"YULETIDE AT STORROWTON," DEC. 3 & 4, 2011
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 3 & 4 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 innovative and original ideas to make your house a holiday home. Walk through the buildings to find wreaths, swags, garlands, fresh evergreens and all natural materials dripping from every imaginable nook and cranny.
The Master Gardeners of Storrowton will oversee the decorating project, and participating clubs and florists include: the Agawam, 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; Storrowton Master Gardeners; Suffield Regional Agriculture Center at Suffield High School; 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:
Members of the West Springfield High School Band, conducted by Bill Carr – Saturday, 11 a.m.
Amherst Shaped Note Society – Saturday, Noon
Alice Moore Golden Bell Ringers – Saturday, 1 p.m.
Pioneer Valley Fiddlers – Saturday, 2 p.m.
Barbara Bennet Organ Recital on 1820 Pratt Organ – Saturday, 3 p.m.
Civil War Fife Music – Doug Quigley, Sturbridge, Mass., – Sunday, 1 p.m.
Seasonal Songs with a Winter’s Theme – Paul Kaplan – Sunday, 2 p.m.
Also in the Meetinghouse:
“New England Native Americans Prepare for Winter,” Gail White – Lecture with artifacts, Sunday, Noon
“Christmas During the American Civil War,” Dennis Picard, director of Storrowton Village Museum – Lecture, Sunday, 3 p.m.
Additional Yuletide features throughout the Village include:
Ice Sculpting Demonstrations – Saturday, Noon – 3 p.m.
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 4 p.m. on the Gazebo
Hot and cold 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., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturdays through December 17, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tours also take place during Yuletide week and admission is $5 per person, children under 6 free:
Yuletide Open House Tours – Tuesday, Dec. 6 – Saturday, Dec. 10, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Yuletide Lantern Light Tours – Wednesday, Dec. 7, 6 to 8 p.m.
All activities are weather permitting. For more information, call the Village at (413) 205-5051, the Info Line at 413-205-5115 or visit us at www.TheBigE.com.
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.
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