The Half Hollow Hills Community Library will hold WinterFest at its Dix Hills building on Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program is listed for all ages, and the day includes a family movie, hot cocoa and cookies, crafts, a winter photo station and a collection drive for cold-weather clothing. The library's own WinterFest event page lays out the full schedule.

WinterFest anchors a short run of December programs at the Dix Hills branch at 55 Vanderbilt Parkway, which serves families across Dix Hills and Melville. The same calendar shows a Tribute to Elvis concert on December 6 and a Kwanzaa Celebration on December 13, both of which open for registration on Tuesday, November 24.

What happens at WinterFest

The library lists several activities for the two-hour window:

  • Family film: Cool Runnings, the 1993 Disney comedy about the Jamaican bobsled team, rated PG and running 98 minutes. A separate movie listing places the screening in Lecture Room 111 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Hot cocoa and cookies for those attending.
  • Snowflake sensory bottles, a hands-on project in which participants build a small winter scene inside a bottle.
  • A photo station set up with a winter backdrop, where families can take a Polaroid keepsake. The library notes one print per family.
  • Crafts for all ages.

The main WinterFest activities are listed in the Dix Hills Gallery, while the film runs in the lecture room. Families who want a seat for the whole movie may want to arrive before 11:30 a.m.

Bring mittens, scarves or hats

WinterFest also includes a donation corner. The library is asking visitors to bring new or gently used mittens, scarves and hats, which will go to local families through Helping Hand Rescue Mission. The items can be dropped off during the event.

Tribute to Elvis on December 6

A week earlier, on Sunday, December 6, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., the library will present a Tribute to Elvis in Lecture Room 111. The show covers the music and stage career of Elvis Presley. This one has more rules attached than WinterFest:

  • Registration is required and opens November 24, 2026, at 10 a.m.
  • A library card is needed to register, and the program is for adults 18 and older.
  • It is limited to district residents.
  • Doors open 15 minutes before the start, and registrants must be seated by 2 p.m. to hold their spot. After that, open seats go to others on a first-come, first-served basis.

The library asks anyone who registers and then cannot attend to let staff know so the seat can go to someone on the waitlist.

Kwanzaa Celebration on December 13

The day after WinterFest, on Sunday, December 13, from 2 to 4 p.m., the Mothers' Club of Wheatley Heights and the Concerned Fathers of Wheatley Heights will join the library to present a Kwanzaa Celebration in Lecture Room 111. The library describes Kwanzaa as a cultural celebration centered on African American values of family, community, responsibility, commerce and self-improvement. The program is listed under music and performances and is open to all ages. Registration is required and also opens November 24 at 10 a.m.

How to plan a visit

All three programs take place at the Half Hollow Hills Community Library's Dix Hills building, 55 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills, NY 11746. The WinterFest listing does not mention registration, so families can plan to come by between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on December 12. For the Elvis tribute and the Kwanzaa Celebration, mark Tuesday, November 24, at 10 a.m. on the calendar, since registration opens then through the library's event pages.

Questions go to the library's Community Engagement Department at [email protected] or (631) 421-4530, extension 1370. Event details can change, so check the library's listings before heading out.

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