Thru November – The Skaneateles Historical Society Creamery Museum, located at 28
Hannum St. is open Friday 1 – 4 PM

Thru January 9, 2011 – Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, 205 Genesee St., Auburn.
Annual display Quilts=Art=Quilts Closed Monday. Tuesday-Saturday 10 am – 5 pm. Sunday 1
pm – 5 pm. www.myartcenter.org $6 admission fee for adults. 12 and under free. Group
discounts available. (315) 255-1553

Every Tuesday – Senior Moments at Baltimore Woods Nature Center. A Program for adults
w/ talks, snacks and hikes. 10:30 – 11:30 AM. Members free; non members $3.00. Visit
www.baltimorewoods.org for several other outdoor activities happening in February. To register,
call (315) 673-1350

First Wednesday of the month PITCH(Monthly roundtable gatherings for women
entrepreneurs & women in business) Meeting will be held in the Training Center of Custom
Business Services, 360 Grant Ave, Auburn 5:15 PM PITCH Networking; 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM
PITCH meeting. $10.00/person, registration required. Light refreshments will be served. Bring a
“first-time” friend at no cost . . . “First-timers” to November PITCH can attend for FREE!!!

November Topic: Stress-relief strategies, and how organization can add to your bottom line. To
register, call (315) 258-8780

First Wednesday of the month Peregrine Homecare Services holds an Alzheimer’s Support
Group on the 1st Wed. of each month at The Athenaeum, 150 E. Genesee St. from 6:00 – 7:30
PM. Caregivers are welcome to bring their loved one to the Athenaeum for dinner and activity at
the same time for a reprieve during the meeting. (315) 685-5170

Enjoy your day!
Candace Searing
Administrative Specialist
Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce
csearing@skaneateles.com
www.skaneateles.com
(315) 685-0552
P.O. Box 199
22 Jordan Street
Skaneateles, NY 13152

Scrooge_Skaneateles_Festival

Dickens Christmas Opens Nov. 26 in Skaneateles

From the world’s smallest Christmas parade to a visit by New York Gov. DeWitt Clinton, lots of surprises are in store

When Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria take up residence in Skaneateles this holiday season, they will be accompanied by a new dignitary—New York Gov. DeWitt Clinton—as the three make their way to this Finger Lakes village via the historic Erie Canal.

The year is 1842. Charles Dickens is gathering research for his soon-to-be-written classic, “A Christmas Carol.” On village streets, he encounters Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, and a bevy of other characters.

Magic, music and merriment prevail, as the revels play, visitors ride by in horse–drawn carriages, and improvisational street theater rules the day.

It’s all part of Dickens Christmas, which returns for its 17th year the Friday after Thanksgiving. The production runs noon to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 19, with a limited show (noon to 3 p.m.) Dec. 24.

The family-friendly event—produced by Scarlett Rat Entertainment and sponsored by the Skaneateles-area business community—draws some 20,000 visitors each year.

“We invite Dickens fans from near and far to step back in time and join us for a slower-paced, more enjoyable atmosphere, where shopping can still be fun,” says Susan Dove, director of the Skaneateles Foundation. “We have more than 70 shops and restaurants, sure to please any taste.”

Highlights include:

• The World’s Smallest Christmas Parade, which kicks off Nov. 26 at noon. The parade—featuring Charles Dickens and his entourage and a handful of floats—begins at the old firehouse and continues down Fennell, Jordan and Genesee streets, arriving at the Sherwood Inn in time for the 12:10 p.m. grand opening.

• The Revels Live—Christmas carol sing-along—2 p.m. every day at the Gazebo. Twelve groups form, each representing one of the 12 days of Christmas. The groups vie for attention, and at the end, Queen Victoria awards a silver teasel to the most spirited performer. Winners have been known to wear their coveted silver teasels throughout the season.

• Magic shows by John Henry Anderson, Wonderful Wizard from the North, Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 1 and 3 p.m. at the Skaneateles Library.

• Scenes from “A Christmas Carol,” featuring guests from the audience, performed at 12:30, 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on the steps of the Masonic Temple.

• Free horse-drawn wagon rides around the village, departing from the Sherwood Inn.

• Free refreshments, including roasted chestnuts outside Johnny Angel’s, and hot chocolate served by the Girl Scouts.

