EDITORS'PICKS

BY susan scully petroni & carrie wattu

1. Thursday, Dec. 6: Plan to take a self-guided tours and meet the many animals waiting to be adopted at the Worcester Animal Rescue League's Holiday Open House. Enjoy fun trivia style games and refreshments. Admission is an item donation (i.e. kitten food, cat toys, nonclumping cat litter, etc.) The open house is at 139 Holden St. in Worcester from 6 - 9 p.m. Contact 508-853-0030 or visit www.worcester-arl.org for more information.

bay colony cluster dog show 2. December 6-9: The Bay Colony Cluster Dog Show, one of the nation's largest dog events, is coming to the Bayside Exposition Center in Boston. Cheer on your favorite breeds. Visit vendors and learn which dog would make the best pet for your family. Shop for the dog lovers on your holiday list. On Saturday and Sunday, enjoy family-oriented demonstrations by "dogs with jobs" in Ring 14, as well as a chance to "Meet the Breeders" in the afternoon. Backstage tours are available with reservations. Admission is $12 for adults and $7 for children. Parking is $12. Contact 508-533-1153 or www.baycolonydogshow.com for more information. Proceeds of the event benefit charities.

3. December 8-9: The Harding Allen Estate on Route 122 in Barre is hosting its Third Annual Teddy Bear Tea this weekend. Children can bring their favorite stuffed animal and enjoy Gingerbread Man stories while eating sweets and drinking hot cocoa. Reservations are required. Admission is $9 for adults and $6 for children. For additional information, visit www.harding-allen.com or call 978-355-4920

boston tea party 4. Sunday, Dec. 9: Start a holiday tradition. Make a date to attend the Gingerbread House Workshops at Verrill Farm in Concord offered at 11:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. today. You and your child will receive tips from the Farm Stand chefs on decorating this beautiful centerpiece. All materials are included. Tickets are $35. Reservations are required by calling 978-369-4494. Visit www.verrillfarm.com for more information.

5. Sunday, Dec. 16: Today is the 234th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party at South Meeting House, 310 Washington St. in Boston from 5:30 to 6 p.m. On December 16, 1773, thousands gathered for a fiery debate about the tea tax that ended when patriot Samuel Adams gave the secret signal to dump 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. Come add your voice to this spirited re-enactment that begins with a rally at Old South and continues with a parade down to the Boston Tea Party Ship. Admission is $5. (Admission is FREE to those in colonial attire). For more information, visit 617-338-1773 or www.oldsouthmeetinghouse.org

6. Sunday, Dec. 16: Dress in your finest fairy attire for the Sugarplum Fairy Princess Party at the Joanne Langione Dance Center on 35 Border St. in West Newton. Children ages 4 - 7 can meet the Sugarplum Fairy, Clara, the Mouse King, and the Nutcracker. This event features music, movement, games, and a story from the most beloved children's ballet classic, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. There will be refreshments and a take-home treat. This free event will be held from 1 - 2:30 p.m. Call 617-969-8724 or visit www.JLdancecenter.com for additional information.

7. Sunday, Dec. 16: Watch Santa arrive by helicopter at Wachusett Mountain's Polar Express Celebration in Princeton from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. There will be music, goodies, storytelling of the Polar Express, and a viewing of the movie. The fun event is free; skiing, if snow is present, is an additional cost. Call 978-464-2300 or visit www.wachusett.com for more information

8. Thursday, Dec. 20: Celebrate the Winter Solstice at an event at the Mass Audubon Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 S. Great Rd. in Lincoln. There are two sessions: 4 - 5:30 p.m. or 7 - 8:30 p.m. Celebrate the turning of the year with ancient tales, candle making, and other lessons. Cost is $21 for non-audubon members. Children under age 12 are half price. Maximum of two children per adult. To register or for more information, call 781-259-2200 or www.massaudubon.org/drumlin

9. December 8-9 & 15-16: Make a date to attend a performance of The Snow Queen at the Once Upon a Time Children's Theatre, part of the The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, at 140 Clarendon St., Boston on these two weekends. All performances are at 11 a.m. The production is an inventive interpretation of the Hans Christian Andersen tale of a brother & sister who find themselves trapped in a palace of ice. Tickets are $9.50 and seating is general admission. For more information or to purchase tickets online visit https://lyricstage.com/onceuponatimewithkidstock/thesnow_queen/

10. December 12-31: Now entering its 12th season, Bright Nights at Forest Park is one of the biggest holiday light displays in New England. It is a drive to Springfield, but worth it. See Seuss Land, Letters to Santa, a Jurassic Park, A Toy Land, a Victorian Village, and a North Pole Village among other holiday light displays. More than 1.5 million people have visited this event since it began a dozen years ago. The event is open on Wednesdays through Sundays now until Dec. 9 and open every night beginning Dec. 10 thru Jan. 1. Hours are 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 p.m. to 1 1p.m. on Friday, Saturday & Holidays. Buses are by reservations only. Motor Homes are welcome. Admission is $15 Monday through Thursday for cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles & motor homes and $18 for Fridays, Saturday & Holidays. Holidays include Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. For more information visit www.brightnights.org Families can also take a virtual tour of the displays at this Web site.