Winter in the Village’ experience at Governor Bebb MetroPark’s Pioneer Village will have 4 cabins open

Winter in the Village will be 6-8 p.m. Dec. 12 at Governor Bebb MetroPark’s Pioneer Village. Advance registration is required at yourmetroparks.net. The cost is $5 per person and free for children ages two and younger. Walk-ups the day of the event will be accepted if the event registration doesn’t reach full capacity. (Limited availability.)

“This is a celebration of what people would have done back in the 1800s when it was cold outside. So, during the winter, they had different pastimes of a seasonal nature,” Lavoie said.

During the immersive, self-guided experience, guests will stroll through the historic Pioneer Village to see how settlers more than 200 years ago stayed warm, were entertained and some of the things they did during winter months. Fires will crackle inside the log cabins, and MetroParks educators, dressed in period attire, will demonstrate traditional seasonal crafts and pastimes.

Four cabins will be open. One of the cabins will feature knitting and clothing making. Another cabin will highlight different table-top and card games and toys of the time period. In the third cabin, they will be making and serving hot apple cider. The fourth cabin will focus on handwriting and card-making.

“One cool thing is we are planning on using Walnut ink for the cards this year,” Lavoie said. “So, we have homemade ink. That should be exciting. We are preparing it now.”

This is the second year of the event. Last year, about 75 visitors participated. This is a family-friendly event for participants of all ages.

The experience is a way to connect with the history in Ohio, and it is a way to make memories with family, he said.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to see the cabins in a way that a village might have looked 200 years ago,” said Lavoie.

Guests will learn about what it was like before there were televisions or phones.

“Our mission is to bring people out into the parks. We want to provide those recreational experiences, and we do think that having these events when we have the park open is another way to build that sense of community. It’s also a fun, educational experience for everyone to enjoy,” Lavoie said.