UP to SPEED
NEWS and SPECIALOFFERS from AMTRAK
Traditional Holiday
Fun and More!
holiday surprises. Special
guest Santa Claus has a treat
for one and all. Reservations
suggested. Essex Stream
Train, Essex. Nov. 18–
Dec. 28. 860-767-0103;
essexsteamtrain.com.
DELAWARE
A Cappella Humana: Cre-
ated and directed by Kevin
Ramsey, A Cappella Humana
is a musical celebration of
our common humanity that
explores the power and
boundaries of the human
voice. It blends innovative
and uniquely arranged com-
positions from Baroque to
jazz, from secular to sacred,
from Broadway to hip hop,
and so much more! Nov. 30–
Dec. 18. Delawaretheatre.org.
It’s time to get the holiday season moving, so grab the kids and climb aboard
the Holiday Festival of Trains and Toys at the B&O in Maryland. For the
more mature audience: The Rat Pack is alive and well in Delaware; four-time Tony Award-nominee Tovah Feldshuh is Gypsy’s Mama Rose in
Pennsylvania; and the legendary George Hamilton takes a star turn
in La Cage Aux Folles in Maryland. There’s fun for the whole family with
Disney’s The Lion King (it’s a new experience every time!). And who doesn’t
like to snoop inside someone else’s home, especially during the holidays?
Reserve your tickets for A Brandywine Christmas, Nemours Mansion &
Gardens’ holiday open house and Christmas at Hagley—all in Delaware.
Plus, the Christmas in the Ballantine House in New Jersey, and a chance to
peek inside some historic private homes during Christmas in Newport. Be
sure to check out event websites for special rail fare discounts and other
ways to save some cash. —Compiled by miChael hammett
Nemours Mansion & Gardens: Beautiful throughout
the year, Nemours Mansion
& Gardens is spectacular
during the holiday season.
Built in the style of a grand
Louis XVI chateau and filled
with incredible antiques,
artwork, sculpture and
tapestries, the lush yuletide
decorations add an almost
magical dimension to A.I.
du Pont’s 70-room mansion. Nemours offers guided
holiday tours Nov. 12–Dec.
31. Reservations are a must.
visitwilmingtonde.com or
nemoursmansion.org.
CONNECTICUT
Art, American style: Dur-
ing the last 43 years in each
November and December,
Creative Arts Workshop has
pulled out all the stops for
its annual Celebration of
American Arts. This year’s
event features more than
300 artists from across
America, representing the
finest in glass, ceramics, jew-
elry, wearable and decorative
fiber, handcrafted furniture
and more. Creative Arts
Workshop, 80 Audubon
St., New Haven. Through
Dec. 24. 203-562-4927;
creativeartsworkshop.org.
North Pole Express: Board
a locomotive-powered sleigh
for a magical night’s journey
to the North Pole, featuring
live readings of Christmas
stories, singalongs and
Christmas holiday tours:
The Historic Odessa Foundation’s Wilson Warner
House (ca. 1769) is the
centerpiece of the 2011
Christmas Holiday Tours,
when it is transformed into
a magical exhibit inspired by
the beloved children’s book
illustrator Tasha Tudor.
