Christmas at the Castle

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - For the first two weeks of December, the historical Brookside Mansion on the campus of the University of Saint Francis will be converted into a Christmas display.  The 25-room mansion will be decorated by local designers with various Christmas themes.

As part of the Christmas at Saint Francis events, the former home of John Henry Bass will be open on December 1 and 2 as well as December 8 and 9 from noon to 5:00 p.m.  The cost is $5 per person.  A family pack for up to six people is available for $20.  All tickets can be purchased day-of in the lobby of the North Campus building which is located across the street from Brookside Mansion on Spring Street.  Golf carts will be available for people with mobility issues.  Brookside Mansion is also completely wheelchair accessible including an elevator.  There's also a Senior Day on December 7 that will offer a discounted entry fee for seniors.

"At the University of Saint Francis, we think it's very important for us to celebrate Christmas in the most beautiful and spiritual way possible.  Brookside is part of the beauty of our campus here," said Janet Patterson, events coordinator for Christmas at Saint Francis.

Christmas at the Castle has been a staple on the Franciscan campus.  This will mark the third year that all three floors will be open for the event following the restoration of the building that was completed in 2010.  A similar event was held back in the 80's and brought back in its current incarnation in 2006.

"The Franciscan tradition is steeped in beauty and since we're a Franciscan university, we want people to share with us the beauty of this building," said Patterson.

The public will be able to see the parlor on the first floor to the ballroom on the third floor and everything in between.  Volunteers will be on hand to answer any questions about the building.  At a leisurely stroll, the tour should last about an hour.

December 2 is a busy day on campus with a fair-trade shopping bazaar at the North Campus building, a Star of Bethlehem show at the planetarium as well as the lighting of the lake and living nativity events.