LivingTravelChristmas Village in Torrington, CT: The Complete Guide

Christmas Village in Torrington, CT: The Complete Guide

Carl Bozenski’s Christmas Village in Torrington, Connecticut has been a Christmas tradition since 1947. Located on Church Street in Litchfield County’s largest city, this free tourist attraction enchants visitors, young and old.

If you have never visited, there is one thing you need to know in advance: the wait will be long to enter the Christmas Village, but it will be worth it.

Not only is Christmas Village open and free to the public, but once you are finally inside, each child receives an intimate reception with Santa Claus – and a free toy! It can be a small stuffed animal or a firefighter action figure. It doesn’t seem to matter.When the children land on Santa’s lap, they are completely convinced that they are inside his personal North Pole residence. Christmas Village is also one of the best places in New England to see Mrs. Claus.

Christmas Village 2018

Christmas Village is open from the second Sunday in December (December 9, 2018) until Christmas Eve. Hours are from 1 pm to 8:30 pm daily, with shorter hours from 9 am to noon on Christmas Eve (December 24). The event begins on December 9 at 12:30 pm with a parade proceeding from the Armory, along Main Street, and up Mason Street to Christmas Village.

What to Expect at Christmas Village

From outside of Christmas Village, it’s hard to tell what awaits you inside. You and your little ones will have plenty of time to speculate, as the lines for Christmas Village are always very long (an hour and a half wait is typical on a weekday). You can find smart families who have sent Dad to wait in line an hour ahead.

Be prepared and pack gloves and hats if it’s cold. You may need them even if it’s sunny and relatively mild outside. You may also want to bring some fun “queue” games to keep the kids busy. It is a good idea to have more than one adult with your group, so that one of you can keep in line with the children while the other runs for the hot chocolate.

The line to get into Christmas Village moves slowly because only eight to 10 people are allowed in at a time. Then there’s an extra wait for the tinsel-covered door to open to reveal… Santa’s house! This fabulously decorated room makes young children’s eyes widen, even before they see the man in the red suit.

Allow about half an hour to tour the town after meeting Santa, so expect this tour to be at least two to three hours.

Pro Tip: If you don’t need to see Santa, you don’t have to wait in that slow line out front. Just enter Christmas Village through the side door, and you can see all the other free attractions.

What to see in Christmas Village

From twinkling trees and carols to a nativity scene, there are many Christmas displays to see while visiting Torrington’s Christmas Village.

After your time with Santa Claus, follow the signs to the next stop, where you will meet the woman behind the boy in the red suit. Mrs. Claus always seems very relaxed and cheerful considering that Christmas is fast approaching.

The toy store is the next stop. The exterior of this cozy log cabin does not reveal the vibrant activity that goes on inside. The elves who work here seem very determined to meet their toy quota for the day. Young children are mesmerized as they watch these bearded toymakers at work.

Next, don’t miss your chance to meet the reindeer, including Rudolph, on display at Christmas Village. Parents, you should be prepared to explain why Rudolph does not have a red nose. If it’s daytime, you can say it only glows at night, but if you’re visiting at night, you’ll have to be more creative!

Children also love to climb and sit in Santa’s sleigh. There are many great photos for holiday cards in Connecticut’s Christmas Village, so be sure to bring your camera.

History and magic of the Christmas town

Christmas Village is a longstanding tradition in Torrington, Connecticut. The annual event began in 1947 when Torrington Parks and Recreation Supervisor Carl Bozenski invited Santa Claus to visit Alvord Playground.

The annual Toy Shower at Christmas Village is a major component of the event (December 7, 5-8pm in 2018). Mrs. Claus and the elves are present when local businesses and residents pledge their support at this fundraiser. School groups and other local musicians perform, and refreshments are served. It’s a festive start to this treasured community tradition, which generously provides a free toy for each child. WZBG broadcasts the Toy Shower live, and if you can’t be there, you can still help make the magic happen by calling your pledge to the station at 860-567-3697.

Get there

Torrington is 45 minutes west of Hartford, CT, and one hour and 20 minutes east of Poughkeepsie, New York. You will find Christmas Village at 150 Church Street. Be aware of obeying street parking signs.

For more information, call the Torrington Parks and Recreation Office at 860-489-2274.

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