Burlington County Parks will hold its annual Victorian Holiday Celebration at Historic Smithville Park & Woods on Sunday, Dec 5, an event that will feature themes from the Victorian and modern eras.
The free celebration will feature activities for all ages, including a holiday marketplace with unique crafted gifts, festive tours of the Smithville Mansion and Village, train rides, ice sculptures and live entertainment by The Village Carolers and the Cinnaminson Middle School Choir.
The event is sponsored by the Burlington County Parks Department to recreate the Victorian era, when the local industrial village thrived, according to parks employee Nate Wood. Themes include Santa Claus arriving on a horse-drawn carriage in Victorian clothing and offering rides to guests.
The events tent commonly used for weddings and banquets becomes a winter wonderland with synthetic ice and skating rink for guests.
While the event is free, there will be a cost to tour the decorated mansion and access food sales whose proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Mansion at Historic Smithville Park. The volunteer nonprofit raises funds through the year and manages upkeep of the 19th century mansion.
Wood said the holiday celebration also allows for learning opportunities.
“I think the Victorian holiday festival is really a time for families to be together, to come over here to take a lap around the park to be able to see the village decorated for the holiday season, to walk around and learn a little bit more of the history of Smithville, to find out what the industrial village was during this Victorian time and what its all about,” he explained
Wood also noted how the event highlights the idea of spending time together at the holidays.
“I think one of the unique aspects is that it doesn’t have to be necessarily everybody going in their own direction, but a phenomenal opportunity for everyone to be together,” he added.
Hours for the celebration are 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/948/Historic-Smithville-Park
