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Contact: Kimm Fox-Middleton, 360-816-6243
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES ANNOUNCED FOR “CHRISTMAS AT FORT VANCOUVER” SPECIAL EVENT Vancouver, WA - The National Park Service is pleased to announce the schedule of activities for its highly-anticipated annual Christmas at Fort Vancouver special event. On Saturday, December 9, 2006, the halls will be decked with boughs of holly as Fort Vancouver National Historic Site helps bring the holiday season to life at this historic British fur trading post. This festive event will focus on what the Hudson’s Bay Company employees may have been doing in the 1840s to prepare for the annual festivities surrounding Christmas and the New Year. “From games to craftwork to storytelling, Fort Vancouver’s annual event will give the visitor an opportunity to experience first hand some of the activities that the Hudson’s Bay Company employees may have been carrying out during the holidays,” explained Ranger Kimm Fox-Middleton, the park’s Special Events Program Manager. In order to help visitors connect to the special events at Fort Vancouver and nearby Pearson Air Museum, a free shuttle bus will be running between the two sites. This shuttle, courtesy of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, will be available to visitors interested in visiting the fort as well as the museum’s special event that features a photo opportunity with Santa Claus in a vintage Ryan monoplane. The schedule of activities at the Christmas at Fort Vancouver special event is listed below, along with the activity’s location within the reconstructed fort: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Cultural Demonstrations · Blacksmithing - Blacksmith Shop (ongoing) · Victorian Handcrafts - Barclay Quarters (ongoing) 10:00 a.m. Christmas Caroling by the Madrigal Singers- Chief Factor’s House (½ hour program) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Family Hands-On Activities o 1840’s Children’s Games-Counting House (ongoing) o Toy Making- Carpenter Shop (ongoing) o Holiday Treats Hands-On-Kitchen - Kitchen (ongoing) o Festive Holiday Beverages- Bake House (ongoing) 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Bag Pipe Concert by Fort Vancouver Pipe Band- (by the Flagpole) (½ hour program) 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Holiday Stories and Readings– Fur Store (ongoing) 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Hunting on Christmas Day - Historic Weapons Program (Begins next to the flag pole and moves outside of fort walls, south end) (½ hour program) 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Wreath Making- Bake House “With a fresh focus this year on hands-on activities and demonstrations, the staff and volunteers at Fort Vancouver are offering new and creative opportunities that are aimed to attract our regular dedicated cadre of visitors and also connect with many first-time visitors,” exclaimed Greg Shine, the park’s Chief Ranger & Historian. Visitors of all ages are encouraged to visit and join the holiday spirit at Fort Vancouver. For more information about the event, please call the Visitor Center at 360.816.6230. To find out about this and other programs and events at Fort Vancouver please visit our new website at www.nps.gov/fova. What: Christmas at Fort Vancouver Special Event When: Saturday, December 9, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Where: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, 1001 E. Fifth St., Vancouver, WA How Much: Admission $3.00 per person, $5.00 per family, children 15 and under free As an added bonus attraction, nearby Pearson Air Museum will be hosting a visit from Santa Claus, and visitors may have their photo taken with Santa in a vintage Ryan monoplane on Saturday, December 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visitors who donate a new, unwrapped gift for a child in need will receive $1 off of the regular admission price at Pearson Air Museum. In addition, a shuttle bus will be running on a regular basis between Pearson Air Museum and Fort Vancouver to connect visitors to both events. Background: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, is the heart of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve. The Vancouver National Historic Reserve brings together a national park, a premier archaeological site, the region's first military post, an international fur trade emporium, one of the oldest operating airfields, the first national historic site west of the Mississippi River, and a waterfront trail and environmental center on the banks of the Columbia River. The partners of the Reserve teach visitors about the fur trade, early military life, natural history, and pioneers in aviation, all within the context of Vancouver’s role in regional and national development. The Reserve's vast array of public programs -- including living history events, festivals, cultural demonstrations, exhibits, active archaeology, and other special activities -- create a dynamic, fun, and unique tourist destination for people of all ages.
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Last updated: February 28, 2015