Make your plans now to attend the 20th annual “Historic Apalachicola Home & Garden Tour” sponsored by Trinity Episcopal Church. The tour is expected to attract hundreds of visitors to Apalachicola, FL on Friday and Saturday, May 4 – May 5, 2012. This year’s theme, “A Passion for Preservation,” spotlights Apalachicola’s historic century-old homes.
Featured House
The featured house for this year’s tour is the home of world-renowned photojournalist Richard Bickel. Early residents of this Prairie-shingle style house (circa 1909) were the Whitesides, owners of the Apalachicola Ice Company. The house features broad windows, board and batten wainscoting and other classic Craftsman features including built-in cabinetry and period staircase. The homeowner has family heirlooms and objects d’art on display throughout the home from his many travels in Asia, the Middle East, Burma and India. The home sits in a lush garden of extensive shrubs, Washingtonia Palms and is surrounded by a Japanese boxwood hedge.
New This Year!!! - The Symposium
Brand new this year is an all-day Symposium, featuring lectures, panel discussions and guided tours of Apalachicola's historical renovations. It's the first-ever education and behind the scenes study of the guiding principles and plans at the heart of the community's preservations. Nationally-recognized preservationists and architects will facilitate the Symposium's events. Additionally, local historian Debbie Beard will address the group at the Symposium luncheon, speaking about the Florida cracker home architecture, characterized by metal roofs, raised floors, large porch areas and more. Symposium tickets are limited and sell on-line for $75.00/each.
A cocktail reception will precede Friday's Symposium on Thursday evening, May 3 at 5:30pm. The reception will be held at Apalachicola's Cotton Warehouse, and will offer Symposium ticket-holders an opportunity to talk with local preservationists, as well as enjoy an evening of hors d'oeuvres, wine and music. Tickets to the cocktail reception-only are being offered to the public for $25.00/each, and may be purchased at the door or on-line. It's sure to be a wonderful, interesting event. Please consider coming out for the evening and helping to celebrate this year's 1st Annual Symposium!
Century-old Homes on Tour
The 20th Annual Historical Home & Garden Tour begins on Saturday, May 5 at 10:00am. Homes and gardens will be open for tour until 4:00pm. All homes on this year's tour are over a century-old, and provide ticketholders with an opportunity to walk through some of the oldest and grandest homes in the community. Tickets are available for $15.00/each and are available by calling Trinity Episcopal Church, or via on-line. On the day of the tour, ticket sales will begin at 9:30am for $20.00/each. The tour is also offering a lunch served from 11:00am - 2:00pm in Trinity’s parish hall at a cost of $12.00/each. In addition, a sealed bid auction, 10:00am –3:00pm, will be a part of the tour day’s events.
An Evensong service will precede the home tour at Trinity Episcopal Church at 5:30pm. Immediately following the service will be the Home & Garden Tour welcome reception, along with a free lecture on the history and future of the Fort Coombs Armory, (beginning at 6:30pm.)
Guests to Apalachicola may also enhance their weekend experience by allowing time to visit the many historical buildings and churches, museums, inns, parks and assorted shops that mark this historic town as a truly unique, enjoyable place.
Click here to view the full Schedule of Events.
Tickets to all events may be purchased on-line, or by contacting Trinity Episcopal Church at (850) 653-9550 or the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce at (850) 653-9419.
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