By Staff
The music of street carolers, who stroll past the Victorian-styled 1800s storefronts, melds with the clickity-clack of horses' shoes and laughter of children sitting atop the lap of an Old-World Santa, as the Dowagiac Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration kicks off its Open House Weekend Nov. 17-19.
Holiday activities for families are centered around Beckwith Park in the heart of this community's quaint downtown.
An Old-World Victorian Santa is the lead character in this yuletide celebration, which opens with a new sneak preview on Friday evening, Nov. 17, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration of the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce also features southwestern Michigan's largest lighted Christmas parade on Friday, Dec. 1, featuring 100 marching and motorized units.
The Dec. 1 candlelight parade is underwritten this year by Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital, as Open House Weekend is being funded, in part, by A-1 Expert Tree Service, Booth's Country Florist, Dr. Matthew Cripe, Felpausch Food Center, First National Bank and LaSalle Bank.
Vickie Phillipson, program director for the Chamber and Downtown Development Authority, who coordinates the event, said several new activities and organizations have joined this year's Open House Weekend, where activities are headquartered at Beckwith Park on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 18 and 19, from noon to 3 p.m.
New to the celebration, several stores will present a Special Preview Night of their finest holiday merchandise on Friday, Nov. 17, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Phillipson said the sneak preview is held in conjunction with the opening reception for the Jenny Mehlenbeck art exhibit at the Dogwood Festival Gallery, located within Huntington Bank.
"During Preview Night, Friday evening shoppers will enjoy more personalized attention, prior to the onset of Open House Saturday and Sunday," Phillipson said.
Specialty shops that are hosting the sneak preview of holiday merchandise are: Apparel Alternatives, Booth's Country Florist, Front Street Winery, Homespun Memories, Laurie Anne's, Murphy's Flowers, Vincent J. Jewelers and The Wren's Nest.
Also from 5 to 7 p.m., the Dogwood Festival Gallery will host a reception for the opening of the exhibition by Mehlenbeck entitled, "70 Percent Water."
A gallery talk by the artist will be held at 5:45 p.m.
A native of Chicago, the Keeler resident has lived in Michigan since 1991.
Her paintings and drawings in oils, acrylics and colored pencils will be showcased from Nov. 17 through March 1.
During festival weekend, the gallery will be open Saturday from noon to 3:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Regular gallery hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Meet Old-World
Santa
Hailing from his Sinterklaus Farm in Berrien Springs, the Old-World Victorian Santa, who for the past several years has captivated the hearts of wide-eyed children and adults, will greet youngsters Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 3 p.m. at Beckwith Park, where parents are encouraged to bring their cameras.
As a special treat on Sunday, children can have their photo taken, while they sit beside the Victorian Santa in the Cinderella-styled snow-white carriage, owned by Jack Fryman of Dowagiac.
"Indeed, organizers are as delighted as the children will be to have this beautiful carriage available to us for pictures, as it sets the stage for an afternoon straight out of a storybook," Phillipson said.
"When Dick Schinkel, who portrays our Jolly St. Nick, appeared at Beckwith Park last November, draped in his burgundy cape, complete with wool fleece lining and trim, brocaded vest and knickers, people of all ages marveled at his striking, true-to-character appearance," Phillipson said.
"Children will delight at meeting this rosy-cheeked ol' gentleman, as well as receiving a free, 160-page holiday coloring book."
Phillipson initiated the distribution of the complimentary Christmas gifts in 1999 by the host organization as a means to provide something special for area children.
Santa's holiday
Christmas
basket
Children who attend Open House Weekend events can sign up for Santa's Holiday Christmas Basket that will be awarded to a boy and girl, filled with toys and candy, and topped by a plush holiday toy.
Winners of the gift baskets will appear in the Dec. 1 Candlelight Christmas Parade, as they accompany Jolly St. Nick, traveling in his three-seat horse-drawn carriage.
Miss Dowagiac Sarah Ostyn and her Court of Honor will be on hand Open House Weekend to help children sign up for the drawing.
Hands-on
children's
workshops
Two new children's workshops will be featured Saturday and Sunday, located in the Front Street building, adjacent to Beckwith Park.
"Festival organizers are pleased to welcome Susan Sedam of Edwardsburg, who owns Teddy Bears 2U," Phillipson said.
Families can purchase a holiday stuffed animal, which will be made by Sedam as children watch.
Festival goers may remember Sedam, who has appeared in Dowagiac during its summertime festival in July, making stuffed teddy bears.
The stuffed animal workshop will be open from noon to 3 p.m. both days.
