2009-11-12

Tannenbaum Ball kicks off Fredericksburg’s Preservation Weekend

Contributed

To celebrate the season with an elegant meal, live dance music, auction, and raffle while raising money for a good cause, everyone is invited to the Tannenbaum Ball on Friday, Dec 11, in Fredericksburg.

The ball is sponsored by the Gillespie County Historical Society and is one activity of Preservation Weekend. Other events include the Holiday Home Tour and Candlelight Tour on Saturday, Dec 12.

Guests at the Tannenbaum Ball will enter a world of “Partridge in a Pear Tree,” with colorful birds perched in delicate silver branches at the Pioneer Pavilion in Lady Bird Park.

At 8 pm, Dawn Gentle will serve a formal dinner service of baby spinach salad with roasted walnut dressing and blue cheese crumbles, choice cut prime rib, garlic potato mashers drizzled with balsamic cream sauce, and grilled vegetables. Dessert will be a mini-cake assortment of chocolate-mocha-raspberry, strawberry-cream cheese and lemon blueberry, plus chocolate almond truffle and apricot streusel bars.

The Bill Smallwood Band will provide music. This well-known group is a crowd favorite, playing tunes from standard country to rock classics to big band numbers designed to appeal to all musical tastes and dancing styles.

During the evening, guest can purchase chances to win one of three unique prizes that will include a new motor scooter from Scootique, VISA gift card, or a custom painted rifle.

Raffle tickets are $30 each or four for $100.

Other highlights of the ball are the live and silent auctions.
Notable live auction items include a Crawfish Crawl for 30 people; Piper Cub flyover of Gillespie County; Houston Grand Opera package, including hotel accommodations and dinner; Murder Mystery dinner, and a week-long Santa Fe retreat for 12.
Reservations for the Tannenbaum Ball are $100 per person, and must be made by Dec 4.

During Preservation Weekend, visitors can also participate in the Holiday Home Tour and the Candlelight Tour on Saturday, Dec 12.

The Holiday Home Tour runs from 12 noon until 6 pm and features nine distinct properties in and around Fredericksburg – all decked out in holiday decor.

The Candlelight Tour follows on Saturday evening from 5:30 pm until 8:30 pm.

Visitors can view three historic houses decorated in period decor and lit with candlelight. The tour includes the buildings and grounds of the Pioneer Museum, where carolers will sing while volunteers serve hot cider and traditional German cookies.
Tickets for the tour are $25 per person, or $43 for the Tour by Trolley. Trolley seating is limited to 27 and also requires reservations by Dec. 4.

The Candlelight Tour is $15 per person. This year the public can purchase tour and ball tickets online at www.pioneermuseum.net.

Tickets can also be ordered by calling 830-997-2835, by mail at - GCHS, 312 West San Antonio Street, Fredericksburg 78624; by email at Vickibeasley@austin.rr.com or by stopping by the Pioneer Museum, Vereins Kirche, Historical Society office, Gastehaus Schmidt, Journey Lane Scrapbooking and Crenwelge Motors in Kerrville.

Preservation Weekend serves as the largest fundraiser for the Gillespie County Historical Society.