Saturday, November 23, 2013

Celebrate the Holidays P.T. Barnum Style

During December, Bridgeport’s The Barnum Museum located on 820 Main Street is offering a limited, yet glorious, series of Victorian Christmas events as part of the Celebrate the Season programming. 


On Friday, Dec. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. the Annual Holiday Tree and Menorah Lighting, on McLevy Green will take place. Everyone is invited to join Mayor Bill Finch and other city officials for this holiday tradition to ‘light up’ Downtown Bridgeport.

On Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m. and on December 18 at 12 noon, Kathleen Maher, Executive Director will present “Celebrate the Season”. This program will take participants on a fascinating journey back in time to holiday festivities of bygone days. Maher will present the evolution of the tales and traditions of a Victorian age Christmas.  Admission $5. 


A Reading of The Night Before Christmas by Sonia Finch Bridgeport’s First Lady will take place on Wednesday, December 11 at 11 a.m. Mrs. Finch will read Clement Clarke Moore's timeless holiday tale, the enchanting The Night Before Christmas, under the twinkling lights of a Victorian Christmas tree. Children attending the nearby Early Learning Lab at Housatonic Community College have been invited, but the public is also encouraged to bring their pre-school children for a $2 suggested donation to participate in this traditional way to ring in the holidays.



A Lecture on Tom Thumb by Eric Lehman is scheduled for Wednesday, December 11 at 11 a.m.  Attendees will get a first look at Eric D. Lehman's new biography of Bridgeport's own Charles Stratton, Becoming Tom Thumb. Lehman tells the full story of this iconic figure for the first time. The book details his triumphs on the New York stage, his epic celebrity wedding, his meetings with Abraham Lincoln and Queen Victoria, and his around-the-world tour, drawing on newly available primary sources and interviews. From the mansions of Paris to the deserts of Australia, Stratton’s unique brand of Yankee comedy not only earned him the accolades of millions of fans, it helped move little people out of the side show and into the lime light. Admission $5  Eric D. Lehman teaches travel literature, history, and creative writing at the University of Bridgeport. He is the author of seven books about Connecticut, including A History of Connecticut Food and Insiders’ Guide to Connecticut.

Call for more information 203-331-1104 ext.100, M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit visit www.barnum-museum.org for more information.

About the P.T. Barnum Museum
The back exhibition hall of the museum, featuring artifacts that belonged to P.T. Barnum, Tom Thumb and others, is open for viewing and exploration on Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To learn more about The Barnum Museum’s current programs visit www.barnum-museum.org. You can also visit the museum on Facebook, view past programs at www.barnummuseumexhibitions.org or communicate on Twitter @BarnumMuseum




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