OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

ALLAIRE STATE PARK TO HOST OLD WORLD CHRISTMAS EVENTS
ANNUAL HOLIDAY TRADITIONS CONTINUE WITH MULTIPLE CELEBRATIONS AT PARK’S HISTORIC VILLAGE

(14/P129) TRENTON – Continuing a holiday tradition that has long provided memories to New Jersey families, Allaire State Park will once again play host to several Old World Christmas events and activities that will take place in the park’s historic village throughout December.
 
Allaire Village, Inc., a non-profit educational and historic preservation partner of the park, will sponsor performances of the holiday classic “A Christmas Carol,” the popular Christmas Lantern Tours and present “Christmas at Allaire” walking tours throughout the Historic Village at Allaire.

The New Jersey Museum of Transportation, an all-volunteer, non-profit park partner, will once again host Christmas Express train rides through Allaire State Park with Santa Claus on board.

“These holiday events, organized by our dedicated partners at Allaire State Park, have become a memorable rite of the season for many families,” said Richard Boornazian, DEP Assistant Commissioner for Natural and Historic Resources. “We invite all new and returning visitors to experience these Old World Christmas activities as a highlight to your holiday season.”

Advance ticket purchases are highly recommended for all Allaire Village Inc. events, although walk-up tickets are more readily available for Christmas at Allaire walks. Tickets for activities presented by Allaire Village Inc. can be purchased by phone at (732) 919-3500 or online at http://www.allairevillage.org/tickets.html

Dates and times for holiday activities at Allaire State Park this year include:

• December 5 & 12
  7:30-8:30 p.m.
  A Christmas Carol: A performance of Charles Dickens’ classic will take place at the Allaire Chapel, an early 19th century church that is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. Admission is $15 per person.
• December 6, 13 & 20
  5-8 p.m.
  Christmas Lantern Tours: Get in the spirit of the season with a Christmas-inspired Lantern Tour through Allaire’s Historic Village. Experience traditional 19th century activities, such as baking gingerbread and musical performances. Join villagers singing Christmas carols by the fire. Each tour is 90 minutes long, leaving every 15 minutes. Admission is $12.50 per person.
• December 6-7, 13-14, 20-21
  11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Christmas Express: A holiday tradition for more than 30 years, Santa Claus rides the steam train along Pine Creek Railroad and talks to all the children on board. The train leaves every 30 minutes, weather permitting. Admission is $6 per person. Tickets for time- and date-specific trains must be purchased in advance at the train ticket office at Allaire State Park.
• December 7 & 14
  Noon- 4 p.m.
  Christmas at Allaire: Stroll through the historic village with the hopes of meeting good old St. Nick, who will be giving out candy canes to all of the good boys and girls. Join the program in the Allaire Chapel where villagers will perform the Virginia reel dance to a live harpist and fiddler. Admission is $7 for adults; $5 for children under 12.

“The holiday season is a very special time at the park,” said Abigail Murphy, Events and Media Manager for the Historic Village at Allaire. “In addition to our usual Christmas traditions, we’ll also be opening our Enameling Building at the village (which was used in early 19th century ironworks by James P. Allaire) to become a Christmas ornament shop where people can purchase beautiful hand-blown ornaments.”

“The Christmas Train is definitely our largest fundraiser for the year for our all-volunteer operation,” said Idella LuBrant, Treasurer of the New Jersey Museum of Transportation.  “But the looks on the faces of these kids who see Santa Claus on the train is why we do this. They just light up like the holidays. These are memories that last a lifetime.”

Located in Wall Township, Allaire State Park is primarily known for its historic 19th century iron-making historic village. But it also attracts hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders for the park’s many trails. The Manasquan River, which winds through the park, also attracts fisherman and canoeists. The river’s floodplain provides habitat for more than 200 species of wildlflowers, trees and plants, as well as habitat for birds and other wildlife.

For more on Allaire State Park, visit: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/allaire.html

For the New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites Facebook page, visit: https://www.facebook.com/NewJerseyStateParks
 
For more on the Historic Village at Allaire, visit: http://www.allairevillage.org/index.html

For more on the New Jersey Museum of Transportation, visit: http://www.njmt.org