The Friends of Wood Memorial Library & Museum invite you to join Clara and the Nutcracker Prince in the Land of Sweets, as you experience one of the largest gingerbread house festivals in New England. The Friends’ 12th Annual Gingerbread House Festival opens Thanksgiving weekend and runs from Friday, November 25th thru Sunday, December 18th, 2022. Stroll past fairy tale houses and fantasy trains all covered with bright, colorful candy. 

12th Annual Gingerbread House Festival:
Land of Sweets!

Located at 783 on historic Old Main Street, in South Windsor, the Wood Memorial Library provides the perfect holiday venue for provides the perfect holiday venue for showcasing the sugary artistic creations among sparkling lights and colorful decor.

November 25 thru December 18, 2022

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season while gazing upon replicas of historical buildings alongside edible villages, all created by regional artisans and bakers, community members and students, expert and beginner alike.

Enter Your Creation Today!

Join in the FUN!
Volunteer Opportunities for
Youth & Adults!

Finally, don’t forget to stop by “Ye Olde Gingerbread Shoppe” for the opportunity to take home a bit of the magic with many holiday themed gifts and treats.

Thursdays & Fridays 10am-7pm
Saturdays & Sundays
10am -5pm

Festival hours are Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 7pm; Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm. Please note the library is closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The festival is FREE and open to the public. However, donations from individuals visiting the festival are greatly appreciated, and we suggest an entry donation of $1-5 per person. You can additionally support the festival by purchasing raffle tickets and patronizing the gift shop.

Support this Holiday Fundraising event and join in the FUN!
For more information visit
www.woodmemoriallibrary.org

50th Anniversary Dinner is held at Maneeley's

The 50th Anniversary of the Friends of Wood Memorial Library & Museum was celebrated at The Grand Lodge at Maneeley's with an evening of food, friends and fun. 

The celebration included brief and funny remarks about the influence of the organization on the community and thousands of South Windsor students by both Dr. Kate Carter, Superintendent of South Windsor Public Schools, and The Honorable Elizabeth Pendleton, Mayor of South Windsor, who also presented the Friends with a proclamation celebrating their 50 years of success!

The Edith Vibert Volunteer Award 

Longtime supporter and volunteer Sue Shepard, was the recipient of the Edith Vibert Volunteer Award for her decades of service to the organization in positions as varied as the children’s librarian to a director on the Friends Board. In the 90s she was instrumental in the development of the Friend’s annual fund, and in 2011 she helped to establish the Friends’ endowment fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. 

Over the years, Sue helped to found both fundraising dinners, and the Friends’ annual golf tournament. Sue is a true ambassador, having helped to introduce the Friends to new neighbors, volunteers and sponsors over her many years of service. Thank you, Sue Shepard!

History In Progress Award

Also on display that night, was the National History in Progress Award that the Friends received from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) for the permanent outdoor exhibit, Nowashe Village. Read this interview on AASLH for details about the project & award.

November is Native American Heritage Month

The Friends are celebrating Native American Heritage Month throughout November. We have a special display created from items in our collections, for viewing until November 12, 2022, in the upper gallery. The exhibit consisting of items on loan from the Gary Nolf including a large Woodland-era CT-found clay pot, a stem point from the collection of Michael Pasqualini and assorted regalia items of the Eastern Woodlands.

We are also offering three of our Native American Lifeways online programs for free during the month of November, Storytelling, Stone Tools, and Wampum.  Simply use Heritage2022 as the discount code when prompted.

Patrons are also invited to visit Nowashe's website to learn more about the history of Indigenous Peoples in South Windsor and some Algonquian words in the Village vocabulary

November Programs

Please check the website or Facebook for the latest information as there were several errors in the print newsletter.  My apologies for any inconvenience!

" Artivist" Nayana LaFond's Exhibit Closes but her latest Sculpture is Installed in Nowashe Village
Closes November 5, 2022
11am – 4pm

Don't miss the new wigwam sculpture on display in Nowashe by artist, Nayana LaFond creator of the exhibit “Portraits in RED, The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Peoples Painting Project”. This sculpture Be the Change, is a piece is about Domestic Abuse. 

When you sit inside the structure you will see words & phrases in over 12 languages including five Indigenous Languages. These words are meant as a source of comfort & inspiration for those experiencing domestic abuse, and those who survived.

Native American Heritage Month

November 5, 2022

11:00am – 4:00pm

Free (donations are welcomed)

Join Courtney Turner as she explores the traditional foodways of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Nation. Courtney will be presenting on Indigenous foodways, focusing on what foods would be eaten during the fall season, including Nasamp and ash cakes, quail, and cranberry tea. 

Today, Indigenous quillwork is undergoing a revival, after having come close to being a lost art. Explore the fascinating history and practice of quillwork with Miciah Stasis (Herring Pond Wampanoag) who celebrates and maintains this traditional cultural practice today in her modern art works. Miciah also will discuss the methodology of creating quillwork pieces and the decorative use of natural dyes.

Celebrate Native American Heritage and our second successful season of programming and events at Nowashe Village.

A Native American Winter with Dr. Lucianne Lavin

November 12, 2022
1:00pm – 2:30pm

Fee $10 per household

Please note this is a ZOOM Program. If you were a Native Person living 500 (or 1000 or 5000) years ago, likely you would look forward to the winter season. Connecticut’s Indigenous Communities were outdoor peoples who not only survived but thrived under adverse weather conditions. This PowerPoint presentation describes the traditional winter activities of Native Americans before the coming of European settlers to Connecticut. Register online.