Plant City Candlelight Tour marks 17 years

If you are up for a casual evening touring of historic homes that have been decorated for the holidays, you are in for a treat Dec. 5.

The East Hillsborough Historical Society's 17th annual Candlelight Tour, from 5 to 9 p.m., includes stops at four homes in the north residential historic district with optional dessert and dinner.

The tour costs $15 per person; tour with dessert is $20; and tour with dinner and dessert is $30 per person.

The tour will highlight the homes of Patti and Ray Brownlee, 706 N. Evers St.; Brenda and Guy Ford's Strawberry House Bed & Breakfast, 805 N. Wheeler St.; Ellen and Johnny D. Hill, 702 N. Collins St.; and Karen and Jimmie Dan Robinson, 909 Roux St.

Ellen Hill said this is the fourth year she has prepared her home for the Candlelight Tour.

"We decorate the house and the yard a little earlier and a little more extensively for the tour," Hill said. "The house was built in 1901 and was originally used as the First Presbyterian Church manse. It was moved to our present location in 1958. This site was also where the old livery stable once stood 100 years ago."

Historical society President Shelby Bender asked Hill to participate in this year's tour.

"I own a commercial decorating company, Ellen Hill Christmas Decorator, and we do office buildings and businesses all over Hillsborough County," Hill said. "Sometimes it is hard for me to find the time to do my own house the way I would like to. But I'll be ready for the Candlelight Tour. Johnny and I are looking forward to it."

First United Methodist Church, 303 N. Evers St., will provide punch and cookies and display paintings by John Briggs, and entertainment by organist Richard Wisher, The Spirit Singers, saxophone and flute player Larry Clark, and a flute, violin and piano trio made up of Lenn Stone, Tom Yeager and Jean Hackley.

Dinner and dessert will be served in the banquet room at the 1914 Plant City High School Community Center, 605 N. Collins St. There will be seatings at 5, 7 and 8 p.m.

Tickets may be picked up beginning at 4:45 p.m. at the community center.

No tickets will be mailed.

For information, call (813) 757-9226.

The reservation deadline is Dec. 3.