A holiday favorite will soon return along Lawton Loop.
Arts for Lawrence will host its seventh annual Holiday Home Tour fundraiser Dec. 1. The tour allows participants to explore seven stops in the heart of Historic Fort Benjamin Harrison. The Theater at the Fort will be open to tours for the first time this year. Other stops include three former military barracks and three former officers’ quarters, which now house organizations such as Porter Books and Bread and the Village of Merici.
“It’s the first year the theater will be on the tour, and we will have all of the Fort Harrison memorabilia from Fort Harrison’s historical society on display on the stage, so that’s new this year,” said Judy Byron, executive director of Arts for Lawrence.
A gift shop and wine tasting will be at 5707 Lawton Loop East at the Village of Merici. A free wine tasting is included with a Holiday Home Tour ticket purchase.
A free shuttle will transport attendees between destinations. The tour is self-guided. Each stop will have a ticket table, so attendees can begin their tour at any of the homes. The stops will feature live music and refreshments such as hot cider and coffee and other treats.
“A greeter will tell you a little bit about the home and let you know what parts of the home are open,” Byron said. “There are monitors through the home to answer questions. You enter through the front door, exit at the back door and once you go through the kitchen you are given a treat.”
The tour takes approximately an hour and runs from 4 to 7 p.m. The gift shop will be open until 8 p.m. and will feature seven different vendors selling artist’s works and other items.
“All three of the doubles were once officers’ quarters, and they have been recently renovated so they are really state-of-the-art as far as kitchen and bath go,” Byron said. “They all still have the historic charm from when they were built in 1906.”
Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Advance sales end 24 hours before the tour. For more or to purchase tickets, visit artsforlawrence.org.
Holiday Home Tour stops
Former officers’ quarters:
- The home of Sherri and Todd Nierste, 5702 Lawton Loop West
- The home of Carl Murray and Judy Byron, 5762 Lawton Loop West
- The home of Amanda and Bill Shaw, 5875 Lawton Loop East
Former barracks:
- The home of John and Diana Anderson, 5803 Lawton Loop East
- Porter Books and Bread, 5719 Lawton Loop East
- Village of Merici, 5707 Lawton Loop East
New stop this year:
- The Theater at the Fort, 8920 Otis Ave.
