Holidays by the Sea Weekend 2015

Hallamore Clydesdales are Back for Falmouth’s Holidays by the Sea Weekend

By Mary Moran
Photography by Bill O’Connell

Every year in Falmouth, the community gathers to celebrate “Holidays by the Sea,” a fun-filled weekend with festive activities for the whole family to enjoy as the holidays approach. This year, the celebration begins on Friday December 4th. and ends on Sunday December 6th. with the 52nd annual Christmas Parade.

Holidays by the Sea Parade in Falmouth, Cape Cod.

“Holidays at Highfield Hall“, will be on display from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Top designers and decorators have transformed the elegant rooms, of this beautiful Victorian mansion, into enchanting glimpses of holiday gathering and giving celebrations in other countries. There is a gift shop and a British Tea shoppe. Bill Hendel’s extensive International Creche collection will be on display. In addition the traditional train room returns with large Lionel electric freight and diesel trains. Admission for adults is $5. and children are free.

Holidays by the Sea Weekend Starts Friday, December 4, 2015

From 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. carolers meet at Historic Nobska Lighthouse on Nobska Road in Woods Hole to join in with a festive old-fashioned seasonal sing along. Hot chocolate and cookies will be served at the conclusion.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

The third annual Jingle Jog 5k & Elf Run start off the day. The races begin at 9:30 & 9:45 a,m. Participants run in seasonal attire including jingle bells as they run beside the ocean in Falmouth.

At 10:30 a.m. Seafaring Santa sails into Falmouth Harbor. He docks at the head of the harbor on Scranton Avenue.

From 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. it is back to Nobska Light House where one can tour the light house tower and visit with Santa at 12:30 p.m.

From 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Falmouth Historical. Society’s will present, “Christmas traditions” in the Federalist era Dr. Francis Wicks House at 55 Palmer Avenue will be decorated for the holidays and open to the public. Admission is $5. for adults and children are free. Family activities are planned from 4:00 – 8:00 pm.

Holidays by the Sea Weekend Evening at Palmer House Inn — Palmer House Inn decorated for the holidays.

From 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. the Holiday Stroll begins on Main Street and the Queens’s Buyway shops on North Main Street, next door to the Palmer House Inn. There will be wondering carolers to put you in the Holiday Spirit. All of the stores will be open and many are prepared with complimentary gift wrapping. For those of you who work up an appetite while shopping, our fine restaurants will be open and ready to seat you with good cheer.

At 7:00 p.m. the lighting of the Village Green will take place. Immediately following the lighting The Falmouth Brass Choir will lead caroling before a special visit from Santa.

Holidays by the Sea Weekend at the Palmer House — Holidays at the Palmer House

Sunday, December 6th.

From 10:00 – 3:00 p.m. The Falmouth Historical Society’s stately Dr. Francis Wicks House will be open to the public. Each room will feature a different tradition such as, “A Christmas Carol”, the history of Santa, and gift giving, Christmas trees and chocolate. A doll house display from the museum’s collection will be on view in the Hallett Barn Visitor Center. The museums gift shop will also be open.

The 52nd annual Falmouth Christmas Parade begins at 12:00 noon. The parade makes its way down Main Street to the Village Green. This event is known as Southeastern Massachusetts’s largest holiday parade. It will feature theme decorated floats, marching bands, live animals. costumed characters and of course Santa.

In addition, once again, with the generous help from the Falmouth Village Association and Main Street’s Eastern Bank, the Falmouth Christmas Parade will be hosting some magnificent guests, The Hallamore Clydesdales. Along with their signature orange wagon, these fine specimens are returning to proudly trot along and ring in the holidays with us. If you didn’t get a chance to see these beautiful horses in prior years, now is your chance. They are owned by the Hallamore Corporation (est. 1898). The Hallamore Clydesdales are an 8-horse “hitch” residing in Lakeville, Massachusetts. These rare beauties are hand-picked from the world’s leading breeders in the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain. What makes these horses so special is their grand yet graceful presence. On average, a Hallamore Clydesdale weighs in at about 2,200 pounds and is approximately 18 ½ hands tall. The general Clyde population ranges from 1,600 to 2,200 pounds and from 16 to 19 hands in height, proving that the Hallamore’s are clearly at the top of their class. The unforgettable orange wagon that the Clydesdales proudly haul through the streets is almost as impressive as the horses themselves. The wagon was built in 1899 by the Studebaker Company that was based in Chicago, Illinois, making it over 115 years old. Don’t let its age fool you; this wagon is sturdy enough to carry up to 5 tons! What really makes this wagon unique is the fact that there are only 3 others like it, left in the world and we are lucky to see it close up, being hauled by the beautiful, giant.

Hallamore Clydesdales

The Clydesdale breed originated in Scotland as a heavy draft horse for hauling. The horses were needed not only for hauling heavy harvested crops but also to carrying coal from the Scottish mines. The new breed’s positive and successful reputation spread quickly throughout Scotland and Northern England. The breed’s cartoon-like coloring, which is commonly a light-brown body and white lower extremities, make the horse appear to be wearing white boots which makes the Clydesdale a bold and memorable breed. It’s massive size and undeniable strength is what has made the Clydesdale enduring.

Come join us at the Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast, Palmer House Inn for a memorable beginning to your Christmas Season. Our 1901 Queen Ann Victorian is at its most beautiful during the Christmas season.

