RUMFORD – An abundance of Christmas and New Year’s activities take place in the River Valley area during the next week or so, beginning with a Christmas carol sing-along on Friday.

The Pennacook Art Center on Congress Street will host the event starting at 11 a.m. Singers, musicians and others who enjoy getting musically involved in the holiday are invited to join in. The sing-along continues until 1 p.m.

Many churches are holding Christmas Eve services on Dec. 24, including:

Bethel

• Our Lady of the Snows, 4:30 p.m., Christmas Eve Mass

Dixfield

• Congregational Church, 6 p.m., Christmas Eve candlelight service

Mexico

• Congregational Church, 6 p.m., Christmas Eve candlelight service

• Congregational Church, 11 p.m., Christmas Eve candlelight and carol service

Rumford

• United Methodist Church, 7 p.m., a Christmas Eve service of lessons and carols

• St. Athanasius and St. John Church, 6:15 p.m., Christmas Eve Mass

On Christmas Day, which is on a Sunday this year, many churches will have services. Among them:

Dixfield

• Congregational Church, 10 a.m., Christmas Day service

Mexico

• St. Theresa’s Church, 8 a.m., Christmas Mass

• Congregational Church, 10 a.m., Christmas Day service

Rumford

• St. Athanasius and St. John Church, 9:30 a.m. Mass

Two large celebrations are scheduled for New Year’s Eve – one in Bethel and the other at Black Mountain in Rumford.

• The festivities begin in the new ski lodge at Black Mountain at 7 p.m. with happy hour and munchies, followed from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. with a dance hosted by Scott and Cindy Grassette. A buffet and champagne toast is scheduled at midnight.

• In Bethel, a variety of events and entertainment at four different sites begins at 6 p.m. with a dragon parade on the Bethel Common, and ending at midnight with the ringing in of the new year (bring your own bells) at the corner of Main and Mechanic streets. In between, fireworks is set for 11 p.m., and entertainment by Joe Perham, the State Street Jazz Band, and the Fred Garbo Inflatable Theater, among others, will be performed. Also scheduled is a contra-dance, marshmallow roasting, horse-drawn wagon rides and many other events.