The 32nd Annual Old Louisville Holiday House Tour is scheduled for this weekend (December 6 & 7) from noon until 6 p.m. If you’re in the neighborhood for this great yuletide event, make sure to stop by and see me at the Inn at the Park (1332 South Fourth Street), where I’ll be helping TWIGS of Kosair Children’s Hospital host a high Victorian Tea.

English teas will be featured as well as a tasteful sampling of savories and sweets reminiscent of holiday teas in the 19th century. The food will be prepared by Yours Truly, The Bluegrass Peasant, and entertainment will be provided by harpist, Nancy Stagner. Savory items will be pecan chicken salad canapés, benedictine finger sandwiches, and pimento cheese toasts; for sweets we’ll have bourbon chocolate gingerbread, blackberry jam cakes and chess tartlets. The price is $15.00 and all proceeds go to Kosair Children’s Hospital.

In addition, a special silent auction to benefit the Old Louisville Information Center in Central Park will feature gingerbread houses created by the culinary students from The Bakery at Sullivan University. When you’re done, you can go across the street to the DuPont Mansion B & B at 1317 South Fourth Street for a wonderful holiday recitation of the Ogden Nash classic, Jabez Dawes, The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus. For the popular 10-minute performance, veteran actor Ron Harris of Happy Balls fame revives the Christmas spirit of Alfred Victor DuPont at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. on the dot in the front parlor of the DuPont Mansion, so make sure you get there in time to enjoy it all.

And if you’ve never done the Old Louisville House Tour before, make sure you get down there and enjoy all the great architecture on display. This year’s tour is sponsored by Don Driskell and Catalyst Realty and features seven Old Louisville homes, and the Carrigan House and Central Park Bed & Breakfast, in addition to the two bed & breakfasts I already mentioned. As always, the beautiful 1895 Conrad-Caldwell House on St. James Court will be featured as a star attraction where Christmas and Hanukkah shoppers will find great holiday gift ideas in the basement gift shop.

Victorian Tea tickets are available in advance and may also be purchased during the tour at the Conrad Caldwell House Museum or at the Inn at the Park. Tour tickets are $20 in advance, $25 the day of tour and can be purchased at the Old Louisville Visitor Center or by calling 502.635.5244.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant