(THE PICKET)—As the semester is quickly winding down and students are frantically preparing for finals, Christmas is coming to Shepherdstown for a weekend full of events that will be sure to put the community in holiday spirits. Since there will be many events going on throughout the weekend, specifically Saturday, the minimal amount of parking in Shepherdstown will prove to make finding spaces especially difficult during the day, so plan accordingly.
The Civil War Christmas, a second annual holiday event organized by the history department, the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of Civil War and the Shepherdstown Visitors Center, kicked off its weekend events early with a performance by the Village Brass Quintet at the Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church and a lecture by Jonathan Noyalas, a history professor, at Lord Fairfax Community College yesterday evening.
Today, there was a Completion of Union winter encampment and firing demonstration at the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of Civil War and a lecture by James Broomall, the director of the George Tyler Moore Center and a history professor at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Tomorrow, Dec. 5, the events for the Civil War Christmas begin at 9 a.m. at the George Tyler Moore Center with the Shepherdstown Christmas parade following at 11 a.m.
Right at noon, there will be a living history reenactment of Christmas in Shepherdstown at Reynolds Hall as well as tours of the George Tyler Moore Center lasting until 4 p.m.
Additionally, there will be ornament making at Ferry Hill, which is across from the Potomac River bridge, a School of the Solider event at the George Tyler Moore Center, walking tours of Shepherdstown, a refugee encampment event on the McMurran Hall lawn as well as a 19th-century toy demonstration and sale at Reynolds Hall all beginning at noon.
At 1 p.m., a panel discussion titled “West Virginia in War and Peace,” hosted by Nick Redding—executive director of Preservation Maryland—and Kevin Pawlak—education specialist at Mosby Heritage Area Association. The lecture will be held in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies auditorium on the Shepherd campus.
At 3 p.m., there will be another living history reenactment of Christmas in Shepherdstown at Ferry Hill, and Union troops will demonstrate firing protocols for winter encampment at the George Tyler Moore Center starting at 4 p.m.
Starting at 5 p.m. tomorrow, Dec. 5., there will be another lecture titled “Did John Brown Elect Abraham Lincoln?” This lecture will be hosted by Dennis E. Frye, the chief historian of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. This event will also be held in the Byrd Center auditorium.
To end tomorrow night, the Annual Big Band Holiday Gala Concert will be held in the Frank Center on Shepherd’s campus at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, chamber singers, women’s camerata, men’s choir and concert choir. Tickets for tomorrow evening are $10 for general admission, $5 for faculty, staff, seniors, active-duty military and ages 18 and under. Shepherd students will be admitted to the event for free with a Rambler ID. A reception for Shepherd music alumni will be held after the concert.
There will be another Holiday Gala Concert matinee performance beginning at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6.
For more information, visit http://www.shepherd.edu/news/annual-holiday-concert-scheduled-december-5-6/ and http://www.shepherd.edu/news/history-department-civil-war-center-organize-historic-holiday-event-december-3-5/.