Shadows-on-the-Teche perfect place for Christmas activities, holiday fun

Published 7:00 am Thursday, December 19, 2019

When it comes to places to visit in Iberia Parish for the Christmas season, Shadows-on-the-Teche remains as one of the best options.

Marketing and Programs Manager Jayd Buteaux said plenty of decorations and tours are available throughout the holidays, offering a perfect spot to enjoy beautiful Louisiana scenery.

What Christmas activities has The Shadows scheduled for this month?

Throughout December, we offer our “Merry Making Season” tour of The Shadows. The museum is dressed in greenery with fruits, nuts and berries. Colorful decorations can be found throughout in addition to antique toys and a Christmas tree decorated with period ornaments. The tour focuses on the holiday season on the Weeks family plantations, both here at The Shadows and the sugar cane plantation at Grand Cote (present day Weeks Island).

What are some events you have planned for this week?

Tonight we have “A Shadows Christmas,” a special after hours tour experience. Skilled tour guides will take visitors through The Shadows for an extended version of the “Merry Making Season” tour. After their tour, visitors will enjoy old-fashioned peppermint sticks, gingerbread and other holiday fare while strolling through the gardens with a glass of apple cider or syllabub in hand. Our “Merry Making Season” tours are also available during normal operating hours and will extend through the end of the month.

What are some other reasons for people to head to The Shadows for the holidays?

The holidays are such a festive and hectic time of the year. The museum is decorated with real greenery, so the scents of pine and cedar waft through the air as you’re walking through the house. It’s the one time of year where you’re able to see some of the children’s toys … visitors are especially intrigued by the wooden Noah’s Ark set. A visit to The Shadows offers visitors the opportunity to slow down for a short time and explore not only the history of the people who lived and worked here, but also of this area.

Are there any other upcoming events people should know about?

Our next big events will take place in March, the Arts and Craft Fair (March 7) and Shadows-on-the-Teche Plein Air Competition (March 14-21). We’re starting to receive vendor signups for Arts and Crafts, and we recently announced the 30 artists selected for this year’s Shadows Plein Air. It’s going to be another great competition — the artists are extremely talented. We’ll have a number of free events for the public to participate — two painting demonstrations, art talk with Judge Kenn Backhaus, downtown Paint Out and the awards ceremony and fine art sale. Of course, people are always welcome to stop and watch one of the artists in action. It’s amazing how fast they work. We also have one or two new things in the works that we’ll be sharing a little closer to the competition’s start.