METHUEN — The sights, sounds and now the taste of the holidays will all come together at The Festival of Trees, in its 16th year.
Making its debut on Premier Night, Nov. 20, will be the "Taste of the Festival," featuring specialty foods from more than 20 local restaurants and live music.
Some 200 decorated Christmas trees will be unveiled at the kickoff, which will be hosted by Boston media personalities Matt Siegel of Kiss 108's "Matty in the Morning" show and Billy Costa of NECN's "TV Diner."
The Festival at Valley Office Park, 13 Branch St., raises money to preserve heritage and monuments in Methuen and surrounding communities.
Premier Night is from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 978-685-8878.
The festival will be open Nov. 21 to Dec. 5; weekdays, 5 to 9 p.m., and weekends, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving Day.
General admission is $8 and children under 12 are free. For information, visit www.methuenfestivaloftrees.com.
Meet November's top artist
METHUEN — Kate Zehnter was named November Artist of the Month by Mayor William Manzi. Zehnter is an art educator and visual artist who teaches Color and Design at Northern Essex Community College. Examples of her new painting style with translucent images that appear and disappear as the viewer moves are on display in the mayor's office at City Hall. Zehnter's Web site, katesimagery.com, showcases all her mediums, too.
"In my artwork, I let intuition and risk-taking lead me toward completion. At this point in time it becomes a visual record of my life at that moment. This fact, however, is often only obvious to me in retrospect. Since retiring from being a full-time high school art educator at Timberlane Regional High School in Plaistow, N.H. in 2008, it has been a delight to be a full-time visual artist," Zehnter said in the press release.
Digital photo class scheduled at Salem's Kelley Library
SALEM, N.H. — Kelley Library will continue its Computer Comfort classes Wednesday by offering "Digital Photos for Christmas."
The class, led by library staff, is from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Lancaster Room. People can learn how to turn their digital photos into holiday cards and gifts.
NECC grads discuss business
Northern Essex Community College's business department will host an Entrepreneurship Panel Discussion on Thursday, Nov. 19 from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. in the Technology Center on the Haverhill campus. Free and open to the public, the panel will feature Northern Essex alumni who have successfully launched their own businesses and will share their stories and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Panel members are Paul Towle, '91, owner of Green Fashion Line of Portsmouth, a provider of top quality eco-friendly outerwear; Richard Lambert, '98, president of Lambert Roofing, Haverhill; Elaine Barker, '86 and '88, owner of Paper Potpourri, a stationery and invitation business, Haverhill; and Nancy Clover, '98, owner and founder of Occupational Health Connections, specializing in the recruitment of quality occupational health professionals, Methuen.
For more information, contact Bill Zannini at bzannini@necc.mass.edu or 978 556-3369.
Session slated on completing Fitchburg State bachelor's
Individuals interested in learning about becoming an early childhood or elementary teacher are invited to attend an informational session Monday, Nov. 30, highlighting the Fitchburg State College bachelor degree completion program offered on the Haverhill Campus of Northern Essex Community College. Free and open to the public, the information session will be offered at 4 p.m. and again at 5 p.m. in the NECC Technology Center, 100 Elliott St., Haverhill.
The Fitchburg State College bachelor degree completion program is designed for students who have graduated from Northern Essex with an associate degree in either elementary education or early childhood education. These students can earn a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or elementary education by taking courses taught in the evening by Fitchburg State College faculty on Northern Essex's Haverhill Campus.
For more information, contact Thomas Bissonnette at 978-665-4819 or tbissonn@fsc.edu.
Teens invited to knit, crochet
DERRY, N.H. — Derry Public Library is offering a Teen Knitting and Crochet Group Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m. This is open to sixth- through 12th-graders. Meet in the Paul Collette Meeting Room downstairs.
Knitting and crocheting are hip again. Drop in to learn the basics or to work on your own project. Expert knitters and crocheters will be on hand to instruct and help.
Needles, yarn and patterns will be provided, or you can bring your own. All skill levels are welcome. No registration is required.
For more information, call Joan Swerdloff at 432-6140 or e-mail her at joans@derrypl.org.
