‘Twas the month before Christmas and all through the Inn, the guests did make merry with colleagues and kin…
This November 24-26, Roadhouse 52 Inn & Suites will be putting a local touch on the holiday season with the Christmas Gift & Getaway Weekend. Packages are now on sale and include a two-night stay, a Christmas film, a choice of spa treatment or Christmas decor workshop, as well as a vendor market and tasting event.
Inspired by a relative’s annual winter getaways with her daughters-in-law, organizer Robyn Wiebe wanted to create a cozy Christmas experience for people in Southeast Manitoba – and one that would feature a variety of local artisans.
“I wondered, ‘how can we make an event that brings people together and showcases some of our small businesses?’,” says Wiebe, Assistant Manager at Roadhouse 52, adding that she hopes the weekend will be one friends and family want to do over and over again, year after year.
For their part, the participating merchants are already enthusiastic about the Christmas Gift Getaway.
“They’re so excited,” says Wiebe. “I wasn’t really surprised about that, but maybe more at just how readily they were willing to be a part of it.”
Lynn & Liana Designs, for example, will be demonstrating how to create a charcuterie board at the tasting event on Saturday evening, and Home Wine And Brew will be offering a selection of wines and spirits. Guests will also be able to sample products from Stony Brook Creamery, Earls Meat Market, Daily Creations Bakery Cafe, Barnabe’s Coffee and Oh! Macaron.
Tickets are available for purchase for $20 at any of these seven participating businesses.
For the artisan market, 23 vendors will be on site, and Wiebe has a waiting list. “There will be so many amazing things,” she says.
Christmas Gift & Getaway Weekend will get underway when Roadhouse 52’s check-in begins on Friday, November 24 at 3:00 p.m. Guests will have the opportunity to meet one another, get to know the hotel and then enjoy snacks. The evening highlight will be a Christmas movie, which will be screened in the meeting room.
“Saturday is very full,” explains Wiebe.“After getting up in the morning, there will be a special Christmas breakfast, and after that we’ll have the time slots for everyone who’s signed up for either the spa experience or decor workshop.”
For those who’ve selected the spa, they’ll be treated to music therapy, reflexology, a massage and detox frequency therapy. The decor workshop, meanwhile, will take place at Sunshine Greenhouse and will help participants through the process of wreath-making. The vendor market, filling both the meeting and breakfast rooms, will take place from noon to 5:00 p.m. It’s open to the public at $2.00 admission (5 and under are free).
Finally, the tasting event will feature a charcuterie demo, where guests will be shown how to craft both sweet and savory boards.
“And then everybody who’s there gets to sample and taste all the goodness,” says Wiebe. “It will also be semi-formal attire, because we felt we wanted it to have a bit more of a special feeling.”
Check-out is Sunday morning at 11:00, and until then guests will be welcome to use the games room, sitting areas and hot tub.
“The Gift & Getaway package is based on a standard room with double occupancy and is $410 plus tax for two nights, with everything else included,” explains Wiebe. Vendor packages are also available at $260 per vendor.
Full details are available on Roadhouse 52 Inn & Suites’ website, and the hotel, located at 375 Front Dr, Unit B in Steinbach, can also be reached by calling (204) 326-5885.
“Go to our website or call us and our front desk staff will be able to answer your questions and book you in,” says Wiebe.