A Historic and Magical Experience Comes to Salem

Each year Salem at the Mill entertains locals and visitors with holiday festivities and dazzling entertainment.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Salem has its own magical wonderland for five full evenings this holiday season: Mission Mill Museum’s 8th Annual Magic at the Mill will feature thousands of new lights to brighten the night sky and shine down on a host of wonderful holiday entertainers and exciting activities.

Flutes, fiddlers, carolers, and band performers strike up the sounds of the season. This year’s star entertainers include Sherry Lanning and her Golden Flute, Tory McPherson and Steve Wolf, Figs & Thistles, Salem Willamette Chorus, Salem Community Chorus, Salem Madrigal Singers, Heartstrings, Salem Senate-Aires Men’s Chorus, Old Time Fiddlers, Lisa Lee playing the harp, and Severin Sisters.

The Salem Big Band entertains on Friday, December 21st in the Mission Mill Spinning Room from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM; and Dance instructor Debra Seeck, aka Ms. Jitterbug, will be available before the dance from 7:30-8:00 PM to offer a dance lesson as part of your Big Band Dance admission.

Take a break as you mill around and treat yourself to holiday ear candy! Larry Hobart will entertain you with Christmas poetry readings and Ray Ballantyne will enchant you with stories.

Living history actors become real people who lived and worked at the Mission or at the Mill long ago. If you don’t know what these early workers did right here in Salem, come and find out. Organizers say you will be enchanted as you step back in time.

The Mill buildings buzz with a variety of activities for kids. Each evening, kids can participate in silhouettes, carding and spinning. A special changing craft table offers holiday Bag Decorating each evening; Popcorn Garlands on December 20; Clothespin Angels on December 21st; Beaded Candy Canes on December 22nd; and Wrapping Paper Quilts on December 23rd. All are easy, fun and simple crafts that kids can take home as keepsakes.

Each evening, you can stroll amid the merriment over to the PGE Building and Marion County Historical Society Building , where Pacific Crossings Model Railroad Club presents a miniature Santa Claus riding in a large-scale model train, offering candy treats to excited boys and girls.

The stores in the Mill warehouse will be open, as well as Tucker’s at the Mill, the Café on site, offers hot drinks.

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Neal Feldman December 14, 2007 11:18 am (Pacific time)

Actually it is Solstice and its never going to change. Get used to it. And if you are offended, get over it. My statement is more fact based as Solstice celebrations go back a lot further... christians tried (and failed) to overshadow and co-opt Solstice but look at the tally: Trees - Solstice, Yule log - solstice, gift giving - Solstice, Feast - Solstice , Wreaths - Solstice, Holly - Solstice, Mistletoe - Solstice, lights/candles - Solstice... plus all credible theological historians concur Jesus of Nazareth, the minor cult leader at the time, was most likely born in late January/early February... oh but no major pagan festivals to try and co-opt then so might as well just LIE and claim he was born on the Solstice. Great religion you got there, based on lies and such. Most of the rest of the holiday season are ad campaigns by coca cola which gave us the current Santa image, plus food, candy, jewelry and other industries aiming to squeeze their profits out of the holiday. I guess so much for politically correct, huh? I say Happy Holidays as it includes New Years, Solstice as well as the other holidays placed later around the time. Individuals can put their own holiday into the statement and everyone is included, none excised. Amazing how it is just the christians who want to trademark the holiday and get so deeply offended if it is not seen just as THEIR holiday... especially considering the general dishonesty behind their so-called 'claim' to it. Ah well...

mira December 13, 2007 9:19 pm (Pacific time)

guess we have to be political correct. Only one time Christmas was mentioned in the article. It's a shame. It is Christmas and it's never going to change. Get used to it. And if you offended, well, get over it.

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