Press Release
Have A Jolly Raleigh Christmas
Contact: Jim Lee, DCI; (312) 202-0507; jim.lee@dc-int
RALEIGH, N.C. (September 2004) – From dozens of magnificent historic homes decked out for the holidays to the most hometown holiday parades in North Carolina, Raleigh captures the holiday spirit this season with a multitude of concerts, plays, home tours, special dinners, shopping and lodging promotions. And best of all – many of the holiday festivities are completely free! Here is a sampling of just a few:
Deck the Halls: Historic House Tours
Civil War Christmas Encampment – On December 11-12, re-enactors representing the Confederate 6th North Carolina regiment will camp on Capital Square to recreate war-time holiday celebrations of long ago. Visitors can witness troops receiving mail from home, test their hand at crafting period Christmas ornaments, dip candles, and even participate in Civil War drill routines for free. (919) 733-4994.
Executive Mansion Holiday Open House– Raleigh's Executive Mansion – home to Governor and Mrs. Easley – will open its doors for the holidays on December 9, 2004, 5-8 PM. Decorated in a weeklong volunteer effort, North Carolina's version of a larger-than-life gingerbread house features live greenery and three lavishly decorated trees. Visitors can also enjoy live entertainment ranging from choirs to orchestras that fill the air with the sounds of the music. Admission is free and reservations are required. Admission is free. (919) 733-4994.
Christmas Tour at Joel Lane Museum House– Decorated in traditional colonial greenery and fruit, the Joel Lane Museum House, circa 1770, will showcase ways in which our colonial ancestors celebrated the holiday season. Raleigh's oldest home is now fully restored to its appearance when it served as the residence of Joel Lane, a prominent statesman and patriot. Tours will be held December 4-5 and are free. (919) 833-3431.
Mordecai Historic Park Holiday Tours– Visitors will experience the sights and sounds of Christmas past when they tour the historic Mordecai plantation house and grounds, all decked out for the holidays in period decorations including evergreens and fruit displays. Admission for the one-hour guided tour is $6 Adults, $4 Children, under 7 Free. Tours run will in December, on dates to be determined. (919) 833-6404, www.capitalareapreservation.org/park.html.
Historic Oakview Christmas Open House & Self-guided Candlelight Tour– Just four miles east of downtown Raleigh, this antebellum farmstead is lit with luminaries for the holiday open-house. On December 11, from 1PM – 7:30PM (candlelight tour begins at 5:00 PM), guests can tour the 1855 Greek Revival house and visit with Santa in the living room, devour freshly baked cookies in the plank kitchen, and explore the cotton gin house museum, 1870s gazebo, and a Farm History Center. Sleigh rides will be given around the pecan grove, snow or shine. Admission is free. (919) 250-1013.
Historic Oakwood Candlelight Tour– The 33rd annual tour of this 19th Century Victorian neighborhood provides a glimpse inside several 19th century private homes and inns, elegantly decorated for the holidays. Tours will be held December 11-12, 1- 7 PM. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 the days of the tour. (919) 832-9712, www.historicoakwood.org
Wake Forest Christmas Historic Home Tour– This bi-annual tour on Saturday Dec 4, 2004, from 10 AM – 5 PM, showcases a number of homes and other historic buildings in Wake Forest in one of Wake Forest's historic districts. For tickets, $12 (estimated cost), call (919) 554-3911.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing: Holiday Music and Dance
A Christmas Carol– Raleigh's Theatre in the Park presents the 30th annual production of the Charles Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol," December 8-15 at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. This wildly popular production, starring Ira David Wood III, is updated each year to include crowd-pleasing humor without losing the spirit of the original play. Tickets range from $12-$58. (919) 831-6058, www.theatreinthepark.com.
A Christmas Memory – Until he was 10 years old, Truman Capote lived with a family of distant and elderly cousins in a small town in rural Alabama. A Christmas Memory is a frankly autobiographical story about those years and especially his relationship with one of the cousins, Miss Sook Faulk. The faded photograph, on the stage during the production, is of the author and Miss Faulk, who died in 1938 while Capote was a student at a military academy in New York State. Theatre In The Park has presented this production, along with Ira David Wood, for the last 25 years, with performances this year from December 17-19. Tickets $10. (919) 831-6058, www.theatreinthepark.com
The Nutcracker Ballet–Performed by the Carolina Ballet and N.C. Symphony, this holiday classic will transport the audience to a land of sweets, waltzing flowers, dancing snowflakes and sugar plum fairies through lavish sets, costumes and sound. According to Francis Mason, WQXR, the radio station of The New York Times, "Robert Weiss has created an extraordinary new version of Nutcracker that uses even more children and casts its own spell…Weiss has made dances that magnify anew the power of a dream a little girl has under the Christmas tree." Performances run from November 22-28, December 17-26, with tickets ranging from $10 - $100. (919) 719.0900, www.carolinaballet.com/03-04-season/nutcracker.html
The Raleigh Ringers Holiday Concerts– Using only hand bells, this group performs music ranging from holiday and classical favorites. Concerts are December 18 and 19 at Meymandi Concert Hall. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors, $7 students. (919) 847-7574.
