Brenda McArthur spared no expense decorating her home and grounds in the spirit of Christmas, giving the McArthur Estate the warmth of a Trisha Romance painting.
The media were invited to tour the Old Town property last Friday to promote the Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Holiday House Tour on Dec. 5 and 6. The tour will feature seven homes, including the McArthur Estate, all decked out for the holidays to raise money for local charities.
An additional fundraiser will take place Dec. 7 to support the NOTL Museum’s expansion and renovation efforts.
McArthur said this is the eighth year her home has been part of the tour.
“It’s really a kickoff to the holiday season,” said Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa at Friday’s event.
This will be the 26th edition of the Holiday House Tour, held annually since 1998.
Rose Campbell, marketing chair of the tour and an “honorary Rotarian,” said the first event featured four homes. Within two years, it expanded to six and now includes seven. She said she’s always grateful to homeowners who open their doors for the cause.
“It’s hard to get people to give up their homes for two days,” Campbell said. When asked what convinces them, she said participants understand “the impact that it has on the community.”
Last year, the tour attracted 4,000 visitors and raised $260,000 through the Holiday House Tour and the Merry and Bright Christmas event. Campbell said ticket sales for this year’s events have already reached $215,000, with another $17,000 raised so far for the Dec. 7 event. Sponsorships brought in about $17,000 last year, she added.
The Dec. 7 Victorian Candlelight Christmas at the McArthur Estate will include a special children’s reading by Trisha Romance, who owned the estate for 35 years before McArthur purchased it a decade ago. Romance will read from her new children’s book, “A Star for Christmas.”
Romance and her daughter, Tanya Peterson, attended Friday’s press event. “They’ve gone above and beyond to honour Christmas,” Romance said of the McArthur family.
The Merry and Bright Christmas Tour will also run Dec. 5 and 6 at the McArthur Estate, offering evening sessions at 3:30, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Guests can enjoy wine and live music from performers including pianist Eddie Pizzo and The Soenen Sisters on harp, flute and cello.
Oaklands Restaurant at Riverbend Inn & Vineyard will host a dinner called Christmas at the Inn on Dec. 5 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tickets for the Holiday House Tour are $54 and cover both Dec. 5 and 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tickets for the Merry and Bright Christmas Tour are $65 for adults and free for children 12 and under.
Combined tickets for both events cost $104.
Tickets for the Dec. 7 Victorian Candlelight Christmas are $75, with sessions at 4, 5 and 6 p.m. Children 12 and under attend free.
Tickets for all events are available at niagaraonthelakerotary.ca/page/holiday-house-tour.
