When the first snowfall is glistening in the lanes a feeling of good cheer just takes over in all our homes and downtowns. Holiday decorations brighten up familiar spaces as shops bustle with activity. Gingerbread, shortbread, cakes, tarts and every kind of seasonal baking is at the ready to welcome visitors.
Get in the festive mood with a visit to Ruthmere, Elkhart’s elegant 1910 Beaux Arts mansion. Their Edwardian Yuletide celebrations show off period-style decorations, and special concerts and activities recount the graciousness of holidays past. Check out some of our favorite places for Christmas lights that can be enjoyed safely outside or in your car.
What would the holidays be without the time-honored strains of favorite carols? Enjoy an extravaganza of seasonal music at the Goshen College Music Department’s Festival of Carols. “A Festival of Carols” is a heartwarming presentation patterned on a traditional English worship service, featuring Christmas carols, spirituals, scripture readings and sacred musical works. Sauder Concert Hall will be transformed into a winter wonderland, adorned with garlands, lights and trees, creating a magical atmosphere for all attendees.
Get the New Year off to a good start with the Fire and Ice Festival, a popular Goshen First Fridays event in January. Enjoy the stunning work of ice carvers as they transform blocks of ice into incredibly detailed masterpieces. Then warm up with a taste test of the many chili recipes submitted in the Chili Competition.
Don’t leave our winter wonderland without lacing up your skates and gliding around the NIBCO Ice Park. This riverside ice rink features 5,740 square feet of ice surface and a wonderful skating path lined with twinkling lights. More area events