. I was always writing original music. I just never got around to recording it.”
COVID changed all that. When the pandemic hit, Jalbert was approaching his 40th birthday and hadn’t achieved his goal of recording original music.
“I hadn’t checked that box,” he said with a laugh. “So, my brother came out to Colorado, and we recorded the record.”
While the record is all instrumental, Jalbert said the show will mostly feature songs with vocals.
“There’s all this vocal music I wanted to do, and because now it’s a bigger event, it allows me to augment the lineup and bring
in our friend Erica Tracy who’s in a band called West End Blend and she’s amazing and I’ve always wanted to work with her,” Jalbert said. “She just brings the house down.”
The show will also have another local angle: The bass player at the show will be the one he used on the record, who just happens to be Jalbert’s old friend Tim Philpott, originally from Holyoke, who now lives in Denver, Colorado. The band is rounded out by Brattleboro-based keyboardist Kris Yunker.
“When we started it, our friends were young, and they didn’t have kids so they’re always looking for a reason to come out to the bars around Thanksgiving or whatever. So, it was kind of just a fun thing,” Jalbert said. “We never thought it would sustain for this long, but it’s turned into this sort of a reunion, and the amazing thing is that it kept growing. Even our friends who had families were still coming out.”
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, go online to marigold.org/jalbatross/.
