Holiday Open House
November 28, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – November 28, 2007 – Wednesday, November 28, 2007- The First Family today announced that they will dedicate this year’s Holiday Open House in memory of Former Governor and Mrs. Robert E. McNair. There will be a special tribute to the McNairs on display in the Mansion. The public is invited to the Holiday Open House from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 29, 2007 at the Governor’s Mansion Complex (800 Richland Street, Columbia, SC).
The four Sanford boys, Mansion docents and Columbia Garden Club hostesses will welcome South Carolinians to the Governor’s Mansion for a special Holiday Open House. The Mansion will again this year be decorated by the Columbia Garden Club. The Lace House will be decorated by the Iris Garden Club of Columbia, The Elloree Garden Club, the In Depth Study Club of Spartanburg, and the Reidville Garden Club. Music during the Holiday Open House will be provided by The Carillon Carolers.
This year’s decorations will include a gingerbread replica of the Governor’s Mansion created by the Mansion’s Executive Chef Mike Deevey. The Sanford boys chose a ‘shot gun shell and sea shell’ theme for their Lowcountry tree this year. The tree is from Toogoodoo Christmas Tree Farm in Yonges Island, and the boys decorated it with sea shells and shot gun shells that they found themselves and turned into ornaments.
Both the Mansion and the recently-refurbished Lace House will be open to the public and members of the media at the Holiday Open House. The Holiday Open House will be free of charge and open to the public.
The Mansion gift shop, located in the basement of the Caldwell-Boylston House, will also be open during the tour. A limited quantity of autographed copies of Mischief in the Mansion, A Short History of the SC Governor’s Mansion, written by Marshall, Landon, Bolton and Blake Sanford, will be available for purchase in the gift shop.
The Mansion will be open for tours by appointment on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings through December 13th.- please contact Nancy Bunch at 803-737-1710 for availability.
For more information regarding the open house or the gingerbread house please contact Curry Hagerty at the Governor’s Mansion at 803-737-4772.
Editor’s Note: Those wishing to shoot still photographs and b-roll video of the Mansion Complex in advance of the Open House (to which they are also
invited) should come to the Mansion on November 29th between 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Interested press should contact Curry Hagerty in the First Lady’s Office 803-737-4772 to confirm a time.
