Mount Airy Museum of Regional History | Submitted photo
Mark Brown, of Mount Airy Professionals of Surry (MAPS), greets visitors to the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History as the museum opened its doors for its annual Holiday Open House.
Mount Airy Museum of Regional History | Submitted photo
Young and old alike turned out for this year’s open house to munch on food and listen to a wide variety of music, including a performance by a Grammy-nominated Celtic singer.
Organizers say this year’s annual Mount Airy Museum of Regional History Holiday Open House was one for the record books.
The museum hosted the 15th annual Holiday Open House Saturday, and organizer Matt Edwards said a bumper crowd turned out for the event.
“I was tremendously pleased with the turnout this year,” he said. “As with any event that is open to the public, you never know what you’re going to get, but we had a great turnout.”
Edwards said more than 350 people came out to munch on holiday favorites, listen to a wide variety of music and get their photo made with Saint Nick.
“We had several musical performances throughout the day, including an impromptu jam session with local musicians in the morning,” he said.
Performances by Grammy-nominated Celtic performer Alicia Merritt were well received, as was the program presented by University of North Carolina School of the Arts music major Briana Duensing.
“Both Alicia and Briana were incredibly well received by the crowd,” Edwards said.
He noted that variety is the spice of life.
“There was a nice sampling of various types of music throughout the day, and I think that’s one of the things that makes our open house a favorite holiday offering,” Edwards said.
Calling it “one of my favorite events throughout the year,” Edwards said he looks forward to the annual open house.
“All in all it was a great event for us, and I think a great event for the community as well,” he said.
And next year it should only get bigger, if organizers have anything to say about it.
“Next year we want to coordinate the event with the Downtown Business Association’s open house,” he said. “That would give people a double incentive to come to downtown Mount Airy.”
This year a scheduling conflict mandated the two be held on separate days.
“We’d planned our open house for quite some time when they announced the date for the Downtown Open House,” Edwards said. “Hopefully, they’ll be on the same day next year.”
Edwards said this year’s first-ever canned food drive with the newly-formed Mount Airy Professionals of Surry (MAPS) was also a huge success.
“They were great bringing Santa to our open house this year, ” he said. “They just formed this year and they’re already working towards helping the community.”
But for Edwards, it’s the chance to get people who don’t attend museum functions in the door that is his favorite part of the holiday season.
“We have a lot of people for whom this may be the only time they come to the museum,” he said. “That’s what makes it great for me.”
Reach Keith Strange at kstrange@heartlandpublications.com or 719-1929.
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