Busy holiday season for Vernon heritage house

Dec 6, 2023 | 10:15 AM

The Caetani Centre has several ways for locals and visitors to make it through December with workshops, music and more.

The centre’s 1895 heritage house museum will be decked out for the holidays and visitors are welcome to visit during office hours for a self-guided tour.

Visitors will learn the story of the Caetani family and see a new short film that relays the history of Caetani’s fascinating lineage in Italy.

“The museum includes family-owned artifacts, custom-designed haute couture by the likes of Chanel, Vuitton and Vionnet, family home movies, and more. Tour admission also includes a visit to the centre’s Sveva Caetani Gallery to see a selection of Caetani’s Recapitulation Series, 47 watercolours that recount Sveva’s life, family, and influences,” Kristin Froneman, Programs and Communications Coordinator, said.

Self-guided tours are available until Dec. 22, Tuesdays to Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $6 for youth 18 and under at the door. Contact the Centre for private guided tours for groups of six or more.

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The Caetani Centre is also hosting a series of textile workshops offered by the centre’s new studio artist Salinger Snarf, who many will know from when they operated Furhouse Textiles in downtown Vernon.

Those who sign up for the workshops will be able to choose their own fabric to create a magic bag, which will then be filled to create the perfect dose of cozy.

A multimedia artist with a focus on textile programs in the community, Snarf’s colourful workshops feature inclusive opportunities for creative skill-building and self-exploration through hands-on activities.

Workshops will take place:

Sunday, Dec 17: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. for ages 8-12 (Max 6 participants)
Sunday, Dec 17: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. for ages 12-18 (Max 6 participants)

All equipment (sewing machines included) and supplies are provided. More information and registration are available by calling 250-275-1525 or online at https://www.caetani.org/2023/11/23/make-a-magic-bag-with-sal-of-furhouse-textiles-workshops/

On Dec. 9, the Centre hosts a matinée concert of worldly music by local quintet the Wind Jammers.

Featuring established Okanagan musicians Janet Watson on flute, Karen Gibbons on oboe, Lucy Benwell on clarinet, Edmund House on horn and Cuyler Page on bassoon, the Wind Jammers will incorporate music from diverse cultures, composers, styles, instrumentation and eras, pushing the boundaries of wind quintet repertoire.

“We will perform a diverse selection of music from Renaissance to modern, romantic to ragtime, with a few holiday tunes mixed in,” said Page. “The six continents will be represented with traditional and contemporary music by a variety of composers. You will also be able to see and hear some less familiar instruments such as the piccolo, English horn, hunting horn, bass clarinet, and contrabassoon.”

Concert tickets are $20/adult and $15 for Caetani Centre members and youth 18 and under. Admission is at the door, which opens at 1:30 p.m. Some refreshments will be available for purchase.

The Caetani Centre is located at 3401 Pleasant Valley Rd. Vernon. For more information, visit caetani.org.

by Vernon Matters Staff

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