Holiday celebrations ahead

Churches, nonprofit organizations, and business associations are
gearing up for a busy, social holiday season in Windsor. Over the
next month a variety of events—some involving free food—will pepper
the Town Green and surrounding churches and halls.
On November 18, the Shiloh Covenant Church will host its annual
youth banquet. A spinoff of a weekly Thursday night youth
gathering, the banquet provides a free formal dinner and
festivities for children and teens.
“We usually have a slideshow that shows pictures of the kids
we’ve taken throughout the year, and a little bit of a theme of
Thanksgiving and things that we can be thankful for,” said Greg
Fauss, the community outreach pastor. “We want to express our
thanks for them, too, and there will be some variety of art and
music from the youth themselves. It’s really about celebrating
them.”
The youth banquet takes place at Shiloh Covenant Church at 251
Windsor River Road from 6 to 8 p.m.
Tierra Vegetables and Rosso Pizzeria are having Pizza Pie Under
the Sky on November 18 from 3:30 – 6-ish. All you can eat pizza and
polenta cooked in Rosso’s mobile pizza oven. $15 for adults and $5
for children under 10. Reservations and prepayment are requested
but not required.
On November 20, from noon to 4 p.m., the Windsor Care Network is
hosting a free community dinner for all Windsor residents at the
Grange Hall. Eight churches, the Windsor Service Alliance, and the
Windsor Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring the event. For those who
are unable to make it to the Grange Hall, take-away meals will be
available at local churches after the dinner concludes.
“This is the first time that the Windsor Care network—which is a
group I put together at the chamber, including Alliance Medical
Center, the Windsor Service Alliance, and local churches—came
together and decided why don’t we do a joint community dinner,
rather than each church working individually,” said Gary
Quackenbush, the Chamber CEO.
“Everyone’s invited. We’re targeting specifically those in need,
people who are having a hard time putting food on the table,
veterans, seniors, the underserved, and people who may be
displaced,” Quackenbush said. He noted that a second free holiday
dinner is planned for December 19 at the Vineyard of Faith, to
cover both holidays.
On November 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Mary Agatha Furth
Center will fill with music, food, and local shopping. The
traditional pre-Thanksgiving fine arts & crafts show put on by
the Windsor Arts Council will, for the first time ever, be inside a
building—safe from any rain. 
“There should be about 31 different spaces, some will be booths
some will be tables. Judging by all of the entrants, there’s going
to be some Christmas ornaments, vintage clothing, soaps, and quite
a bit of fused glass jewelry. It’s a variety of crafts as well as
fine artwork, a very nice assortment,” Toni Battles, President of
the Windsor Arts Council, said. For those seeking early holiday
cheer, Battles herself does old world Santas, offering prints as
well as greeting cards.
After Thanksgiving week, Windsor kicks into high holiday gear
with a series of festivities centered around Old Downtown Windsor.
Starting on November 26, Christmas lights will shine over the Town
Green.
“This weekend, we had our official light test in all the
buildings to make sure all the lights work, and they do,” said
volunteer Karen Alves. “We were so excited, we were hooping and
hollering out there in the dark. The lights won’t come on again
until the 26 of November, and we encourage people to come see and
owners to light their condos on that night.”
November 28 marks the official kickoff of the Charlie Brown
Christmas Tree Grove, which promises to be bigger—and snowier—than
ever before.
“Last year we had 44 trees, and this year we’re inching our way
up to 100,” said organizer Karen Alves.
“We’ll hopefully be at 100 by the 28th. Anyone who wants to
participate can email me at su**@pa*****.net. It’s open to
anybody, but we really encourage children’s groups, classrooms, boy
scouts, girl scouts, and 4H and FFA groups… I’ve been matching up
the groups that can’t afford it with sponsors,” Alves said.
Tree decorating will begin at 2 p.m. on November 28. Organizers
said they are hoping for good weather but if it rains, tree
decorators have until December 2 to finish their trees.
On December 2, snow will start falling along the grove,
coinciding with the Town of Windsor’s Holiday Celebration. Snow
will fall at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The holiday celebration—which will
include Mr. and Mrs. Claus, horse drawn carriages, and an elves
craft workshop—will run from 5 to 8 p.m.
The Town of Windsor’s official tree lighting will coincide with
the lighting of the grove on December 2.
Alves noted that the snow machines wouldn’t have been possible
without local sponsors, and an in-kind donation from Harkey
Construction, who gifted the platforms for the machines.
The Grove will remain lit through January 7.