Also new to Open House Weekend and located within the storefront adjacent to the park, children can join Miss Dowagiac Sarah Ostyn and her Court of Honor for storytime, as they make a Victorian Christmas ornament to take home.
The hands-on workshop, which is being offered free of charge, is hosted by Dowagiac District Library and Chamber of Commerce, and its Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant Committee.
Storytime and the ornament workshop will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. both days.
From
miniature
to draft horses
Not all of the animals at Beckwith Park during Open House Weekend will be like Santa's soft-sculptured toys.
The Chamber is pleased to welcome Bayside Farms of Dowagiac, which will have on display its miniature horses and miniature Sicilian donkeys for festival goers to enjoy.
For a nominal fee, families can also tour the Grand Old City by horse-drawn carriage.
The horse-drawn tour, which starts on Beeson Street, will be presented by John Touse of Constantine, who owns Happy Tales Pet Resort.
Craft, wreath
and retail
open houses
On Open House Saturday crafts enthusiasts will want to attend the 10th-annual arts and crafts show, sponsored by Theta Mu of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dowagiac Union High School.
The hand-made works of 30 to 40 craftsmen will be featured, including holiday and dried florals, embroidered novelty apparel, hand-crafted wooden items and more.
Town and Country Garden Club will also sell Douglas fir living wreaths at its indoor booth in the storefront next to Beckwith Park.
Christmas retail open houses will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at such downtown locations as Apparel Alternatives, Booth's Country Florist, Front Street Winery, Homespun Memories, Laurie Anne's, Majerek's Hallmark, The Marshall Shoppe, Underwood Shoes, Vincent J. Jewelers and The Wren's Nest.
Christmas open houses will also be held that weekend at Imperial Furniture, located on M-51 South, and at Murphy's Flowers and Greenhouses on West Prairie Ronde.
Phillipson said during Open House Weekend, every time a holiday shopper makes a purchase at a participating specialty shop, they can sign up to win $150 in Universal Dowagiac Gift Certificates. The open house drawing will award $25 gift cards to six winners. Patrons can register for the drawing at: Apparel Alternatives, Booth's Country Florist, Imperial Furniture, Laurie Anne's, Majerek's Hallmark, The Marshall Shoppe, Murphy's Flowers and Greenhouses, Vincent J. Jewelers, The Wren's Nest and Zeke's.
Instruments,
carolers and
holiday
dancers
Throughout Open House Weekend, day-visitors will enjoy several performances featuring the Victorian Christmas carolers of Footlight Players Theatre from Michigan City, Ind.; About Time, a vocal and instrumental group from St. Joseph; Holy Maternity of Mary Catholic Church Adult and Youth Choirs, under the direction of Andy Katovsich; Pathway Community Church carolers; Dowagiac Union Choirs, under the direction of Jeff Robinson; along with the holiday performances of Positively Dance of Miss Kathy's School of Dance and Encore Dance Co.
Members of About Time, under the direction of Tim King of Berrien Springs, take center stage at the Haggin-Wimberley Bandstand, as they present their instrumental and vocal performance of yuletide favorites from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Caroling throughout the downtown Saturday will be vocalists from Pathway Community Church, from noon to 1 p.m., followed by choir members of Holy Maternity of Mary Catholic Church from 2 to 3 p.m.
Families will also enjoy the 30-minute holiday performance at 1:30 p.m. of Positively Dance, which will appear on Beeson Street, adjacent to the park.
Street-corner performances on Open House Sunday feature the Victorian-dressed Christmas carolers of Footlight Players, from noon to 2 p.m., followed by members of Dowagiac Union Choirs from 2 to 3 p.m.
The holiday dance performance Sunday at 1:30 p.m. is presented by Encore Dance, under the direction of Amy Rose.
Holiday foods
to warm you
Samples of the age-old Scandinavian holiday tradition of Glogg and mulled wine will be served Open House Weekend at Front Street Winery, as shopkeepers greet their patrons with complimentary hors d'oeuvres.
Families can also warm up with a bowl of "firehouse chili," available for purchase at Beckwith Park from the Fire Department Ambulance Service, as Caruso's Candy Kitchen tempts holiday shoppers at its outdoor booth of hand-dipped chocolates, hot chocolate and coffee.
Remembering
loved ones
While at Beckwith Park, families can purchase ribbons to decorate the Tree of Remembrance, as they pay homage to a loved one. Volunteers of Cass County Hospice will be on-site from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. During the Dec. 1 parade, the Hospice booth will open at 6:30 p.m. Funds earned by Hospice enables the organization to continue its support of the terminally ill and their families, while also benefiting the bereavement program.