Christmas in the Opera Hall
"We hope that this was the 'first annual' Old-Fashioned Christmas at the Opera Hall," said Wendy Sarazyn as she looked around the, many people in attendance on Saturday.
The Society for the Preservation of Minneota Heritage (SPMH), which Sarazyn is the president of, was hosting "Old Fashioned Christmas" in the historic Opera Hall on the second floor of the former iconic Big Store building, which now houses the Minneota Public Library.
Nearly 100 people showed up for the event in the smartly-decorated Opera Hall. There were plenty of refreshments such as bars, cookies, snacks, hot apple cider and a hot chocolate bar.
Those in attendance participated in crafts, Christmas sing-a-long songs, photo opportunities and socializing."The idea came when Mary Jane (Janssen) was at the Opera House (for the Open House recently) and asked if there would be other events at the Opera Hall while they were in Minneota," Sarazyn explained.
Berends is a 1962 graduate of Minneota High School and now lives in Holland, Michigan. She was among those was helping children and their parents make crafts during the Old-Fashioned Christmas event.
"So, I asked (Mary Jane) what kind of event she would like to see," Sarazyn continued. "Her answer was to get together to sing Christmas carols. The event developed from that conversation. Mary Jane and SPMH members met to brainstorm and plan details."
Sarazyn said the goal was to host a fun event that would appeal to all ages and emphasize the spirit of the season by asking for non-perishable donations to the local food shelf.
"We also wanted to thank the community for their support of the Big Store through the years and decided it would be a free event," Sarazyn noted.
Those attending the Old-Fashioned Christmas event had nothing but good things to say about the event and how well the Opera Hall looks after the SPMH worked hard to refurbish it the past couple of years.
"It was so rewarding to hear really positive comments from people who were first-time Opera Hall visitors, and also a thrill to have the space filled with laughing, singing and conversation."
Sarazyn felt the SPMH-hosted event went well for the first time.
"We will get together soon and talk about any changes to make for next year," she said.