Holidays at the Crosley, Festival of Trees

15th Annual Holidays at the Crosley - Festival of Trees

November 30th – December 7th, 2011 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Adults $10, Children 12 & under FREE

Open to the public for the first time at the Festival, the historic Carriage House.
Don’t miss this momentous occasion!
A plethora of holiday decorations…
Live entertainment…
Intimate afternoon teas…
Sarasota Bay boat rides…
Festive wine tastings…

For eight magical days, the meticulously restored and historic Crosley Estate on Sarasota Bay will be transformed into a glittering holiday wonderland
to celebrate the 15th Annual Holidays at the Crosley - Festival of Trees.

Guaranteed to delight visitors of all ages, the Festival will showcase dozens of beautifully decorated Christmas trees, wreaths, and vignettes by the area's top designers and decorators.  The Festival also features rare exhibits of antique Crosley automobiles,Crosley radios, a gingerbread house contest, and a vintage model train display.

 Special Events at this year’s Tree Festival include…

• “The Crosley Carriage House Self-Guided Tours”: Open at the Festival for the first time ever, see the twelve room carriage house that was completely restored early this 2011.  On special display, see the vintage Crosley Car parked in the Carriage House garage. Festive décor throughout the carriage house.

• “Afternoon Teas”: Served in the dining room of the historic estate overlooking the beautiful bay, the “tea” will feature homemade scones and other culinary delights exquisitely presented by Zest Catering of Sarasota.  Seating is daily at 11:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.  The price for the “tea,” which includes admission is $25. Space is limited and sold out early last year. Reserve now by calling 941-924-2535.

• “A Crosley Christmas”: performed by the Manatee Players A musical production with your favorite Christmas classics. Performances are Monday - Friday at 7:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $TBD for adults, $8 for children 12 and under, including admission to the Festival.  Call 941-748-5875 to reserve tickets.

• “Wine Tastings”: Add some holiday cheer to your Festival experience by enjoying an array of specialty wines served in the mansion. The wine tasting is every evening, beginning at 5 p.m. and served with light hors d’oeuvres.   Admission to the wine tasting is $10, paid at the festival.  No advance reservations.

• “Sarasota Bay Boat Rides”: Enjoy a scenic cruise along the beautiful shore of Sarasota.  Savor spectacular views of some of the area's most cherished landmarks, exquisite homes, and Florida marine life!  The boat departs from the Crosley boat basin at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.  Rides are $8, paid at the festival.  No advanced reservations.

Hosted by the Crosley Estate Foundation - Proceeds from this holiday event help with the continued restoration of the original Crosley mansion, carriage house, beautiful grounds and shoreline, and proceeds are also used for educational activities in the community.

The Crosley mansion is a twenty-one room Mediterranean Revival style residence that was built for Powel Crosley Jr. in 1929.  Crosley was one of the greatest entrepreneurs of first half of the 20th Century.  He was the leading manufacturer of radios in the world and the first to successfully manufacture compact cars and a refrigerator with shelves in the door called the Shelvador.  Crosley also owned the Cincinnati Reds baseball team and WLW, the most powerful radio station in the world.

For more information on volunteering and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Anna Pohl at anna@dayplanners.us or 941-704-4366.
holidays@crosleyestate.com
http://www.annamariaisland-longboatkey.com/crosley-estate/