West Michigan 37th Annual Candlelight Walk with the Marshall Historical Society

The Marshall Historical Society's 37th Annual Candlelight Walk will be on Saturday and Sunday, December 10th and 11th. Event chairperson Lyne Wirtz calls it "the perfect beginning to the holiday season."

The Candlelight Walk features guided tours of five historic homes decorated for Christmas. The homeowners and family members will greet the visitors. Each tour begins with a reception at the First Baptist Church, 305 W. Michigan Ave.

Tours are at 4:30pm and 6:45pm both days. Participants are urged to arrive 20-30 minutes before the scheduled tour times to enjoy the receptions. Wirtz emphasized that this is a walking tour and that participants should wear comfortable shoes. Each tour group will have approximately 25 persons and make a circuit of the five Candlelight Walk homes.

Four of this year's homes are along North Kalamazoo Avenue with the fifth on nearby West Prospect Street. They are the homes of Richard and Polly Healy, 224 N. Kalamazoo Ave.; Judy Babcock, 327 N. Kalamazoo Ave.; Carol Beuker, 501 N. Kalamazoo Ave.; Tom and Ruth Shehigian, 513 N. Kalamazoo Ave., and Wesley and Joelle Knoch, 604 W. Prospect St.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through the Marshall Historical Society's website at marshallhistoricalsociety.org or by calling (269) 781-8544. Ticket purchasers are asked to select their preferred tour times. Ticket sales are limited to 125 per tour. Wirtz said the more popular early times are expected to sell out quickly.

Candlelight Walk ticketholders will have admission to the Honolulu House Museum, 107 N. Kalamazoo Ave., that also will have holiday decorations. Museum hours will be extended to 11am to 8:30pm on December 10th and 11th.

Tour proceeds are used to maintain the society's three museums and to support community efforts to preserve and showcase Marshall's heritage.

This Old House magazine has recognized Marshall as one of the 10 Best Old-House Neighborhoods in the U.S. and Canada.

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