The temperature may be dropping but excitement fills the air as the city gets ready to celebrate Christmas in Haverhill at the 16th annual Christmas Stroll, sponsored by Pentucket Medical Associates and Pentucket Bank, and corporate sponsor Trinity EMS. The stroll will take place Dec. 7 from 2 to 6 p.m., in downtown Haverhill, along Washington and Merrimack streets.
The Community Support Committee of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce is looking for vendors to participate in this fun-filled event. Vendor booths of 6-by-10 feet can be secured for $100. Vendors can sell food, arts and crafts, jewelry, clothing, gift items, information, games and toys. Vendors are welcome to purchase more than one space to increase visibility and sales potential. All booths should have a holiday theme or be decorated to reflect the colors of the holidays.
To secure a place, call committee member Paul Malone at 978-914-4954 or Jen Cantwell at the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce at 978-373-5663. You also can e-mail Cantwell at jen@haverhillchamber.com.
Last year, more than 5,000 people attended this popular event. This year's festival features a full line of musical entertainment on the stage downtown with popular emcee Ron Carpenito. A merchant sticker stroll, Santa's Castle and the popular Polar Express, which features crafts, music and reindeer food for young participants, round out this event. Santa will arrive just in time for the tree lighting and caroling at the conclusion of the stroll. For more information on the Christmas Stroll, check out the Greater Haverhill Chamber Web site at www.HaverhillChamber.com. The festival is free and open to the public.
Gift raffle to aid Consentino school
Four Boston Bruins tickets, two tickets to "The Nutcracker" and a $100 gas card are just three of the gifts offered in the Consentino Middle School month of December calendar raffle.
The raffle offers the chance to win 31 prizes in 31 days for $5.
The money raised will help send the eighth-graders to Washington, D.C., in June and the sixth-graders to Ferry Beach Environmental Camp this spring.
Each day in December, a winning ticket will be pulled for the prize of the day. All winners are entered again until all prizes are awarded.
The merchandise, gift cards and event tickets were all donated to the school. Some of the donors include the Boston Herald, Merrimack Valley Federal Credit Union and Pentucket Bank. A complete list of donors is posted on the school Web site: www.haverhill-ps.org/consentino.
To buy a ticket or a learn more about the raffle, contact guidance counselor Bernie McCann at 978-374-5775 or by e-mail at bmccann@haverhill-ps.org.
Rush to sing at First Church of Christ, Bradford
Beverly Rush, noted guitarist and singer, will return to provide special music to help celebrate Thanksgiving at "The White Church on the Common," First Church of Christ, Bradford, on Nov. 23 at the 10 a.m. service. She will perform again Dec. 7 to celebrate Advent.
Rush has been writing her own songs and performing on radio and television and at soul fests and other venues since the late 1980s. Refreshments and fellowship will be offered following worship. For more information, call the church office at 978-374-1114.
