Tree Lighting Ceremonies

The Christmas tree lighting ceremony, to be held beside the public works garage in the Upper Village of New Gloucester, will occur at 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29.

The Historical Society-sponsored lighting of Tiny Timber at the New Gloucester Town Hall will take place on Sunday, Nov. 30, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Choral singing and an audience sing-along will add to the yuletide festivities. The New Gloucester Public Library and the History Barn will be holding open houses with free refreshments provided by the friends and staff of the library.

Visit the History Barn

The monthly New Gloucester History Barn Open House, which is free and open to the public, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to noon. The current exhibits feature an array of photos of the town in celebration of the fifth anniversary of the barn’s dedication and the publication of the town’s photo history, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the local historical society. The History Barn is located at 387 Intervale Road, New Gloucester, behind the Town Hall.

Shaker Christmas Fair

Join this decades-old, annual holiday shopping tradition in the 1880 Trustees’ Office of Shaker Village where holiday treats await on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Stock up on baked goods of all kinds, including Sister Frances’ famous, old-fashioned boiled fruit cakes, sweet breads and cookies, along with Brother Arnold’s herbal biscuit mixes and Shaker pancake mix. Purchase garlic, dill and hot pickles, as well as sharp cheddar cheese, culinary herbs and herbal teas, old-fashioned candies, jellies, jams, Shaker honey, handcrafted goods, woodenware, baskets, handmade brooms and brushes, knit goods, antiques, furniture, books, freshly-cut Christmas trees and wreaths. Sink your teeth into fresh Shaker-made doughnuts, while sipping hot coffee or cider.

Don’t miss the White Elephant Room, where one person’s cast-offs are another’s treasure. Proceeds benefit three local food pantries. Shaker Village is located at 707 Shaker Road, just off Route 26, in New Gloucester. For more information, follow them on Facebook at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village.

Light the Farm

Pineland Farms will be hosting a tree lighting festival, Saturday, Dec. 6. Ongoing activities from 2-4 p.m. include candle-making at 2, 3 and 4 p.m., bird feeder making, cookie decorating, face painting and music. The tree lighting will happen at 4:30 p.m. Purchase tickets for $5 per person at The Market and Welcome Center, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester. For more information, contact the education department at 650-3031 or education@pinelandfarms.org.

Veterans Monument Dedication Video

DVDs of the New Gloucester Veterans Monument Dedication Ceremony are now available for sale at the town office for $2 each. Additionally, the program will be televised on local access cable Channel 3 from Friday-Sunday, Nov. 28-30, 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The video is posted at www.newgloucester.com, NGTV Channel 3 sidebar.

Jazz Guitarist to Perform

Guitarist Gary Wittner has been delighting audiences of all ages since the 1980s. His performance career spans four decades, 25 countries, and five continents worldwide. He currently teaches guitar at Bowdoin College and the University of Southern Maine School of Music.

Wittner will be headlining the New Gloucester Village Coffee House at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, in the Vestry Community Room of the First Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road, New Gloucester. Gary will be joined by acoustic bassist Kinnon Church, a young musician who is active on the music scene in the Portland area and who studies music at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham. Admission at the door is $10 per person. Contact Julie Fralich at 926-3161, or the church office at 926-3260, for more information.

CCGNG Fundraiser

A Day of Giving is the third annual fun and fundraiser event to benefit the Caring Community of Gray and New Gloucester (CCGNG). It will be held Sunday, Dec. 14, at Spring Meadows, Route 100, Gray, from 12:30-3 p.m.

Activities consist of Christmas caroling, crafts for the kids, cookie decorating, and filling Christmas gift boxes that will be donated to CCGNG to benefit families in the two communities. Hosted by the Bedard and Carter families, everyone is invited and encouraged to bring a light snack and refreshments to share. If you would like to donate a craft or materials for the cookie decorating, please contact Amy Bedard via Facebook or at 229-1521.

This year’s goal is 75 gift baskets and $15,000. Monetary donations are greatly appreciated. To RSVP and/or to make a donation, contact Joe Bedard at joebedard@gmail.com or B.J. Carter at bcarter1@maine.rr.com.

There’s a lot to see at the annual Christmas fair at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, home to the world’s only active Shaker community, right here in New Gloucester.