It could be a scene from another lifetime. Roasting chestnuts, carolers trilling, Victorian mansions festooned for the holidays and horse-drawn carriages fill the streets of Soulard and Lafayette Square each winter season for annual parlour tours. The events put these richly historic neighborhoods on display for all to enjoy, and the popularity of these tours proves that St. Louis residents haven’t forgot the magic of an old-world Christmas.
The Soulard Restoration Group has been charming the city with its parlour tour for 35 years. The 2010 event will take place December 4–5 and patrons can enjoy the luxury of riding about Soulard in heated shuttle buses. Homes featured on the tour include seven red brick Victorian homes and Federal-style townhouses dating from the mid- to late-1800s. The featured home of the 2010 tour is known as the “rock house,” one of the oldest homes in St. Louis. Homeowners will be on hand to express the lavish history of their homes. Attendees can also enjoy complimentary samples, or “amuses touché,” from 20 popular Soulard eateries.
The 35th annual tour will commence with the Fete de Noel de Soulard from 5:30–7 p.m. in Soulard Market Park Square on Friday December 3. Carolers and the arrival of Santa Claus will round out the tree lighting ceremony, an event that heralds the beginning of the parlour tours and the holiday season.
More holiday merriment awaits during the following weekend, December 11–12, during the Lafayette Square parlour tour. Patrons will begin their journey at the corner of Lafayette and Mississippi, where they will receive tour books and maps. All 10 homes on the tour are within walking distance of one another. This tightly knit community sprang up in the Victorian era and the homes feature plush parlours that reflect the prosperity of the original owners.
Homes on the tour will showcase original collections of Victorian holiday ornaments and mementoes. Traditional decoration collections may include ornaments fashioned with embossed paper faces and “diamond dust,” made from finely crushed glass. These early Christmas trimmings are paired with modern holiday collections, making this tour a treasured event. This year’s tour will also feature carriage rides, carolers and other holiday surprises.
December 4–5: The 35th Annual Soulard Parlour Tour, Gene Slay’s Boys’ Club of St. Louis, 2524 S. 11th, 314-621-6226, soulard.org. $22 in advance, $25 day of the event. Advanced tickets are encouraged for a preferred timeslot. Times: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sat, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sun.
December 11–12: Lafayette Square Parlour Tour, corner of Lafayette and Mississippi, 314-772-5724, lafayettesquare.org. $15 in advance, $18 day of the event. Group discounts available, children 12 and under are free. Times: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat & Sun.
