A Winter’s Eve Light promises festive family fun in Napanee
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Museum of Lennox and Addington’s Tuesday Night at the Museum holiday event is back, but this time, it’s all about the solstice and the great outdoors.
‘A Winter’s Eve Light: An Outdoor Celebration of Lights and Nature’ takes place on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, from 6 to8 p.m. on the museum grounds.
Museum supervisor/curator JoAnne Himmelman said she is excited to invite the community back through the museum gates: “After two years of COVID, we wanted to have something at the end of the year, and we thought this was a good way to celebrate the outdoors as well as the festive season in a different way.”
For nine pre-pandemic years, the museum celebrated the season with an indoor Christmas tree display that saw various community groups providing a specially decorated tree. This year, the festivities celebrating light and nature will take place outdoors.
“We wanted to do something different this year,” said Himmelman, “so we decided to do a very pretty outdoor celebration of nature. So, all of our outdoor areas are decorated with that theme. We actually have hand-sculpted animals that are going to be in the courtyard, and it’s all bird-friendly and animal-friendly decorations for wildlife.”
Himmelman acknowledged that many people are still cautious about mingling indoors because of COVID-19. “So, we just moved our celebration outdoors. It’s solstice season, and we wanted that celebration of light and the feeling of warmth around you. That’s really what we’re trying to do here.”
On an outdoor stage, NorthFIRE Circus, a group of highly skilled variety circus performers specializing in fire hoops, acrobatics, and exceptional pyrotechnics, will entertain the expected crowds. Dr. Draw, billed as “Canada’s best electric violin player,” will also take the stage.
Three repeat performances will take place from 6:15 to 6:30 p.m., 7 to 7:15 p.m., and 7:45 to 8 p.m. Himmelman said they are expecting “a bit of a crowd, and we want to make sure everybody gets to see the show at least once.”
While there, she added, “You can also visit with reindeer that are going to be nestled inside our stonewalled courtyard.” And the courtyard itself is going to be decorated with what she proudly calls “a holiday spectacular.” “We have just gone all out here, really,” she says with excitement, noting that roaming winter character performers will also entertain the crowds.
“[There are] lots of fun things to see. And if you’re getting a little bit chilly, we welcome you to come inside and enjoy some live music with Django’s Kitchen in the program room, and then you can also see the galleries. We have some great exhibits on, and Santa might just be hiding in the galleries.”
This is also a great time to get some holiday shopping done, Himmelman pointed out, as the retail area is filled with books, puzzles, games, and stocking stuffers, so visitors can cross some items off their holiday shopping list.
No pre-registration is required for this event, and it is free for all to attend.
The Museum of Lennox and Addington is located at 97 Thomas Street East in Napanee. For more information about this event, call 613-354-3027 or visit the event link on the museum’s website.