Holiday Family Day planned at Hempfield's Historic Hanna's Town

Guests visiting Historic Hanna’s Town in Hempfield this week will be transported back to the late 18th century, where they will learn how people celebrated the holidays.

A variety of hands-on activities, crafts and history lessons are planned during the Holiday Family Day, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday. Pam Curtin, education and interpretation manager, said the event offers activities to families who may have free time between Christmas and New Year’s.

Throughout the event, guests will have the opportunity to create winter- and holiday-themed crafts and decorate holiday cookies in the education center. At 1 p.m., a story time with the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra will kick off, including a reading to the picture book “Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved the Violin.” Musical interludes will be performed by a violinist.

“It’s an engaging story with beautiful illustrations,” Curtin said. “I think children and families will enjoy learning about how Itzhak (Perlman)’s hard work and dedication led him to become an accomplished musician. It is wonderful to provide an opportunity for our visitors to learn about history and culture through music and storytelling.”

At Hanna’s Tavern, which will be decorated for Christmas, guests can learn how the holidays were celebrated in the late 18th century. A self-guided walking tour of holiday history will take place outside featuring historical vignettes about Christmas trees, Santa Claus, caroling, cards and more.

In addition to the programs, guests will have access to the exhibit “Penn’s Woods: Plenty of the Use of Man.” The exhibit highlights regional history of woodworking and carpentry, according to the Historic Hanna’s Town website. Featured in the exhibit is the history of woodworking tools as well as furnishings, photographs, documents and stories.

This is the second family day held at the Hempfield site in recent months. In October, guests had the opportunity to learn about life for early settlers on the Pennsylvania frontier, while viewing 18th-century military drills. Hay rides were featured, as well as treat bags, pumpkin decorating and seasonal story times.

Curtin noted that a Holiday Family Day was held in 2019.

Holiday Family Day is free to Westmoreland Historical Society members. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children and seniors, and free for ages 5 and younger.

Those visiting Historic Hanna’s Town, at 809 Forbes Trail Road, are required to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

Updates for the event can be found on the Westmoreland Historical Society’s website, westmorelandhistory.org (click on “events & programs”).