Junior League of Greenwich 'Enchanted Forest'

Get a jumpstart on the holiday season this weekend.

The Junior League of Greenwich (JLG) will host its annual holiday fundraiser, The Enchanted Forest, at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Old Greenwich beginning Friday evening and continuing through Sunday.

A festive family event, The Enchanted Forest (TEF) draws thousands of visitors each year from the Greenwich community and beyond. This year’s event will feature beautifully decorated trees, wreaths and gingerbread houses available for purchase throughout the weekend.

Doors open on Friday at 5 p.m. for the “Sneak Peek” featuring more than 50 craft and specialty vendors for holiday presents, a gingerbread workshop, and glamorous activities. The ‘BUY IT NOW’ feature will continue this year on select gingerbread houses and all trees.

The official opening of the Enchanted Forest will take place on Saturday at 9 a.m. for Santa’s Breakfast attendees. General admission hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. There will be a variety of activities including ‘Breakfast with Santa’ with entertainment by Graham Clarke, and a children’s afternoon tea event, ‘Clara’s Tea’, available on Sunday.

Other features and highlights occurring throughout the weekend include gingerbread workshops, complimentary family entertainment by a host of local acts, choral groups, dance companies, Holiday Playland filled with bouncy castles, The Children’s Giving Shop, and the Winter Gala 2015, the Saturday night cocktail party with a silent auction. This year’s gala will feature music by the band New York Phenoms.

Funds raised from The Enchanted Forest directly support community projects that are identified, designed and implemented by the Junior League of Greenwich.

Tickets for the Enchanted Forest are available at www.jlgreenwich.org

Contributed photo: Sixteen Junior League volunteers took part in a wreath design class taught by Michael Derouin at McArdle’s to create holiday wreaths that will be for sale during this weekend’s Enchanted Forest. Back row, from left, are Victoria Quake, Erin Jenny, President Alessandra Messineo Long, Anne Miller, James McArdle, Michael Derouin. Kneeling, from left, are Heather Woodbridge, Brynn John, Karen Richards and Kelli McIntosh.