HOLIDAY CONCERT: The Middletown High School Chorus and Choral Ensemble will kick off Belcourt Castle’s “Music In the Air” festival Dec. 4. Under the direction of Claudia Carlson Vars, the award-winning chorus has performed at Carnegie Hall earning high praise. The Holiday Concert will feature many traditional and classical pieces including “Prayer of the Children,” “Carol of the Bells,” Candlelight Carol,” “O Holy Night,” “Let There Be Peace On Earth,” and “Silver Bells.” The concert begins at 7 p.m. and the evening will also include complimentary refreshments and a basket raffle to benefit the Middletown Music Boosters.

Christmas Teas, and many other upcoming events are also planned, and details can be seen at www.Belcourtcastle.com. Tickets for the concert will be available at the door. For information, call Middletown HS, (401) 846-7250.

—

EXPLORING BIRDS THROUGH ART: Children are invited to meet and learn from artist, Gordon D’Arcy in a special art program at the Sachuest Point Visitor Center classroom Dec. 5. A class for children under age 6 will be held from 10 to 10:45 a.m. and a class for children ages 6 to 12 will be held from 3 to 4 p.m.

D’Arcy’s program is designed to help children build skills and confidence of their artistic abilities through an exploration of what they see and know. Space is limited for this free program. Sign up at the Visitor’s Center which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (except Wednesdays).

D’Arcy has an exhibition of paintings entitled “Aquidneck Island’s Winter Birds,” on display through Dec. 7 at the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge. These oil pastel paintings have been inspired by sightings of these magnificent water birds off the rocky shores of the Refuge. They range from portraits to abstract interpretations. Adults are encouraged to explore with their children during this program to help ensure a carefree experience for all. For information, call the Sachuest Point Visitor Center, (401) 847-5511.

—

CRITTER GLITTER JEWELRY SALE: The Potter League for Animals, 87 Oliphant Lane, will present a benefit jewelry sale featuring necklaces, bracelets, pins and earrings from Sequin at 50 to 80 percent off retail. Sequin’s jewelry is seen in People magazine, Town & Country, Vogue and Elle and is sold at Neiman Marcus, Henri Bendel, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom. New this year will be home accessories from Berebi.

The sale will open with a preview party Dec. 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. featuring Badgley Mischka jewelry at 50 percent discount. The Badgley Mischka jewelry will only be available at the preview party. The sale will continue Dec. 6 through 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Dec. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a “Girl’s Night Out” from 6 to 8 p.m.: and Dec. 12 to 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Girl’s Night Out event will include a free gift for anyone who brings along three friends.

All proceeds will benefit the Capital Campaign for the Potter League’s new animal care and education center.

—

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Whitehall Museum House, 311 Berkeley Ave., will be open Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as part of a statewide event to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Admission to each site participating will be non-perishable food donations that will go to the Food Bank to help families this holiday season. For information on Whitehall, visit www.whitehallmuseum.org or, to view the event poster visit www.preserveri.org.

—

CHORAL CONCERT: As part of Christmas in Newport, the Newport Navy Choristers will present “Christmas in Song” under the direction of JoAnn Loewenthal, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Lucy’s Church, 909 West Main Rd. Tickets, sold at the door, will be $10 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and children under 12 and $20 for a family of four or more. For information, visit www.newportnavychoristers.org or call Looking Upwards, 847-0960, ext. 56.

—

SERVICE OF LESSONS & CAROLS: St. George’s School once again will open to the public two special student Christmas performances.

A candlelight Christmas Service of Nine Lessons & Carols will take place Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the majestic St. George’s Chapel. The readings are done by students at the school and members of the faculty and community. The 80-voice St. George’s Chapel Choir lead the carols and perform anthems of the season..

The 97th annual Medieval Christmas Festival will be held Dec.16 at 7:30 p.m. This service traces it origins back to Roman times when the December celebrations of Saturnalia would provide a welcome respite from the rigors of winter. This is a ceremony that heralds the Incarnation with Christmas Hymns and a procession of Mary and Joseph with the Baby Jesus, shepherds, kings and angels. The Festival also takes place in the St. George’s School Chapel.

Both Christmas performances are free and open to the public. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. For information, call the St. George’s Music Department at 842-6725.

—

TOYS FOR TOTS DROP-OFF: The Barry Automotive Group offers drop-off sites for the U. S. Marines’ Toys for Tots campaign at its seven southeastern New England dealerships. Citadel Broadcasting stations is partnering with the Barry’s effort and the campaign runs through Dec. 9.

In addition to donations of new, unwrapped toys, tax-deductible checks made out to Barry’s Toys for Tots may be dropped off or mailed to any Barry’s location for the purchase of toys for the needy.

The cargo areas of designated vehicles located inside Barry showrooms will serve as the official drop-off containers for the program. Barry showrooms are located at 166 Connell Highway, Newport; 250 West Main Road, Middletown; 26 State Road, 42 State Road, 483 State Road and 813 State Road (Rt 6), Dartmouth, Mass. and MacArthur Blvd (Rt 18), New Bedford, Mass.

For telephone, address or other drop-off location information, click the “Barry’s Toys for Tots” icon at www.barrymotors.com.

—

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE: Northeast Engineers & Consultants (NE&C), an engineering firm based in Middletown, continues its food drive to help fill Christmas baskets for the Martin Luther King Center’s Feed-A-Friend program.

This is the list of priority items needed but all non-perishable food items are welcome: Canned yams, gravy mix, stuffing mix, canned/powdered milk, muffin mix, canned fruit and vegetables, tuna fish/canned protein, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, brownie mix and cake mix.

Recently, employees from NE&C walked door to door in the Aquidneck Corporate Park asking fellow businesses to join them in their efforts to fill baskets for Thanksgiving. Several businesses joined with NE&C including Kyran Research Associates which dropped off several large bulk containers of food, and New England Medical Design arranged for a pick up of their cans at their offices in Cranston.

The Martin Luther King Center provides a wide variety of human services to low-income residents of Newport County. Their food pantry serves over 44,000 meals per year and they provide baskets of Holiday food at Thanksgiving and Christmas through their Feed-a-Friend program.