Holidays Around the World– Twenty Christmas trees and displays will showcase various holiday traditions from around the world at Historic Oak View County Park, from December 7-12, Tuesday through Friday 10 AM – 4 PM, Saturday 10 AM - 7:30 PM, Sunday 1 PM - 4 PM. This event is free. (919) 250-1013.
Historic Trolley Tours– On December 4, 11 and 18, travel back in time and see Raleigh's 200-year history from a historic perspective on the Raleigh Trolley. The narrated tour includes stops at Mordecai Historic Park, the Capital Area Visitors Center, State Capitol at Bicentennial Plaza, Glenwood South at West & Jones Streets, Joel Lane House, and City Market. Departures from Mordecai Historic Park, stop number one, are on the hour at 11am, 12 noon, 1 pm, and 2 pm. There is unlimited same day boarding and reboarding. Adults $8, Children $4, under 6 years old free. (919) 834-4844.
Hometown Christmas Parades
November 20, 10 AM: Raleigh Christmas Parade (919)-420-0120
TK, 10 AM Garner Christmas Parade. (919) 661-0687.
TK, 2 PM: Cary Christmas Parade. (919)-406-6200.
December 4, 2 PM: The Knightdale Christmas Parade takes place in downtown Knightdale, featuring bands, floats, candy and Santa. For details, call (919) 217-2230. TK
December 4, 5 PM: Apex Jaycees 48th Annual Christmas Parade (919) 990-1250
December 5, 3 PM: The Fuquay-Varina Hometown Christmas Parade celebrates the holiday season with floats, bands, queens, twirlers and Santa Claus. For details, call (919) 552-4947.
December 11, 2 PM: Rolesville Christmas Parade. For details, call (919) 556-3506.
December 5, 2 PM: The Zebulon Christmas Parade sports Santa's arrival to the sound of bands, and supported by beauty queens, antique cars, and beautiful floats. For details, call (919) 269-6320.
December 11, 11 AM: Annual Holly Springs Happy Holly Days Parade is a traditional holiday parade with local and regional bands, and floats. For details, call (919) 567-1796.
December 19, 5 PM: Morrisville Christmas Parade. For details, call (919)-417-8774.
Holiday Home Away From Home
The Oakwood Inn B&B– Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this 1871 Victorian home is nestled in the Historic Oakwood District within walking distance of downtown Raleigh. The inn has six beautiful guest rooms, all decorated in period antiques with private baths and working fireplaces. The Polk guest room even sports its own personal Christmas tree, and a private porch decorated with evergreen bows and colorful bows. Rates range from $99 to $165 per night. For details, call (919) 832-9712 or visit www.oakwoodinnbb.com
William Thomas House B&B– Built in 1881, the William Thomas House recaptures the warmth and spirit of Victorian times. Raleigh's museums, shopping, restaurants, antique stores and the Governor's Mansion are a short walk away. The four well-appointed guest rooms, all with private baths, come with a full Southern breakfast and complimentary wine and cheese in the late afternoon. Rates start at $125. For details, call (919) 755-9400 or visit www.williamthomashouse.com
TGIF Holiday Promotion and $1,000 Shopping Spree– A chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree at Raleigh's Crabtree Valley Mall or Triangle Town Center is the centerpiece of a special TGIF Holiday Promotion. To enter to win, people must book reservations during a November and December weekend at one of 29 participating hotels. Rates, which start at $39.99 per night, are guaranteed to be the lowest available rates any day of the week. The promotion also includes special holiday entertainment discounts and a holiday shopping card. For details, call (866) 246-TGIF or visit www.tgifraleigh.com.
The Greater Raleigh CVB is a non-profit agency that promotes Raleigh and Wake County for convention and visitor business to enhance the economic growth and development of the area. For a free visitors guide or more promotional information, please call (800) 849-8499, check out www.visitraleigh.com or e-mail visit@visitraleigh.com.
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