A local interior design company is rekindling holiday memories for Northeast Ohioans.
Room 2 Room Commercial & Interior Design, which recently moved its base from Akron to the Cleveland area, has adorned Cleveland’s Horseshoe Casino inside and out for its Holidays at the Higbee celebration. The scheme was inspired by the holiday decorations of the building’s longtime tenant, Higbee’s department store.
The decorations include window displays on Public Square and Ontario Street, an original 35-foot tree that’s been refurbished for display outside the casino, and lighted, garland-covered archways reminiscent of the original Higbee’s holiday decor.
Cynthia Klein, lead designer and owner of Room 2 Room, said the casino wanted to create a nostalgic look that would honor the memories of casino patrons who often talk about their visits to Higbee’s.
“One thing Higbee’s was famous for was going all out on their decorations,” she said. “ …This isn’t your normal cookie-cutter Christmas.”
Contest deadlines
A few contests to note:
• Ace Hardware is giving away a room makeover valued at more than $10,000 in its Merry Paint Makeover Facebook contest. To enter, visit Ace Hardware’s Facebook page and submit a photo and 100-word description of a room that needs some attention. Deadline is Monday, so get busy.
• The Family Handyman magazine and Ikea will award a kitchen makeover valued at $25,000 to a worthy not-for-profit organization such as a firehouse, youth club or soup kitchen. To nominate a group in the Rescue Remodel Contest, visit www.RescueRemodel.com. Nominees must explain in 500 words or fewer how the renovation will benefit both the community and the organization and describe what makes the group deserving of the makeover. Deadline is Dec. 15.
• Marvin Windows and Doors is giving away $5,000 toward its products and offering advice on reducing a home’s environmental impact in its Smart Performance Promotion. To enter, visit www.marvin.com/energy by Dec. 31.
Events, programs
• Crafty Mart, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Musica and We Gallery, 51 E. Market St. and 20 N. High St., Akron. Sale of uncommon arts and crafts by local artisans. Free admission and parking in the library deck at High and Market streets. www.craftymart.com.
• Book signing, 11 a.m. today, Wild Bird Center, 117 Merz Blvd., Fairlawn. Julie Zickefoose will sign her book The Bluebird Effect.
• Christmas Around the World, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Medina County Community Center, Medina Fairgrounds, 735 Lafayette Road. Crafts, entertainment, food, children’s activities including an opportunity to visit Santa. Admission: 13 and older, $5; 60 and older, $4; 6-12, $2; 5 and younger, free. www.christmasinthecolonies.com/christmas.
• Holiday Tree Festival, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, John S. Knight Center, 77 E. Mill St., Akron. Display and sale of more than 400 decorated trees, wreaths and decorations. Free admission. Proceeds benefit Akron Children’s Hospital.
• Scrapbooking, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Brunswick Library, 3649 Center Road. Create four scrapbook pages. $8. Bring adhesive. Registration: www.mcdl.info or 330-273-4150.
• Warm Up Akron meetings, 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Mogadore Branch Library, 144 S. Cleveland Ave. Members knit and crochet rectangles that are used to make afghans for needy people in the Akron area, and they’ll teach others the skills. 330-699-3252 or http://warmupakron.webs.com.
• Holiday Crafting With Sheila Loomis, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Highland Library, 4160 Ridge Road, Granger Township, Medina County. Make a holiday craft. Free. Registration: www.mcdl.info, 330-278-4271 or 330-239-2674.
• Needlework Circle meeting, 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Seville Library, North Center Street. 330-769-2852.
• Santa Belly Porch Pot Workshop, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Graf Growers Garden Center, 1015 White Pond Drive, Copley Township. Embellish a porch pot filled with live greens. $39 cost includes greens and decorative pot; embellishing materials extra. Reservations: 330-836-2727.
• Holiday House, Wednesday through Dec. 2, 1117 Forest Drive, Wooster. Mid-century modern home will be decorated for the holidays. Patrons Nights, 4-8 Wednesday and Thursday; tickets $30 each or two for $50. Patron night reservations: jwarden@gpubs.com. General admission, 4-8 p.m. Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2; tickets $10 ($9 with a Buehler’s Advantage Card), available at Buehler’s stores in Wayne County. Event benefits Every Woman’s House.
• Yarncrafters meetings, 1-3 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Medina Library, 210 S. Broadway. Knitting and crocheting group. www.mcdl.info or 330-725-0588.
• Holiday Arts & Crafts Show, Friday through Dec. 2, E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., University of Akron campus. Hours: noon to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 1 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 2. $4.50; seniors, $4; 12 and younger, free. Free parking. www.ejthomashall.com.
• Holiday Home Tour, 1-5 p.m. Dec. 1, Canton. Tour of six homes in the West Park neighborhood. Tickets: $10 for one or $15 for two, available in advance at Plant Et Art, Taggarts and Kennedy’s Bar-B-Que, all in Canton, and on tour day in the parking lot of the Canton Garden Center, 1615 Stadium Park Drive NW. Proceeds support the holiday light display at Stadium Park. www.westparkneighborhood.org.
• Holiday tours, Saturdays starting Dec. 1, Perkins Stone Mansion, 550 Copley Road, Akron. Hours: 1-4 p.m. Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22. $6, seniors $4, students $2, members free. www.summithistory.org.
• Holiday Memories, through Dec. 30, Hower House, 60 Fir Hill, Akron. Victorian mansion is decorated to reflect memories of holidays past. Self-guided tours noon to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 1-4 p.m. Sundays; guided and group tours by appointment. Closed Dec. 24-26. $8; 65 and older, $6; students, $2; children 6 and younger, free with adult. 330-972-6909 or www.uakron.edu/howerhse.
• Deck the Hall, through Dec. 30, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron. Music-theme holiday decorations in the Manor House, lighted grounds, entertainment and visits with Mr. Jingeling. Open 5-8 p.m. today, Sunday, Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 1-2, 6-9, 13-23 and 26-30. Members, $13.50 for adults and $5.50 for youth; others, $17 for adults and $7 for youth. 5 and younger admitted free. Tickets available at the door or in advance at 330-836-5533 or www.stanhywet.org.
• Glow, through Dec. 31, Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Blvd. Holiday plantings, trees and decorations, along with entertainment, a gingerbread house display and a Garden Express train ride. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; and noon to 5 p.m Sundays. Closed Mondays except Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. $12; children 3 to 12, $6.50; members and younger children, free. 216-721-1600 or www.cbgarden.org.
Submit notices of classes, programs and events two weeks in advance to mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com or Home and Garden News, Features Department, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640. Please include name and phone number. All events must be open to the public.
Mary Beth Breckenridge can be reached at 330-996-3756 or mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/mbbreck, follow her on Twitter @MBBreckenridge and read her blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/mary-beth.