Up & Coming Weekly

10 UCW DECEMBER 2-8, 2009 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM DAN RANGEL, Contributing Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 106 or Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. Knick knack, music and décor enthusiasts can enjoy the Victorian-era holiday sensations on display at the Museum of the Cape Fear's free ninth- annual Holiday Jubilee scheduled Dec. 6 from 1-5 p.m. A Children's Christmas, this year's theme for the Holiday Jubilee, conjures up fantasies for children of all ages. Featured in the Holiday Jubilee is the 1897 Poe House — named after Edgar Allen Poe, a prominent, local turn-of-the-century businessman. Museum curators plan to decorate the house's 3,800 square feet of wooden, Victorian-era architecture with a huge Christmas tree and an abundance of period ornaments. "With anything that's real wood there will be problems with water and things of that nature," said Chris Woodson, Arsenal Park education coordinator. Although keeping the wooden house in condition presents challenges, visitors will appreciate the efforts of the museum staff. "The wood stove in the kitchen of the Poe House is distinctive, even the food has a distinctive fl avor. It helps transport you — if even for a moment — back in time," Woodson said. At the other end of the complex and across its footbridge is Arsenal Park. The house there will feature storytellers and performers by the fi reside. "Arsenal Park was the site of the U.S. Armed Arsenal of North Carolina during the 1830s. When the Civil War broke out, the city took it over in a peaceful transfer," said Leisa Grethouse, curator of education. "The city turned it over to the state, the state turned it over to the Confederacy. The Confederacy began moving in machinery and began manufacturing what was known as the Fayetteville Rifl e," Grethouse said. "We're going to be cooking in the Poe House kitchen," said Heidi Bleazey, Poe House education coordinator. "On our historic wood- burning stove are corn fritters. We use period recipes taken from a book published in Fayetteville around 1912." Volunteers will also be in costume and performing in character. Indeed, it's the museum's volunteers who make the event possible. "We have a pool of volunteers that work with us throughout the year. They love special events like this. It gives them a little something different to do than what they might normally do through the year," Grethouse said. In addition to the museum's regular volunteers, Gray's Creek High School Band students are scheduled to perform a variety of holiday classics. "We're doing a very kid-focused event this year, so I wanted youth performing, too," Bleazey said. Visitors can also plan to participate with craft making in the workshop, which will be set up for the event. Among other crafts, patrons can make traditional English crackers — a Chinese handcuff-looking craft, which once pulled apart, will crack and yield a prize. Bleazey explained what inspired much of the turn-of-the-century decorations. "They were screaming to be like the Europeans. All the commercial Christmas cards, the paper bells, all these decorations are very commercialized," Bleazey said. "The Poe House screams Victorian-era commercialized Christmas, but all things nostalgic and kind of wonderful too." "Holiday Jubilee allows us to take this museum beyond the history of Southeastern North Carolina to a feeling or a scent," Bleazey said. "We even scent the house with greenery smell, which hits visitors once they walk in to see the glimmering lights." "People can get ideas of how to have a homemade Christmas, in this economic time. It's a tough Christmas for a lot of families," Bleazey said. "Take some ideas. Get inspired by these homemade things. You don't have to spend tons of money to enjoy the holidays." Holiday Jubilee at the Poe House by DAN RANGEL GET READY! THE 2009 RUN IS COMING ON DECEMBER 19 Register early to guarantee a T-shirt (Last year was a sell out!) 5K RUN/WALK in Memory of Ryan Kishbaugh Proceeds go to Ryan's Foundation, The Make a Wish Foundation and the Friends of the Cancer Center of the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. 5K RUN/WALK in Memory of Ryan Kishbaugh Proceeds go to Ryan's Foundation, The Make a Wish Foundation and the Friends of the Cancer Center of the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. Please Pre-register online by December 16th www.runbecauseyoucan.com or www.active.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19th Starts at Medical Arts Building Field ,>ViÊ>ÞÊ,i}ÃÌÀ>ÌÊJÊÇ\ÎäÊ>°°ÊUÊ,>ViÊ-Ì>ÀÌÃÊJÊn\ÎäÊ>°° 1 1 6 Green Street ÛÝÛwww.fascinate-u.com Fascinate-U memberships are a great gift for friends and family this holiday season! Call 9 1 0.829.9 171 to find out more! Give the gift of discovery! Give the gift of discovery!

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