Historic Columbia kicks off Holiday Week with Candlelight Tours, breakfast with Santa
December 8, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC—The holidays are getting closer, and Historic Columbia is ready to help you kick off the holiday week with festive fun for the whole family.
Join Historic Columbia for its annual Candlelight Tours on Friday, Dec. 18. Beginning at 6:00 p.m., visitors can explore the decorated halls of the historic Robert Mills House and Hampton-Preston Mansion by candlelight. Guides provide stories of holidays past in Columbia and discuss how families decorated and entertained during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Enjoy musical entertainment and children’s activities while celebrating the holidays with HC.
Musical program for the evening:
- Tim Ryan on guitar performing in the Hampton-Preston Mansion
- Lauren Watkins on flute performing in the Robert Mills House
- Ladies of the Pickin’ Parlor strolling and strumming on the grounds outside
Candlelight Tours are free for HC members, $12 for adults and $8 for youth. The last tour starts at 8:45 p.m.
On Saturday, Dec. 19, Santa Claus will take a break from his preparations and visit the Robert Mills Carriage House for a holiday treat to remember at Breakfast with Santa. From 8 to 11 a.m., enjoy a continental breakfast while listening to seasonal music. After your meal, take a tour through the decorated halls of the Hampton-Preston Mansion, see a Victorian Christmas tree, make a holiday craft to take home, and take a picture with HC’s Victorian Santa Claus.
Breakfast with Santa is $12 for HC member adults, $5 for member youth, $15 for non-member adults, $7 for non-member youth, and free for all children 3 and under. Reservations are required.
While Santa has been gathering lists, the elves in the Gift Shop at Robert Mills have also been hard at work providing great values. Visit the shop for holiday shopping deals and fun activities during both Candlelight Tours and Breakfast with Santa to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.
For more information on holiday events or house tours, please visit historiccolumbia.org, call 803.252.1770 ext. 23 or email[email protected].
About Historic Columbia:
In November 1961, a small group of individuals intent on saving the Ainsley Hall House from demolition officially incorporated as the Historic Columbia Foundation. Over the next five decades the organization, which was founded on the premise of preservation and education, would take on the stewardship of seven historic properties in Richland County. Today, the organization serves as a model for local preservation efforts and interpretation of local history. Visit historiccolumbia.org or find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram orYouTube for more details.
