Downtown homeowners open up their kitchens Saturday

DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – For the 5th year in a row, the Residents of Old Wilmington are hosting a Back Door Kitchen Tour this October. The tour showcases how owners have balanced having a modern day kitchen in an historic 100+ year-old-home.

The tour will be October 2 from Noon until 5:00 p.m. Nice kitchens will be open for you to see (212 S. 2nd St., 303 S. 2nd St., 411 S. 2nd St., 515 S. 2nd St., 308 S. 3rd St., 120 S. 5th Ave., 208 S. 5th Ave., 410 S. Front St., and 309 Castle St.) Tickets are $18 in advance via the ROW website and $20 at various designated retail outlets around town or at any of the houses on the day of the event. ROW members may purchase discounted $15 tickets if they buy them in advance at the unveiling (8/27 at Chandlers Wharf), at the Arts & Antique Walk (9/11) or at the Sept. ROW meeting (9/8). All tickets are non-refundable..

For more information – go to http://www.rowilmington.com/

MORE INFO FROM A ROW NEWS RELEASE:

The 5th Annual Back Door Kitchen Tour will be held by the Residents of

Old Wilmington (ROW) during Riverfest Weekend, with nine kitchens in

homes in Wilmington’s famed historic district featured on Saturday, October

2nd from noon to 5:00 PM. The homes can be visited in any order and the

tour is a self-guided walking tour so you can go at your own pace. Most of

the homes have stairs so comfortable walking shoes are encouraged for both

safety and comfort.

“Visitors will have the opportunity to see new kitchens large and small in a

variety of period homes” says Robert Erb, chairman of the event. “Hopefully

participants will find ideas to incorporate in their own kitchens and homes as

they visit other rooms and gardens at the tour homes.”

The tour will include the homes of Phoebe and Terry Bragg at 410 South

Front Street; Chandler Keys at 411 South Second Street; Ann and Robert

Erb at 308 S 3rd Street; Melissa and Richard Ulstad at 309 Castle Street;

Alisa Harris at 515 S. South 2nd Street; Kathy and Chris Wilson at 120

South Fifth Avenue; Phillis and David Thompson at 208 South Fifth

Avenue; Sharon and Curt Stiles at 212 S. Second Street; and Karen and Tom

Behm at 303 South Second Street.

Sample gourmet food tastings, prepared by local restaurants, will be

served in several of the homes. Kitchen designers and equipment

representatives will be present to answer questions, and tabletop settings

and floral centerpieces will also be featured.

An original painting of the back door and garden at the Bragg home by

Artist James Davis, will be raffled off at 5:00PM on the day of the tour.

Raffle tickets are $5 each and will be sold at the Bragg’s home on

the day of the tour. The painting will be on display and raffle tickets will be

sold, during Downtown Wilmington’s Art Walk (September 11th), and at the

River to the Sea Gallery at Chandler’s Wharf, 225 S. Water Street in

Wilmington during the month of September.

Tour tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Babes in

arms are free. Adult discount tickets can be purchased through PAY PAL

for $18 at www.ROWilmington.org and clicking on Back Door Kitchen

Tour.

Tickets will be available during September at the following locations:

Two Sisters Bookery, Michael Moore Antiques, both Temptations Everyday

Gourmet (Hanover Center and Porter’s Neck), Great Harvest Bread

Company, The Ivy Cottage, River To the Sea Gallery, House of Wine and

Cheese in Leland, and Cat on a Whisk in Southport.

The funds earned by ROW from the tour are used for downtown projects

which recently have included the purchase and installation of the “Southern

Hospitality” sculpture, the Ann Street Pedestrian Crossing, and new display

cases for Thalian Hall.

For further information about the tour call 910-762-4916.