NOTE: Community bulletin board-type items are welcome for inclusion in the Happenings! section of the Xpress newspapers. Please allow enough lead time for publication. Email your calendar or event notice to [email protected]. 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27 

• Third Annual Oxford Winter Fest 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. To benefit Special Olympics 

4 Maple Road, Oxford. Public event. 

10:30am: POLAR PLUNGE at Carbuncle Pond to benefit Special Olympics. 11am: Pancake Breakfast at First Congregational Church with Elsa & Anna! Beginning at NOON: Activities on the Common: Food Trucks, 104.5 XLO, Children’s Games, Ice Sculpture Demo, Fire Pits, S’mores, Wishing Trees, Hot Chocolate, Coffee, P&D Pizza, *Horse-drawn Wagon Rides. Community Center Vendor Fair & Ice- Skating Rink plus family games, crafts & cookie decorating workshop, Senior Center Art Exhibition, Library Book Bingo & StoryTime 

SUNDAYS, FEBRUARY 4, FEBRUARY 18 

• The New England Country Music Club will hold the following dances with live Classic Country Bands at the Progressive Club, 18 Whitin St., N. Uxbridge. Sunday, Feb. 4, “Rustic Country” Sunday, Feb 18, “Jessie Caruso and Ambush” Doors open at 12:15 p.m., music 1-5 p.m., $11 for non-members, Snacks may be brought in, cash bar. For more information, visit http:// www.Facebook.com/ NECountryMusicClub 

STARTING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 

•St. Peter’s Parish in Northbridge will offer the ALPHA program on Tuesday evenings staring February 13, 2024 to May 7, 2024 from 6:30PM to 8:00PM. Sessions will be held in the parish hall, 39 Church Avenue, Northbridge. ALPHA is a series of interactive sessions to help people explore the basics of the Christian faith. The goal of ALPHA is to create a warm welcoming, non-threatening, non-pressured and non-judgmental environment where guests are accepted unconditionally. Each session looks at a different question around faith. We start with a light meal, followed by a video and small group discussion. There is no charge to attend ALPHA evenings. There is a good will offering to help cover the cost of the meal. If you would like to join us for ALPHA, please contact Louise Forget, 508-234-6355 or email: [email protected] to register or for more information. 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15

• Storyteller Sari Bittocks will present the Tragic and True 1778 Crime Story of Bathsheba Spooner. Learn about the fascinating scandal that led to her unfortunate demise of Joshua Spooner at the hands of his wife in Brookfield. But why was Bathsheba really silenced and sentenced to death? At Mendon Historical Museum, 15 Hastings Street, Mendon. Snow date February 25. 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18 

•Bethel Lutheran Church, Auburn will hold its Centennial Celebration Festive Eucharist Service at 10:30 a.m.in the church, 90 Bryn Mawr Avenue followed by a banquet at the Auburn Elks Lodge, 754 Southbridge Street, Auburn at 12:30.   Centennial Committee reaching out for information on anyone who has attended or whose family has a history with Bethel to share in this event.  Please contact Judy Sampson at [email protected]; Jackie Walsh at [email protected] or at the  Bethel Facebook page, Bethel Lutheran-Auburn MA Centennial.  A series of special events will follow throughout 2024.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 

• The Greater Worcester Model Train Show will take place from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Auburn Elks Lodge, 754 Southbridge Street, Auburn. All are invited to attend. View detailed train set-ups and find out how to get involved in this fascinating hobby. Donation $6, kids under 12 free with adult. For more information, visit mrr.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 

• Blackstone Valley Home Expo 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sponsored by UniBank 

Northbridge High School Field House, Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville 

Admission $3 

For more information visit: blackstonevalley.org: or contact: loneil@blackstonevalley