Concordia University Ann Arbor is pleased to announce the return of A Manor Christmas, the popular Christmastime event that welcomed more than 4,000 people to campus in 2017. Festivities will take place on the Ann Arbor campus, 4090 Geddes Road, on Nov. 30 from 2 – 7 p.m.; Dec. 1 from 12 – 7 p.m.; and Dec. 2 from 12 – 4 p.m.
Voted as the second most popular place to be in Ann Arbor during that weekend last year, this new holiday tradition is hosted by the Concordia Guild and supports Concordia scholarships. At the center of the event is the transformation of the historic Earhart Manor on CUAA’s campus from an academic office back into an enchanting Christmas home.
The Earhart Manor has been a part of the Ann Arbor community since its construction was completed in 1936. Guided tours of the decorated manor is just one of the activities that will take place during A Manor Christmas. Other activities include: a campus tree-lighting ceremony, a Festival of Trees, premium artificial pre-lit trees for sale, and a European-style Christmas market. Unique foods, crafts, and Christmas entertainment will be available throughout the weekend to add to the festivities.
“Concordia is home to one of the most beloved historic gems in the area, the Earhart Manor,” said Joanie Koerschen, chair of the event committee. “This event allows us to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas together with our community, while sharing the rich history that is a part of the Earhart Manor.”
Tickets are $5 for general admission to the market and $7 for general admission to the market plus a guided tour of the historic Earhart Manor. The guided tours will run every half hour and are expected to sell out early. Tickets can be purchased at A Manor Christmas.
Event-goers can extend their celebration by purchasing tickets to Concordia’s annual Boar’s Head Festival pageant, where medieval Christmas traditions are woven together with symbolism and the story of Christ’s birth. Tickets are available starting October 29. Call 734.995.7537 or go to Kreft Arts to purchase Boar’s Head Festival tickets.
About the Earhart Mansion
Once an historic 400-acre dairy farm on Geddes Road along the Huron River, the property, known as “the Meadows,” was purchased by Carrie and Harry Boyd (H.B.) Earhart in 1916. H.B. Earhart made his fortune in the gasoline business in Detroit. They moved their family of four children to Ann Arbor to enjoy the “small town living” that the community offered at the time.
The family home displayed treasures from their extensive travels, and the famous gardens were lovingly kept up by Carrie and H.B Earhart, personally.
In the early 1960s, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod purchased the land from the Earhart family for Concordia College. Concordia has since grown from a two-year college to a four-year university.
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