70th Anniversary V-J Day Celebration

Falmouth Will Host a Wonderful 70th Anniversary V-J Day Celebration

A dinner will be hosted by the Falmouth Historical Society at 6:00 pm on September 2nd. The celebration will take place at the Coonamessett Inn in Falmouth. The festivities will be held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, which was when the allies were victorious over Japan. At the dinner, those who served in the Armed Forces during the war will be honored. The event will include a meal and music that will be reminiscent of the era.

Guests will include senior officers of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Maritime Service. Army General Gordon R. Sullivan, president and CEO of The Association of the United States Army and 32nd Chief of Staff of the U. S. Army, as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be the featured speaker.

"The Kissing Sailor" by Alfred Eisenstaedt 70th Anniversary V-J Day Celebration — “The Kissing Sailor” by Alfred Eisenstaedt

The guest of honor will be George Mendonsa. George is best known as, “The Kissing Sailor”. He was immortalized in Alfred Eisenstaedt‘s photo of Times Square on August 14, 1945. The image shows Mendonsa passionately kissing a nurse to celebrate the end of fighting. The photo was taken moments after the announcement that Japan had surrendered to the Unites States, which ended the conflict between the Axis and the Allied powers. Two week after the photo was taken, it was published on the cover of LIFE magazine. Unfortunately, in the pandemonium of the moment, Eisenstaedt did not get the names of the people in the photograph. For years no one knew who the subjects were. It was not until 2012 that the sailor and nurse were identified. The person who identified them was author Lawrence Verria. Vierria will also be a featured speaker at the dinner. In his talk, he will tell the story of how he was able to track down Mendonsa and prove that he was the sailor in the photo. The search is a fascinating story on its own.

Many believe that this is the most famous photograph that was taken during the war. With out a doubt, it was the most celebrated photo ever published by LIFE magazine.

Tickets can be purchased online at Museums on the Green. The tickets are $75.00 per person. However, all World War II military veterans will be admitted free. Advanced reservations are required. Please call 508-548-4857.

In addition, The Palmer House Inn is offering a limited number of complimentary rooms to World War II military veterans who will be coming from out of town. For Palmer House Inn reservations call 508-548-1230.

Cape Cod's Stowe Room, A — Harriet Beecher Stowe room

Cape Cod's Roosevelt Room, B — Cape Cod’s Roosevelt Room, B

While all of the bedchambers at the Palmer House have their own romantic charm suitable for relaxation after the most wonderful day exploring Cape Cod’s history, we recommend the Harriet Beecher Stowe room, the Theodore Roosevelt room or the Emily Dickinson room. These rooms feature comfortable king beds, fireplaces, jacuzzi-style tubs for a relaxing stay before and after your day.

July 6, 2015May 3, 2017

Falmouth Fairy Houses

Falmouth’s Highfield Hall has repeated its wildly successful 2013 outdoor Falmouth fairy house exhibit. We were fortunate to have our five-year old granddaughter visiting on the day of the opening. As we followed the colorful map through the gardens Delaney was completely enchanted. When we returned to the Palmer House, we set about collecting items from our attics and basements. She and her mom set up the table in the cottage where they were staying and created a fairy house of their own. The following morning we placed the house in our gardens. Delaney had chosen the perfect spot. The previous day I had shown her some shamrocks at the foot of a tree that had grown from seed. I had told her that I had bought them for St Patrick’s Day.

As we carried the house into the garden she said, “I want the house to be with the St. Patrick plants. She placed the house among the plants and arranged other items around the upside down flowerpot house. She checked the house several times that day making slight changes. The following day, before we left for the airport, to meet her mom who had been working in Boston, she checked the fairy house one last time. She was delighted to tell me that she knew the fairies had been there during the night because the furniture in the house had been moved. During her visit with us there were many wonderful moments but that discovery has to be the high point of the visit.

Fairy Houses on a Rock Wall — Fairy Houses on a rock wall.

The exhibit runs through July and August. Sally Mavor is the curator. She was inspired by an exhibit at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lime Connecticut. The houses were created by a number of artists. There were a few requirements for the fairy house creators. She said,” The houses could be etherial or grounded in reality; they could be ephemeral. I wanted people to understand that this was a happening, an experience, not a permanent exhibit and one that worked best as a collection of homes.”

Glass Bead Fairy House at Highfield Hall

The houses are all constructed of natural materials, found items and things found in nature. Mavor stressed that fairies do not like plastic. Another requirement was that the fairies not be at home. The goal of the exhibit is to spark the imagination. One of the things that I delighted in seeing is how much the grown-ups enjoyed experiencing the houses as much as the children. The adults notice the intricate detail and appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into each structures.

Following the map and discovering the houses are almost as much fun as viewing them. They are sited among tree roots and nestled in the forks of trees or sheltered among rocks.

One local artist who created an entire ceramic fairy village that is on display is Tessa Morgan of the Flying Pig Pottery in Woods Hole. The floors of the cottages are wood and the ladders are made of vines. She was able to use a teapot that had a broken spout. Then she cut holes in some pots for windows and doors.

I recommend this exhibit to all of our guests this summer. Just to think, it is only a short stroll from the inn.

Fairy House in Highfield's Garden — Fairy House in Highfield’s Garden

Palmer House's Fairy House — Palmer House’s Fairy House

While all of the bedchambers at the Palmer House have their own romantic charm suitable for relaxation after the most wonderful day of exploring Cape Cod’s gardens, we recommend the Harriet Beecher Stowe room, the Theodore Roosevelt room or the Emily Dickinson room. These rooms feature comfortable king beds, fireplaces, jacuzzi-style tubs for a relaxing stay before and after your day.

Category: At the Inn