On December 15, 2015

Wassail Weekend fills Woodstock with holiday entertainment and festive jubilance

By Kate Drew Miller

La Voz De Tres

Dec. 11-13 — WOODSTOCK — Pentangle Arts welcomes a festive line-up of entertainment for Wassail Weekend! The weekend kick-off concert features he New York-based, Latin-jazz trio La Voz de Tres, with special guest Michael Zsoldos on Friday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Woodstock Town Hall Theatre. For tickets visit our website at www.pentanglearts.org or call 802-457-3981.

The trio is comprised of Chilean vocalist Natalia Bernal, whose rich and entrancing voice evokes the dramatic landscape of her homeland; keyboardist Mike Eckroth, who possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of jazz and Cuban music; and, Jason Ennis, whose talents on the seven-string guitar will wow audience members. These three musicians will take center stage with Woodstock’s own Michael Zsoldos, a jazz musician, teacher, and composer, to create an entertaining evening in celebration of the holiday season!

Wassail Weekend also ushers in one of Pentangle’s most popular events and its biggest fundraiser of the year, the 14th annual Holiday House Tour on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Experience the warm hospitality of old New England, when some of Woodstock’s most charming homes deck their halls and open their doors. For those who want the full Holiday House Tour experience, take advantage of the horse-drawn wagon tour. The wagon will make a number of loops, transporting visitors along the way.

Docents await at each location to provide historical information and answer questions, and some of the homes feature live performances by local musicians. Tours are at your own pace.

This year’s tour begins at the historic Woodstock Town Hall Theatre and culminates at the Dana House. The houses on the tour between the Town Hall Theatre and the Dana House are kept top secret until the day of the tour!

After visiting the Dana house, tour participants are invited to warm up and relax next door at a special Holiday House Tour reception hosted by The Prince & The Pauper restaurant.

Pentangle closes Wassail Weekend with the 32nd Annual Messiah Sing, conducted by Louis G. Burkot, professor of music at Dartmouth College and artistic director at Opera North on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Woodstock. The event is free of charge with donations gratefully accepted.

The full schedule of events:

Friday, Dec. 11

  • 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Christmas at the Billings Farm
  • 4 p.m., Woodstock Elementary School Sunrise Chorus performs at the steps of Norman Williams Library
  • 5-7 p.m., Open house at Dana House Museum
  • 7:30 p.m., “Woven” at Yoh Theatre
  • 7:30 p.m., Los Voz De Tres at Town Hall Theatre

Saturday, Dec. 12

  • 7:30-11 a.m., Breakfast with Santa at Little Theater
  • 9:30-11 a.m., Kids arts and crafts at ArtisTree
  • 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 14th annual Holiday House Tour
  • 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Holiday Open House at Farmhouse Pottery
  • 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Dana House decorated
  • 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Christmas at Billings Farm
  • 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wassail Craft Fair at Masonic Lodge
  • 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Wassail Cafe open on the Green
  • 12 p.m. & 1 p.m., Reading of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”
  • 2 p.m., 31st Annual Wassail Parade
  • 2:30 p.m., Yule log , Memory Tree lighting, carol sing
  • 2:30 p.m., Pentangle Youth Wassail Celebration at Town Hall Theatre
  • 3 p.m., “The Ten” a cappella at Congregational Church
  • 3 p.m., “Sly Foxes” a cappella at Norman Williams Public Library
  • 4 p.m., Lighting of the Luminaries on the Green
  • 6 p.m., Wassail Feast at Woodstock Inn
  • 7:30 p.m., “Woven” at Yoh Theatre
  • 7:30 p.m., BarnArts presents “A Holiday Cabaret Evening: the Great American Songbook” at ArtisTree

Sunday, Dec. 13

  • 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Christmas at the Billings Farm
  • 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Wassail Craft Fair at Masonic Lodge
  • 1:30 p.m., VBPS screening of “Downton Abby” at Town Hall Theatre
  • 4 p.m., Pentangle’s 31st annual Messiah Sing
  • 5:30 p.m., “Woven” at Yoh Theatre

Wassail Weekend has been voted at Top 10 Winter Event for 2015/16 by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.

For tickets or for more information, visit www.pentanglearts.org or www.woodstockvt.com.

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