Snow, stories on tap at event
Published 10:50 pm Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Snow? Guaranteed?
That’s exactly what the Pioneer Museum of Alabama promises to all of those who visit the Bradleyton Depot during Ole Time Christmas from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the museum.
Rachael Greve, museum director, guarantees snow, a visit by Father Christmas and a jolly good time to all who celebrate Ole Time Christmas at the museum.
“This year, the Pioneer Museum of Alabama is celebrating the magic of Christmas in much the same way as in the past but also in a different way,” Greve said. “Ole Time Christmas will feature a theatrical presentation of a beloved Christmas film highlighting a grand North Pole adventure of a little boy, a mighty steam engine and one very magical sleigh bell.”
Not many children or even those young at heart have the opportunity to watch this classic film in a historic depot.
“This wonderful Christmas film will be shown in the museum’s Bradleyton Depot, which is in the shadows of the museum’s steam locomotive,” Greve said. “We invite families to watch this movie as they’ve never seen it before – in our very own train depot.”
To enhance the movie experience, there will be concessions of hand-cranked popcorn, roasted popcorn and hot chocolate.
The Pioneer Express kiddy train will be running and the rides are free.
Greve said the museum staff has created an Old Time Christmas atmosphere complete with trains, bells, snow and Santa and everything else needed to make the event special.
“In recreating an old time Christmas, we’ll have historic music played on the bagpipe, pump organs and dulcimer. We have a huge gingerbread house that the children can help construct, Christmas ornaments for kids to make-and-take and candlelight-luminary tours of the grounds.”
There will also be folk demonstrations in a couple of the cabins.
Agnes Johnson will be roasting marshmallows and making peppermint sticks and teacakes in the Demonstration Cabin. Alma Bodiford will serve mulled cider in the Reunion Cabin and Calvin Bodiford and other musicians will entertain with string instruments.
“The Hearth & Homestead Gift Store is stocked with extra resources to assist Santa with those stockings this year,” Greve said. “So, we invite everyone to visit the gift store and see all of the unique gift choices that we have in stock.”
Ole Time Christmas is the Pioneer Museum of Alabama’s gift to the community. Admission is free and everyone is invited.
“So bundle up the kids and come out for a jolly good time,” Greve said.