Hancock Holiday Nights
Tonight I took the family to visit "Hancock Holiday Nights" at the Hancock Shaker Village at 1843 West Housatonic St in Pittsfield, Ma.
Hancock Shaker Village is a former Shaker commune that was organized in 1790. The village was closed in 1960 and sold and became a national landmark in 1968. For more information on Hancock Shaker Village, visit their website at www.hancockshakervillage.org.
Below, I will describe what I did to book this event. Also, please remember that this is strictly my opinion from what we experienced while on property.
Booking the event was straightforward for the most point. Visit www.hancockshakervillage.org and click "Events" then "Hancock Holiday Nights." there was a little confusion on their website, but I did manage to figure it out. Once you select the date you would like to attend, then "Tickets-Date/Time." You then can choose different times on the right by clicking "Other times:" where other times will dropdown. Once the time is selected, add your party according to age and register for the event. Ticket prices were $20 for adults, $10 for ages 6-18, and free for children under five years of age.
Parking for the event was easy, and there was plenty of it. The parking lot and walkway weren't well lit. Please take caution if slippery spots arise due to the cold weather. There was a greeter just outside the Shaker Merchantile where check-in happens. Upon entering the Merchantile, you will need to approach the register where your name and time will be confirmed; no tickets were required at check-in. Directions and what to expect while on the property will be explained.
The paths were dimly lit by hanging lanterns, so take caution and watch your step once again. I decided not to take my tripod for my camera. If you have one and would like some quality shots from your DSLR or Mirrorless cameras, I advise bringing it. You can step off the path a few feet to set up. My tripod is large, and I didn't want to carry it. A travel tripod would have been perfect. Since I don't own one yet, I had to deal without it. The buildings were lit like a quiet relaxing rustic community would be. It was a very comfortable walk around the grounds. The property at our time wasn't too busy, and the only slight bottleneck was where the animals were located. There were more photo locations on our way back towards the cafe and gift shop, but it became difficult due to rain and sleet. The fire pit before entering the cafe was nice to warm up a little. The cafe was a cute little area. Wine, beer, hot cocoa/cider were available, and some other items. We didn't purchase anything, but the staff was delightful.
We had a wonderful time at Hancock Shaker Village. This was my first time on property, and I will return once they reopen after the winter. This was a much different experience for us. We have attended "Winterlights" and "NightWood," which we enjoyed immensely. "Hancock Holiday Nights" is more of a community family-based walkthrough. Even though all these events are for families, this one isn't as busy as the others and will have a different feel. It was indeed a nice change, and we enjoyed our time together.
I want to thank all the staff we interacted with last night. The time and effort you all put in are incredible. Thank you for allowing us to share our time with you and the animals!
