If you’re looking to getaway for an old-fashioned Christmas in California, head for Ferndale’s Victorian Village, less than 10 miles away from the Redwood Riverwalk Hotel in Fortuna. Ferndale’s holiday season kicks off on Thanksgiving weekend with the premiere of the Ferndale Repertory Theater’s production of ‘Madeline’s Christmas’ and Ferndale’s annual Folks Christmas Crafts Fair.
Adapted from the popular children’s books by Ludwig Bemelmans, performances of ‘Madeline’s Christmas’ will be Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons from November 24 through December 17, 2017.
Dates & Times: Fridays November 24, December 1, 8, and 15 at 8:00 pm
Saturdays November 25, December 2, 9, and 16 at 8:00 pm
Sundays November 26, December 3, 10, and 17 at 2:00 pm
Tickets may be purchased online: $18 general admission, $16 students (15-college) and seniors (60+), $10 youth (ages 3-14) A $2 Historical Building Preservation Fee is added to the cost of each ticket to enhance audience comfort and maintain the historic building in good repair.
Ferndale hosts its annual Folks Christmas Crafts Fair on Friday, November 24, and Saturday, November 25, 2017. You can enjoy homemade goodies while you wander among the booths of local artisans featuring hand crafted gifts of all kinds. It’s a great way to visit the Victorian Village and start (or finish) your holiday shopping!
Dates & Time: Friday, November 24, 2017 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday, November 25, 2017 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Admission: Free
Location: Ferndale Veterans Memorial Building, 1100 Main Street, Ferndale, CA
Phone: 707-786-9995
The Victorian Village will welcome December with its Hospitality Night Open House – a Main Street block party on Friday, December 1, 2017, from 5:00 until 10:00 pm. Shops will offer holiday cheer while you toast the season with free beverages and Christmas treats until 9:00 pm.
The festivities and good cheer continue from 5:30 to 6:30 pm on Sunday, December 3, 2017, when the town gathers for the Lighting of America’s Tallest Living Christmas Tree. The Ferndale fire department has decorated the huge evergreen at the end of Main Street every Christmas season since 1934, and visitors can see the tree’s sparkling colored lights for miles. You can join the crowd of townspeople and visitors to watch as the famous Christmas tree is ceremonially lit for the 2017 holiday season. Holiday festivities continue on Main Street the afternoons of Saturday December 9 and 16, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, when Christmas Brass Bands will stroll along entertaining shoppers with traditional Christmas tunes.
Ferndale’s historic Fern Cottage will host its annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 9, and Sunday, December 10, 2017, from noon until 4:00 pm. Entering the historic home of the Russ family, you can step across the threshold into Ferndale’s early years, and see how families decorated their homes for Christmas during the late 1800s and early 1900s in Northern California. Visitors to the open house will enjoy musical entertainment and treats as well as the tour.
Location: Fern Cottage Historic District, 2121 Centerville Road, Ferndale, CA
Admission: $10.00 per person
Stepping forward in time from the Victorian era, Ferndale will hold its 25th Christmas Lighted Tractor Parade on Sunday, December 17, 2017, from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Main Street will sparkle as elaborately lighted tractors and tractor-drawn wagons depicting holiday scenes parade down the Victorian Village street toward the thousands of lights on Ferndale’s 150 foot Christmas tree.
Throughout the holiday season, Ferndale’s Victorian Village invites visitors to join their old-fashioned Christmas activities. Why not break away from the frenetic pace of urban/suburban life, and celebrate the season for several days among the California Redwoods this year? It only takes a moment to book your stay at The Redwood in Fortuna, where a warm holiday welcome and 21st century amenities await you!
Images courtesy of Humboldt Lodging Alliance
