The spirit of the season filled the Hoard Historical Museum in Fort Atkinson Saturday afternoon during its annual Holiday Open House.
More than 150 people attended the event, which featured children’s crafts, cardmaking, holiday music and voting for Popular Choice in the annual Gingerbread Village Contest.
Attendees decorated gingerbread houses and cookies, as well as enjoyed hot chocolate and wassail, a spiced beverage associated with the holiday season.
Piano music was performed by Bob LaMuro, Shirley Brown and Caitlyn Drake.
The Frank and Luella Hoard House was decorated in the theme of Christmas through the 20th Century.
The Hoard Historical Museum and National Dairy Shrine Museums are located at 401 Whitewater Ave. in Fort Atkinson. The museums are open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., free of charge. They will be closed on Dec. 22 through 26, and Dec. 30 through Jan. 2.
For more information, call the museums at 920-397-9914 or visit www.hoardmuseum.org.
Photos from the event follow.
Viewing entries in the Gingerbread Village Contest are siblings Madylynn and William Green, of Fort Atkinson, flanking their cousin, Jack Rehberger, of Milwaukee. The youngsters attended with the Greens’ mother.
Isabella Palomino takes a bite out of the cookie she made with her mother, Jennifer Palomino, of Jefferson.
Willomina Scheibel, accompanied by her mother, Lyndsay Scheibel, of Fort Atkinson, decorates a gingerbread house.
Leon McQuinn, at right, and his father, Blaine McQuinn, of Madison, pause momentarily from their activity.
Erica Finger, Jefferson, decorates a gingerbread house at the Hoard Historical Museum.
Heather Gatlin, from left, Anne Wieneke and Cecily Beal display their decorated gingerbread houses. They are residents of St. Coletta of Wisconsin in Jefferson.
The Garrison siblings, of Fort Atkinson, including Eliana, from left, Gigi, Marcus and Mirabel enjoy decorating gingerbread houses.
Bob LaMuro, at left, congratulates piano student Caitlyn Drake — who has been taking piano lessons for one year — as she finishes playing at the museum’s Holiday Open House.
Pianist Shirley Brown of Fort Atkinson performs Christmas tunes at the open house.
Fort Atkinson residents Dick and Carol Wanie, from right, pick up cookies to decorate.
Martha Sykes, at left, and Sue McKechnie, both of Fort Atkinson, view entries in the Gingerbread Village Contest.
Chris Spangler photos.
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