A holiday open house will be held at the governor’s residence the weekend of Dec. 5.

The open house at 990 Prospect Ave. will run Dec. 5 and 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Dec. 7 from noon to 4 p.m.

"This house truly belongs to the public," Gov. Jodi Rell said. "This free open house gives families from across the state the opportunity to see the governor's residence decorated for the holidays. I urge everyone to take a few minutes to stop in and say hello."

Live entertainment during the Open House will be performed by the following:

Friday, Dec. 5

10 to 11 a.m., U.S. Coast Guard Choral Group

12:45 to 1:30 p.m., Hand Bell Choir from Waterbury's Chase Collegiate School

2 to 3 p.m., Milford High School Brass Quintet

Saturday, Dec. 6

10 to 11 a.m., Glastonbury bagpiper Pat Whelan.

Noon to 12:30 p.m., 1 to 1:30 p.m., 2 to 2:30 p.m., Connecticut Light Opera

12:30 to 1 p.m., 1:30 to 2 p.m., flutist duet Studio E

Sunday, Dec. 7

Noon to 1:50 p.m. and 2:30 to 4 p.m., Hartt School String and Woodwind Trios

1:50 to 2:30 p.m., The Bristow Bows from West Hartford's Bristow Middle School

Santa Claus will be handing out candy canes to children on Friday and Saturday mornings and will also drop by for a visit on Sunday.

Free recipe cards from Rell will also be handed out during the open house, and the 2008 holiday ornaments will be on sale for $20 each to benefit the governor's residence conservancy. This year's ornament depicts The Genius of Connecticut, a statue currently on display in the State Capitol. The use of the word "genius" connotes that she is a protector figure or a symbol of the spirit of the people of Connecticut. The statue stood atop the Capitol dome from 1878 until 1938.

Organizations that will be decorating the governor's residence this year include:

Lux, Bond and Green

Moscarillos Garden Center, West Hartford.

New England Home

Connecticut Florists Association

Connecticut Greenhouse Growers Association

Connecticut Nursery & Landscape Association

Connecticut Christmas Tree Growers Association

Green Growers Association

Farmers Cow, which provided hot cocoa for all the volunteers who decorated the residence.