"YULETIDE AT STORROWTON," DEC. 1 & 2, 2012
Eastern States Exposition's Gift to the Community
More Info: (413) 205-5051
Info Line: (413) 205-5115
Eastern States Exposition’s Storrowton Village Museum will present “Yuletide at Storrowton,” Saturday and Sunday, December 1 & 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free winter holiday festival is a chance for the community to come together to enjoy Yuletide activities and celebrations for the entire family as well as musical presentations, entertainment and shopping, all in the historic Village in West Springfield, Mass.
Decorated through the generosity of area garden clubs, florists and designers, the Village is brimming with wreaths, swags, garlands, fresh evergreens and all natural materials dripping from every imaginable nook and cranny. Holiday ideas abound in the Village’s distinctive buildings and visitors are welcome to bring notepads to record ideas. Materials found in a backyard or nearby wooded area may be used to recreate some of the arrangements displayed for your own holiday decor. New this year, each participating club and florist will receive a supply of Yankee Candle products to enhance their display.
The Master Gardeners of Storrowton will oversee the entire decorating project and Yuletide coordinator Thelma Greene will manage all event decorating. Participating clubs and florists include: the Agawam, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Springfield and West Springfield Garden Clubs; the Garden Club of the Westfield Women’s Club; Floral Concepts by Tom of Agawam; Merry Mite Gardens of Suffield, Conn.; Bloomin’ Bunch, headquartered in Springfield; Anthony Gladu of West Springfield’s Rose Petal & Thorn; Westfield’s “The Velevitch Homestead,” the Eastern States Exposition Landscape department; and Pat Byrne of South Hadley. Village volunteers will serve as costumed guides for the event.
Performances in the Village’s Meetinghouse will fill visitors with holiday cheer:
Richard Smith as Henry David Thoreau from the essay “Walking” – Sat., Noon
“Music from the American Traditions of the 19th Century,” Richard Spencer – Sat., 1pm
“Belsnickle, Santa’s Other Darker Side,” Dennis Picard, director of Storrowton Village Museum – Sat., 2pm
Pioneer Valley Fiddlers – Sat., 3pm
“From Sackbut to Jazz Tones,” a brief look at the evolution of the trombone and its uses in popular music, George Garber – Sun., Noon
“Songs from a New England Farmstead & Fireside,” April Grant – Sun., 1pm
“Seasonal Songs with a Winter’s Theme,” Paul Kaplan – Sun., 2pm
“Belsnickle, Santa’s Other Darker Side,” Dennis Picard, director of Storrowton Village Museum – Sun., 3pm
Additional Yuletide features throughout the Village include:
Ice Sculpting Demonstrations – Sunday, Noon – 3pm
Jerry Marchand on the Celtic Harp, Phillips House – Sunday
19th Century Crafts: Broom making, Tinsmith, Hatter, Windsor chair maker – in the Red Barn
Hands-on Children’s Crafts – Red Barn
Blacksmithing, fireplace cooking, quilting and spinning – demonstrated daily
Petting Zoo/Farm Animals – daily on the Village Green
Visit with a Victorian Santa – the Christmas Shop in Potter Mansion
Caroling and tree lighting ceremony– daily at 4pm on the Gazebo
Hot beverages as well as baked goods will be available in the Holiday Sweet Shoppe in Potter Mansion. Goodies will be baked and served by Storrowton volunteers and staff and include gingerbread people, cookies, brownies, holiday and specialty breads, muffins and hearty home-baked beans. Proceeds will benefit the educational programs at Storrowton Village Museum.
Holiday gifts, decorations and Yankee Candles will be sold at the Storrowton Village Gift Shop in the Phillips House, and the Christmas Shop in Potter Mansion features ornaments and collectibles during the event. All shops are open during all Yuletide events. Additional hours for the Storrowton Village Gift Shop are: Mon.–Fri., 9am - 5pm; Saturdays (through Fri., Dec. 28), 11am to 4pm
Tours also take place during Yuletide week and admission is $5 per person, children under 6 free:
Yuletide Open House Tours – Tuesday, Dec. 4 – Saturday, Dec. 8, 11am – 3pm
Yuletide Lantern Light Tours – Wednesday, Dec. 5, 6 to 8pm
All activities are weather permitting. For more information, call the Village at (413) 205-5051 or the Info Line at 413-205-5115. Photos are also available on flickr.
Storrowton Village Museum, an educational arm of Eastern States Exposition, presents hands-on school programs and guided tours of its historic buildings throughout the year as well as seasonal 19th century-themed events. It is the site of Storrowton Tavern/Carriage House and Storrowton Village Museum Gift Shop and is a picturesque, popular site for weddings held in its Meetinghouse and Gazebo.
