*Giving Tree for homebound seniors: From early November to Dec. 15, stop into the Methuen Senior Center’s main lobby and take a gift tag (or tags) representing the wishes and needs of the city’s homebound seniors. Help make someone’s holiday truly special! The center is located at 77 Lowell St.
*Tenney Craft Fair: Nov. 2, 10am-3pm at Tenney Grammar School.
*Village Craft Fair: Nov. 8, 9am-3pm at First Congregational Church, 15 Lawrence Road, Salem, NH. An array of handmade crafts plus baked goods, raffle items and a snack bar.
*Old Fashioned Christmas Fair: Nov. 15, 9am-6pm at Our Lady of Good Counsel, 22 Plymouth St. Raffles, Wine Pull, Country Store, pork pies, Candy Store, Santa and more.
*Light Up Methuen Holiday Tree Decorating Contest: Event runs Dec. 6-Jan. 2, but deadline to sponsor a tree is Nov. 17. This Methuen Rotary Club fund-raiser encourages sponsors to decorate a tree on behalf of their business, school, home, etc., for this citywide holiday contest. Tree photos will be published on the Rotary’s Facebook page and voted on by the public. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 trees. Wreath sponsorships are also available. Visit methuenrotary.org for info.
*A Happy Holiday Gift Boutique and Garage Sale: Nov. 21 and 22 (Friday and Saturday), 10am-4pm at 36 Clementi Lane. Gift baskets, hand-knit items, holiday decorations. All proceeds benefit the Christian Fellowship Church of the Merrimack Valley.
*Nevins Library Giving Tree: It’s the library’s yearly tradition of sponsoring a gift drive to benefit homeless children in the Merrimack Valley who are served by Emmaus Inc. Did you know that the average age of a homeless person in Massachusetts is 8 years old?
Through its shelters and housing programs, Emmaus has served thousands of children since 1985, and on any given night 300 adults and children call Emmaus home. If you’d like to help spread holiday joy, just drop by the Children’s Room between Nov. 21 and Dec. 11, choose a Wish List item to purchase and put it unwrapped under the tree by Dec. 12.
*Methuen Festival of Trees: Nov. 22-Dec. 6 at 13 Branch St., Methuen. Enjoy 200-plus festively decorated holiday trees, plus raffles, a holiday store and so much more! Register your tree now to be part of the magic. Methuenfestivaloftrees.com.
*Methuen Santa Parade: Saturday, Nov. 22 at 1pm. Korean War veteran Sebastian “Busty” DiNoto, 91, will be the grand marshal of the 2025 Methuen Santa Parade! Groups interested in participating can contact the Parks & Rec Department at (978) 983-8590 or cseplow@ci.methuen.ma.us. For the route or other details, go to Methuen.gov.
*St. Monica School Christmas Fair: Nov. 22, 9am-5pm, 212 Lawrence St. Raffles, games, lottery raffles, mystery prizes, cookie decorating, reindeer racing and food. All are welcome!
*Kick-off to the Holidays Concert: Local pianist Dan Kennedy returns to Nevins Library on Nov. 30 at 2pm to kick off the holiday season playing piano versions of popular holiday favorites as well as a few classically tinged compositions of his own. An artist meet-and-greet will follow and his CD, “An Enchanted Noël,” will be available for sale. Register for this free concert through the online Calendar of Events at nevinslibrary.org or by calling (978) 686-4080.
*Salem NH Holiday Parade: Sunday, Nov. 30 at 1pm. This year’s theme: “275 Years of Salem Memories.” Visit the Salem NH Holiday Parade Facebook page for parade route.
*Methuen Memorial Music Hall Open House: Dec. 5, 7-9pm. Celebrate the holidays with a performance by the Phillips Academy Fidelio Society. Sing-alongs, raffles, light refreshments. Free. 192 Broadway.
*Merry Music Hall Christmas Concert: Dec. 6 at 7:30pm and Dec. 7 at 3pm. Annual holiday celebration featuring trumpets, organ and soprano Maggie Finnegan. Reserved seating $35 and $25. Tickets on sale now at MMMH.org. 192 Broadway.
*Holiday Craft Fair: Dec. 13 at Methuen High, 11am-3pm. Vendor spots available. Contact the Methuen Scholarship Foundation via their Facebook page.
*“A Christmas Carol:” The Methuen Young People’s Theatre presents a musical adaptation of the Dickens classic Dec. 18 and 19, 7pm and Dec. 20, 4pm. Tickets on sale Nov. 15 and are $15 ($5 for children 12 and under. Reserved seating at MMMH.org. 192 Broadway.
The Methuen Festival of Trees runs Nov. 22 to Dec. 6. Last year, Lowell Tooth Docs presented their “Pearly White” tree for the festival. ML file photos
The Rotary Club invites you to cruise the city and vote for your favorite Light Up Methuen holiday tree! The contest runs Dec. 6-Jan. 2. Visit methuenrotary.org for info.
