BAY CITY HOLIDAY 2012 PARLOUR TOUR & CHRISTMAS MARKET
Saturday & Sunday -- December 1st and 2nd
December 1, 2012
By: O. J. Cunningham
Holiday Parlour Tour & Christmas Market
BAY CITY, MI, November 15, 2012 - Ten Bay City families will open their magnificent mansions and spectacular homes for the 4th Annual Bay City Holiday Parlour Tour and Christmas Market. This year's event is Saturday, December 1 and Sunday,December 2 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
The Center Avenue Neighborhood Association invites guests to visit these festively decorated holiday homes as residents of the historic Center Avenue Historic District open their beautifully restored homes. Tour guides will be at each home to point out the rich history, architectural features, furnishings, and holiday decorations.
The varied architecture represented this year ranges from Queen Anne, Georgian Revival, and Colonial Revival to Mid-Century Modern.
The Holiday Parlour Tour & Christmas Market is the premier fundraising event for the Center Avenue Neighborhood Association. The revenue and goodwill generated through this event allows the association to continue the preservation and protection of the architectural heritage of Bay City's east side.
"Our goal is to encourage property owners and prospective neighbors to renovate and preserve their homes and businesses and to assist them in finding artisans and information to help them in this endeavor," stated Faye Smith, Chairperson of the Center Avenue Neighborhood Association.
"The Annual Parlour Tour is our way of welcoming visitors to see and enjoy first-hand the pleasures of living in, working in, and being a steward of these historic architectural treasures."
Tickets are available from Begick Nursery & Garden Center, GT Homestead, Herman Hiss & Company, Martha's Market, McDonald's Nursery of Saginaw, My Secret Garden, Peel 'n Pare of Midland, Petit 4 Pastry of Essexville, State Theatre, The Loft on Johnson, Thumb National Bank & Trust, Violets Blue, and Warmbier Farms of Auburn. Tickets purchased in advance are $17.
On tour days, tickets are $20 and available only at the Christmas Market at the Pere Marquette Depot.
Chauffeured heated shuttle buses are included in the ticket price and will travel from house to house and to the Christmas Market throughout the event.
The Christmas Market, located inside the Pere Marquette Depot at 1000 Adams Street, will be fully stocked with one of a kind gifts handcrafted by local artisans, jewelry, home furnishings, Christmas ornaments, holiday decorations, and refreshments.
The Center Avenue Neighborhood Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the historic and scenic character of the Center Avenue Heritage Corridor, educate residents and visitors about the heritage and cultural assets that exist, and coordinate resources to enhance the intrinsic value of the neighborhood.