Saturday:

Railroad Museum Holiday Open House
Railroad Museum of Long Island
Greenport
631-477-0439
11:30am–3pm
Free
Enjoy seasonal refreshments, gifts for boys and girls, and a chance to win a "Lionel" Polar Express "O" gauge toy train set. Santa and Sir Topham Hat arrive at noon. Afterward go for a ride on the Shelter Island Ferry or take a very short stroll along the waterfront to the carousel in Mitchell's Park. The Open House will be held again on Sunday, December 4th, at the same place and time.

Tree Lighting
Belmont Lake State Park
North Babylon
631-667-5055
4:15pm–7pm
Free
Join Santa and his helpers to witness the lighting of the huge Christmas tree in Belmont Park. There will also be ice sculptures, wagon rides, carolers, and fireworks.

First Night and Tree Lighting
Old Westbury Gardens
516-333-0048, ext. 301
6:30pm–9pm
$10 adults, $5 children (2–12 yrs). Members: $5 adults, members’ children free.
Westbury House is pulling out all the stops. At 7:15pm there will be a concert by the Bethel Caroling Chorale, and if you miss that performance, they'll do it again at 8:30pm. In between the concerts there will be a tree-lighting ceremony at 8:15pm and the jolly man himself will be visiting.

The Pink Lotus
Long Island Children’s Museum
Garden City
516-224-5800
3pm
$3 with $11 museum admission
Children will be treated to tales of powerful kings and magical dragons, as they learn about the culture of Vietnam. Each attendee gets to take home a lotus blossom, the country’s national flower.

“It’s a Wonderful Village" Holiday Celebration
Southampton Village
631-283-0402
1:30–7pm
Free
Start the afternoon with horse-and-buggy rides while listening to carolers. Then follow the annual Fire Truck Parade of Lights to the tree lighting in Agawam Park. Once the tree is illuminated, take the family over to the Southampton Cultural Center for a holiday party with Santa. Bring your camera for pics with the big guy.
For more information and a complete listing of all the events scheduled throughout the holiday season as part of the "It's a Wonderful Village" celebration, view the event flyer online.

Saturday and Sunday:

The Dickens Festival
Port Jefferson
631-331-3277
Admission is free, but there is a fee for some activities.
This is Port Jefferson’s 16^th annual celebration of Charles Dickens, the British author of A Christmas Carol. The village goes all out, with costumed characters; Victorian entertainment and food; holiday concerts and performances; an old-fashioned marketplace on East Main Street; horse-and-carriage and trolley rides; live reindeer; a lantern-lit tour of historic homes; of course, performances of A Christmas Carol; and a grand-finale parade.

Sunday:

Holiday Festival
Stony Brook Village Center
1pm–6pm
Free admission
The festival features Cirque USA presenting the Human Sphere & Acrobreakers, Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre, massive model train display, and holiday carolers. Santa arrives on an antique fire truck to hear children's wishes at 2pm. Also see the Promenade of Trees and a tree lighting. WALK 97.5 & Walkie Bear will be there and much more.

A Yuletide Family Day with Music Man Mike and Santa
Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site
West Hills 
1pm
Children $7, chaperones free
631- 427-5240, educator@waltwhitman.org
The show will also feature a holiday sing-along, as well as lots of dancing. Kids can also visit with Santa, have their faces painted, and make an ornament to hang on their tree. Call or e-mail to register.

Our Night Out
Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium
Centerport
631-854-5579
6pm
$7
Put the kiddies in their pajamas, bring along their pillows, blankets, and teddy bears, and head over to the Vanderbilt museum and planetarium for a story hour under star-filled skies as huge pictures are projected on the dome.

Building the World’s Tallest LEGO Menorah
North Shore Jewish Center
Port Jefferson Station
631-928-3737
12:30–4pm
Free
Your children can join a professional architect in constructing a 14-foot menorah with more than 50,000 LEGO blocks. Lunch and a goodie bag are provided. Bring a nonperishable food item for a local food pantry. Parents must accompany children. Preregistration is required.

Puppetkabob presents “The Snowflake Man”
Long Island Children’s Museum
Garden City
516-224-5800
2pm
$4 with $11 museum admission
Czech-style marionettes with props backed by a pop-up book of watercolor paintings tell the story of Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, a 19^th-century farmer and scientist who was the first person to show us the detail of a snowflake.

Ocean Science Sunday: Sea Cookie Workshop
Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum
631-367-3418
2pm
Children, $8 (members $4)
In honor of National Cookie Day, children can decorate a cookie with their own colorful seascape using frosting and sprinkles. R.S.V.P. is required; call with dietary allergies / kosher requirements.