VANKLEEK HILL, Ontario – The Christmas trees are ordered and the spirit of Christmas will be present in Vankleek Hill during the annual Christmas Home Tour, which takes place on Saturday, Nov. 5.
This year’s event features six heritage homes on the self-guided tour. This year’s decorators are: Sasha McKeown and Denis Czet, Donna Doucette, Jill Crosby, Cottage Blue Home, Vankleek Hill’s Home Hardware and Danielle Arbour. Each decorator brings a special flair to each historic home. New this year, a Nativity Scene display will be hosted at St-Grégoire Catholic Church on Higginson Street. There is free admission to this event.
Three churches are organizing luncheons and musical entertainment will happen in each church luncheon location during the lunch hour. Inside St. John’s Anglican Church at 1 p.m. and again at 3 p.m., listen to author Keith Henderson read from his historical novel which will take you back in time in Canadian history. Musical interludes by Ian Hepburn playing celtic harp will be part of these 60-minute presentations. At 151 Main Street East, meet artist Susan Jepchott and see works from her recently-published book, “The Tangerine Cat”. Buy a book and have Jephcott sign it while you’re there!
At Arbor Gallery at 36 Home Avenue, there is an art show of affordable small works to help you with your Christmas shopping list. That show is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A quilt show takes place inside the church proper at Knox Presbyterian Church from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the adjoining Archie Hardy church hall after the luncheon, the Knox Bell Choir will be performing from 2:30 p.m. to about 3 p.m. Refreshments will be offered until 3:30 p.m.
Food tastings will also be on offer from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in each of the homes on the tour. Specialty vendors have been booked for each home and in addition, vendors will be located at other venues in town, such as the Vankleek Hill Museum and Loud and Dirty will be launching a new line of products at a fun display located in the Windsor Hotel parking lot.
Go home with your own souvenir of the day’s event by having your group’s photograph taken in a vintage sleigh, furnished for the occasion by Ouimet Farms Adventure, home of our local corn maze. Photographer Jan Amell will take good care of you and see that you are outfitted in Victorian capes, bonnets and the like to have just the right look. There will be a $5 charge to have your photo taken; one half of the proceeds will be donated to a local cause.
Thanks to Beau’s All-Natural Brewing Company, John Clouston, ReMax Supreme, Xplornet and Champlain Township, four shuttle buses will take visitors from house to house in town and to other locations where special events are happening.
You can also take home a unique Vankleek Hill souvenir on tour day. Be sure to pick up one of four collector edition Christmas ornaments, each featuring one of
Vankleek Hill’s beautiful brick homes. Ornaments are on sale at The Review offices at 76 Main Street East in Vankleek Hill.
This event is organized by The Review and shares proceeds with six community organizations, which provide volunteers to the event.
To find out where to purchase $20 advance tickets (you can also purchase tickets online), to view the houses, luncheon information and more, visit: http://www.vankleekhill.ca/HomeTour.