For children, Mother Goose will read holiday stories at the Skaneateles Library and Father Christmas will hand out treats from the porch of the Masonic Temple.

And everyone is invited to borrow free costumes from the Skaneateles Chamber, so that they can partake in the activities in style.

Journeying Along the Canal

Adding a bit of local history to the plot, Dickens, Clinton and Queen Victoria will have arrived in Skaneateles via a ride on the Erie Canal aboard a Mid-Lakes Navigation vessel. During their stay in the village, they will recount details of their voyage and marvel at the engineering wonder of the canal.

According to Sarah Wiles, a co-owner of Mid-Lakes Navigation, their journey from New York City would have taken about six days, as compared to two weeks by stagecoach, and involved passage through 50 locks.

“The boats were more comfortable than coaches, but not luxurious,” she says, “though such special passengers would probably have had better accommodations than most. Typically, berths were stacked up to three deep in a sleeping cabin and divided—according to gender—by a curtain down the middle.

“Most people understand the freight advantage of water transport, but the Erie Canal was also the Internet of its day, serving as a route for the exchange of ideas as people moved across the state and the country. Suffrage for women, utopian ideas, as well as religious and political philosophies flew from town to town on the waterway.”

Creating the Show

Dickens Christmas has a cast of about 65, which is joined by a variety of guest musicians and caroling groups. The show comes together in just six rehearsals. “We pack a lot in and streamline the process of building a character,” says Jim Greene, of Dryden, who is producing director and plays Dickens. “Every actor learns music and uses improvisational techniques to build his character and become part of the ensemble.”

Assisting Greene are Maria Wechsler, of Marcellus, who is artistic director and plays Queen Victoria; Brian Goldblatt, of Lafayette, who is associate director and plays Jacob Marley; Krystal Scott, of Weedsport, who is choral director; and Tracey Greene, of Dryden, who is wardrobe supervisor.

“We’re pleased to be exploring local history this year and incorporating events related to Skaneateles into the production,” says Greene. “I’m always excited about the magic we create, and the magic that people bring to this show. Everyone gets into it.”

For more information on Dickens Christmas, go to http://www.skaneateles.com or call 315-685-0552.

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Go-to-girl-skaneateles-concierge

Erin Sammut
The Go-To Girl Personal Concierge Services

OUR SERVICES

Errands
Dry cleaning
Copies
Laundry
Car detail/service
Movie rentals
Prescriptions
Liquor shopping
Grocery shopping
Flower/garden shopping
Pick up gifts/decorations
Post Office/mailing
Photo drop off/pickup
Notarizing documents

Scheduling
Doctors
Spa
Golf
Home repair

Entertainment
Restaurants
Movie tickets
Theater
Sporting events
Special events
Tours

Reminders
Anniversaries
Appointments
Birthdays

Personal Shopping
Purchase gifts
Locate hard to find items
Gift wrapping
Unique gift ideas
Fashion consulting

Light House Sitting
Pick up mail and newspapers
Take care of trash pick up
Water plants
Clean out/ restock fridge

Home Services
Home organization projects
Decorating/accessorizing
Collect home improvement estimates
(Act as a liaison with home vendors (landscapers, plumbers, cleaners, electricians, etc.)

Party Planning
Plan menus & theme
Shop for gifts/favors
Organize delivery of food & beverages
Invitation ideas and ordering
Event list and coordination
Act as a liaison with event vendors
(caterers, florists, entertainment, event staff, photographers, etc.)

Holiday Planning
Holiday home decorating
Holiday gift shopping

Summer Camps (Skaneateles Only)
Make sure that the camp is clean and set up before guests arrive Groceries stocked for guests Act as a liaison to camp vendors
(dock maintenance, Cleaning staff, landscapers)

Staging
Making sure a clients home is ready for a realtor showing
(clean, lights on, fresh flowers, etc.)
erin@thego-togirlconcierge.com
www.thego-togirlconcierge.com/

tel 315.569.0955

fax 315.222.7500

Disney On Ice – 100 Years of Magic

January 7th, 8th & 9th – 7:00 p.m.    January 10th – 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

January 11th – 1:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.
Date(s):
01/07/2009, 01/08/2009, 01/09/2009, 01/10/2009, 01/11/2009

Location:
War Memorial
Syracuse, New York

Time:
7:00 p.m.