Heritage Farm’s enchanting Christmas Village and upcoming snow park promise to be snow much fun.
written by ALISHA JARRETT
HERITAGE FARM MUSEUM AND VILLAGE IN HUNTINGTON is constructing a new snow park that will be open to the public year-round. The park will offer a multitude of wintry activities, such as snow tubing, ice skating, ice slides, skiing, and good old-fashioned playing in the snow.
“The skiing industry is especially vital in West Virginia, because it helps to boost tourism,” says Audy Perry, executive director of Heritage Farm. “However, it comes with challenges, such as cost, opportunity, and weather. One of the reasons we’re creating this snow park is to address all three of these issues. We want to teach more people to ski year-round, affordably and sustainably, so they can visit and support our state’s wonderful ski resorts.”
You may be wondering—how will Heritage Farm make snow outdoors all year long? The park plans to use a machine that can create snowflakes regardless of temperature and to address sustainability by operating it off of energy from roughly 25,000 square feet of solar panels. Yes, you read that right—the machine uses the sun to make frosty snow! How cool is that? The snowmelt will also be captured by the machine so the water can be reused for a brand new batch.
The snow park is projected to open in 2025, but in the meantime, check out the Christmas Village at Heritage Farm, a winter extravaganza that will ignite the holiday spark in anyone. Visitors can enjoy a wagon ride and view Christmas lights, explore museums, shop for handmade goods from local artisans, take a photo with Santa Claus in an 1800s-style sleigh, make crafts with Mrs. Claus, decorate cookies, sing Christmas carols, and, of course, frolic outside in the fresh glistening powder.
“It’s a fabulous time of year—everything you would expect an Appalachian Christmas to be,” says Perry. “From log cabins covered in strings of antique white lights to a live Nativity scene complete with Mary, Joseph, and a real donkey traveling down the mountain, it’s a fantastic and memorable experience for all.”
Heritage Farm’s Christmas Village is open December 6–7 and December 13–15, 5–9 p.m. Tickets are available at heritagefarmwv.com and cost $17 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $10 for children, with free admission for those aged 3 and under.
3300 Harvey Road, Huntington, heritagefarmwv.com, @heritagefarmhtgtnwv on FB
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S WINTER 2024 ISSUE
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