Sunday, December 2, noon – 5 p.m.
Butterworth Center, 1105 Eighth Street, Moline IL
Deere-Wiman House, 817 11th Avenue, Moline IL
An eagerly awaited holiday tradition, the Butterworth Center's and Deere-Wiman House's 19th Century Christmas returns on December 2 with familiar treats and a couple of brand-new ones, as Spanish translation for the event will now take place at both venues, and free shuttle service will be available in Moline’s Floreciente and Overlook neighborhoods every 20 minutes.
Beginning in the Butterworth Education Center at the corner of 12th Avenue and Seventh Street, 19th Century Christmas offers guests with cameras a photo opportunity with Santa, and the jolly old elf will also have treats for all visiting children as well as a free book for the first 400 kids to arrive. WQPT Quad Cities public television is sponsoring children’s crafts and activities in this area, with guests also able to enjoy historical videos and the Splash Back in History exhibit – the visualized story of the Deere-Wiman swimming pool.
At Moline's Butterworth Center, visitors are welcome to take the interactive self-guided tour, with hand-held electronic tablets providing an interactive experience by guiding 19th Century Christmas attendees through the home and providing information about it occupants, furniture, mementos, and more. Additional Butterworth Center entertainment throughout the day includes a 10-minute documentary depicting the restoration of the venue's historic leaded window, plus musicians and singers performing from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., among them the Moline High School Chamber Orchestra, the Rock Island High School Chamber Singers, harpist Veronica Henderson, and flutists Sarah Lisak and Emily Jorgenson.
But even more activities and entertainment is on hand at the Deere-Wiman House. Guests are invited to take a self-guided tour of the home, view Charles Wiman’s 1933 Lionel train set display, and enjoy the musical offerings of the Slide Trombone Quartet, guitarist Brandon Coppinger, pianist Eric Newton, guitarist Don Estes, and the Moline Boys Choir. Meanwhille, the Deere-Wiman Carriage House offers holiday make-n-take crafts for kids, free caricature drawings by Josh Wright, and face painting with Xochi Pannell.
Cookies, hot chocolate, and punch will also be available throughout the free event, and more information on 19th Century Christmas is available by calling (309)743-2700 or visiting ButterworthCenter.com.
