Yuletide at Storrowton festival begins on Dec. 3

Date: 11/28/2011

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Eastern States Exposition’s Storrowton Village Museum will present “Yuletide at Storrowton” on Dec. 3 and 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.

Decorated through the generosity of area garden clubs, florists and designers, the village is brimming with innovative and original ideas to make houses holiday homes. 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 including:

Members of the West Springfield High School Band, conducted by Bill Carr — Dec. 3 at 11 a.m.
Amherst Shaped Note Society — Dec. 3 at noon.
Alice Moore Golden Bell Ringers — Dec. 3 at 1 p.m.
Pioneer Valley Fiddlers — Dec. 3 at 2 p.m.
Barbara Bennet Organ Recital on an 1820 Pratt Organ — Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.
Civil War Fife Music — Doug Quigley of Sturbridge — Dec. 4 at 1 p.m.
Seasonal Songs with a Winter’s Theme by Paul Kaplan — Dec. 4 at 2 p.m.

Also in the meetinghouse:

“New England Native Americans Prepare for Winter” with Gail White — Lecture with artifacts on Dec. 4 at noon.
“Christmas During the American Civil War” with Dennis Picard, director of Storrowton Village Museum — Lecture on Dec. 4 at 3 p.m.

Additional Yuletide features throughout the village include:

Ice Sculpting Demonstrations — Dec. 3 from noon to 3 p.m.
Jerry Marchand on the Celtic Harp, Phillips House — Dec. 4.
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. at 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.

All shops are open during all Yuletide events.

Additional hours for the Storrowton Village Gift Shop are: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays through Dec. 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tours also take place during Yuletide week and admission is $5 per person, children younger than 6 are free. The schedule for tours is as follows:

Yuletide Open House Tours — Dec. 6 and Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Yuletide Lantern Light Tours — Dec. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.

All activities are weather permitting.

For more information, call the village at 205-5051 or visit www.TheBigE.com.