Victorian Christmas coming to Star City
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — It may only be August, but the Presque Isle Historical Society is hard at work planning a brand-new holiday event — Victorian Christmas at the Estey.
This event will be a self-guided tour through their small, two-story, Victorian-era house museum, with each room adorned with handmade Victorian-inspired decorations for the holiday. A historical interpreter will be in each room, dressed in period costume, performing a task of that era and germane to the function of that room.
To add to the festive ambience, there will be a pianist playing Christmas carols from that era as well. Lastly, a scavenger hunt is being planned for the kids based on “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Kim Smith, secretary/treasurer of the society’s board and event creator, said, “We are really excited about this event. People don’t realize just how many of the holiday traditions we observe today came from the Victorian Era! We have wanted to do something related to Victorian Christmas with the house for a few years now and things just finally gelled.”
Smith said there are still spots available for volunteers who would like to be a part of this new event by serving as the costumed interpreters in some of the rooms.
“In addition, the society is still looking for corporate sponsorships,” she said. “We currently have six sponsors and would like to have six more — one for each room. Each sponsor will be assigned a room in the house and the funds will be used to cover the costs of the fresh floral arrangements and period decor in that room. Regular guided tours of the house stop in September and we will begin decorating in October.”
On the nights of the Victorian Christmas tours, visitors may park along Third Street and walk to the house, or park in the public parking lot on Second Street across from City Hall and be shuttled to the house aboard the heated Molly the Trolley, which will also be decorated for the season.
The event will be held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16 and 17, 2016 from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and will be available at the door.
It is hoped that this event becomes a local holiday tradition as it continues to be offered every year. In future years, the society plans to expand the event to a second weekend and add an early evening public caroling, an afternoon Victorian tea, and perhaps even horse-drawn carriage rides.
The society’s mission is to study, preserve and promote the history, culture, heritage and physical artifacts of Presque Isle for present and future generations. Visit their website to learn more at www.pihistory.org, call 762-1151, or e-mail them at pihistoricalsociety@hotmail.com.
