Bellamy Mansion and Museum in Wilmington “Nights of Lights” Dec. 20-22

The mansion will be adorned with Victorian-era holiday decorations, and volunteers will explain the house's history to guests

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Fans of holiday decor, Wilmington history and hot cocoa all will have a chance to enjoy a night of fun and festivity when the Bellamy Mansion and Museum in Wilmington, NC decks its halls in seasonal greenery from a time gone by, December 20-22.

Jen Fenninger, Director of Education and Engagement/Volunteers at the mansion stopped by Good Morning Carolina to talk with co-host Donna Gregory about the 3-day ‘Nights of Lights’ event.

“The entire site looks wonderful,” Fenninger exclaimed, “from the gardens to when you step into either of the historic homes on site, it just looks great.”

“You’re going to see time period decorations, as well as some of our volunteers just had a little bit of fun too with just decorating and making it look wonderful,” she added.

The event is called a ‘come-and-go open house’, with guests to the mansion and museum free to walk through at their leisure, anytime between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The decorations are true to form for what would have adorned the mansion when it was built between the late 1850’s and early 1860’s.

“Things that would have been traditions at the time, such as trees being on top of tables…things would have been hand-made, or you think about popcorn and cranberries being strung on trees, things like that you’ll see.  And a lot of fruit!”, Fenninger said.

The basement, the parlor level and the bedrooms will be decorated, as will the former slave quarters on site.

“We decorate [the former slave quarters] with what they would have had at the time to decorate it with, so it definitely looks different than the main house,” Fenninger said.

“But it definitely would have been decorated at the time.”

Fenninger says the mansion’s associate director and historian will be at the former slave quarters, to explain how that part of the museum would have worked in the 1800’s.

A team of volunteers works hard to make sure the decorations are not only beautiful, but also historically accurate.

“We have the best volunteers that make the site look wonderful,” Fenninger inserted.

“We’re going to have volunteers in each room, describing what you’re seeing as well as what could have happened in the room at the time,” she explained.

Fenninger has some insider tips to maximize your experience at the Nights of Lights event.

“I think we’re the busiest at 5:00, as soon as we open,” she explained.

“So, if I were to come, I would probably come at 6, 6:30 and we will have street parking around the site, so anywhere around there would work,” Fenninger added.

The event is free of charge and family friendly.

Hot cocoa, cider and sweet treats will be available for purchase, for $1 each at the end of the walk-through experience.  Cash is preferred, but credit cards will be accepted for a purchase totaling $5 or more.

Fenninger said, donations to the mansion and museum are always welcome.

For more information about the Nights of Lights, visit here .