To attend, PLEASE REGISTER BY SATURDAY, NOV. 30 DEADLINE
Our annual Christmas Holiday Luncheon will be held Saturday, Dec 7, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. - at the historic Storrowton Tavern, West Springfield, MA on the grounds of the Big E (Eastern States Exposition).
And because Dec. 7 is the first day of a free weekend of “Yuletide at Storrowton Village”, you will have from 3:00 - 4:00 (closing time) to visit the historic buildings, all decorated for Christmas.
See driving directions (with GPS caution) below.
WSWNE Christmas Past
11:00 a.m. Social Hour Meet friends old and new; enjoy Cheese and Crackers, Vegetables with Herb Dip, and Fresh Fruit in our private room decorated in the Christmas tradition. Cash bar available.
12:00 noon Festive Luncheon, complete with the popping of British Christmas crackers! See menu below program description.
Our 2024 Holiday Season Program includes:
Book cover: Sleeping in the Same World
First, Margaret Lloyd presents on her newest book, “Sleeping in the Same World”, that is steeped in her immigrant experience. Born in Liverpool, England, of Welsh parents, Margaret grew up in a Welsh immigrant community in central New York and is a poet as well as an author … and we are proud to say, a member of WSWNE.
In this exquisite new book, Margaret Lloyd explores her beginnings in Liverpool and Wales and later life in New England. A world of lost loved ones coexists in the present. The book starts with a series of spare, intensely intimate poems charged with love, natural beauty, and heart truths. A sequence of journeys follows, quests for existential peace between two worlds. —Jeffrey Greene, winner of the Samuel French Morse Prize
Margaret Lloyd adds: I am very excited about this book, and its subject matter deals a lot with my being a Welsh immigrant and many of the poems take place in Wales. The poems are very accessible, and I will talk about my experience of being a Welsh immigrant and my background.
WILD NOTES is John Kalinowski on accordion and concertina, Mickey Koth on fiddle and flute; and Kasha Breau on harp, piano, and vocals.
Then, Wild Notes regales us with an all Welsh folk music program including dance sets to listen to, Welsh songs (sung in English), and several Christmas carols (both Welsh and a few popular ones).
Wild Notes is an energetic and exuberant traditional acoustic group with roots in Irish, Scottish, French-Canadian, jazz, and classical music. With Mickey Koth on fiddle and flute; John Kalinowski on accordion and concertina; and Kasha Breau on harp, piano, and vocals, they play a wide range of music for both dancing and listening, from contra and barn dance music to Celtic, Welsh, Scottish, Finnish, German, and Americana music. Their renditions of New England and Celtic reels, jigs, hornpipes, waltzes, and airs are known for the intricate and melodic interweaving of the fiddle and accordion with the inventive accompaniment of the harp and piano. Their eclectic blend of old and new delights and surprises dancers and audiences alike, and has been described as "St. Patrick at a Hoedown." Or, as one fan put it, "Wild Notes will change your O'Doul's to Guinness!"
Our 2024 Christmas MENU
Garden Salad with Bread Rolls
Choice of Entree: (all served with Au Gratin Potato and Honey Glazed Carrots)
CAPE CODDER - Chicken Stuffed with Cranberry bread stuffing with a demi-glace
BROILED SALMON
YANKEE POT ROAST
VEGETARIAN: EGGPLANT ROLLATINI - - stuffed w. spinach, basil, ricotta cheese, topped with marinara sauce and Asiago cheese
CHILDREN’S MEAL : Chicken Fingers and Fries (instead of potato & carrots)
Dessert: Ice Cream Puff; and COFFEE or TEA
Cost: Members* $35 Guests (non-members): $38 Children's Meal $19
*Members: All household members living at member address are considered members.
To attend, you must both make your choice of entree and pay in advance (by the SATURDAY, NOV. 30 DEADLINE). You have two choices.
• Credit card payers can buy meal tickets using our new Eventbrite online ticketing service button below. For this event, you can pay online by credit card with no extra fees. WSWNE is paying the Eventbrite ticketing fees for you.
• Check in the mail payers can use our new Pay-by-Check RSVP Form button below.
Have questions?; please use our contact form..
DRIVING DIRECTIONS -
Storrowton Tavern is on the Big E (Eastern States Exposition) grounds. Enter via Gate 1.
• Using GPS to reach Gate 1, enter “Big E Gate 1” or 1761 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, MA 01089,
but NOT 1305 Memorial Ave (the business address on their website and Google search result).
• Without GPS:
From the North Take I-91 South to Exit 5B, Columbus Avenue,
- turn right over Memorial Bridge to traffic circle , second exit, to
- MA-147 West, Memorial Avenue to Big E Gate 1 (about 1.6 miles on the left).
From the South Take I-91 North to Exit 3, to US 5 North, to MA-147 West Exit to
- MA-147 West, Memorial Avenue to Big E Gate 1 (about 1.6 miles on the left)..
Map. Gate 1 to Storrowton Tavern
Enter Big E Grounds via Gate 1.
Go straight past an information booth.
Then turn left onto Hampden Ave (between buildings) then right onto the Avenue of States (with parking on both sides).
Storrowton Tavern arch - walk through to the main entrance at rear of building.
Storrowton Tavern will soon be seen on the left. Walk through the wooden arch with Storrowton Tavern sign above; follow the brick path around the side of the building to the main entrance at the rear of building.