2021 Santa Gathering Agenda
Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Check in and Registration (start time to be announced)
Vendor set-up (start time to be announced)
Dinner on your own
Thursday, September 9, 2021
10:30: Strasburg Railroad train ride
12:00: Lunch on your own
Training classes:
1:30-2:30
History of Santa Fashion, Part 1 – Doug Eberhart
10 Steps to Master a Virtual Visit – Deanna Golden (virtual)
Child Development – Nick Gillotte
2:45-3:45
History of Santa Fashion, Part 2 – Doug Eberhart
Mrs. Claus on the Move – Deanna Golden (virtual)
Tax Q&A – Ann Donley & George Grasic
5:00: Dinner at Plain and Fancy Smokehouse BBQ Restaurant
7:30: Entertainment by Scott Correll who will show everyone how to make your puppet come alive. ANY puppet. I show magic you can do with your puppets. And they are great for interacting and story telling. And lots of laughter.
Friday, September 10, 2021
9:30: Lancaster Central Market
12:00: Mrs. Claus Luncheon at Hotel
12:00: Santa Pizza Party at Hotel
Training classes:
1:30-2:30
Video Security & Video Visits – Fred Leuck
A New Annual Tradition: An Alternative to Zoom Visits – Joe Harkins
Mrs. Claus Roundtable – Judi Broderick
2:45-3:45
Story Telling & Magic for Mr. & Mrs. Claus – Steve Kissell
Creating a Presence on the Web – Dan Greenleaf
Santa Forum – Paul Agrusti
4:00-5:00
Setting Up your Virtual NP with & w/o green screens – Bill Barnsley
Make Your Santa Business More Profitable – Dan Greenleaf
Balloon Art – Eric Plomchock
5:00-6:00: “Santaland Diaries”, a story of one man’s experience as a Macy’s Christmas Elf & “State of the Season”, both presented by Mitch Allen, Head Elf at HireSanta.
6:00: Dinner at the Hotel with Entertainment: Comedy of Steve Kissell, and Gift Basket Drawings
Saturday September 11, 2021
9:30: Dutch Wonderland
12:00: Lunch on your own
Training classes:
1:30-2:30
Posing for Pictures – Danielle Foster
Santa and Mrs. Claus: An Entertaining Couple – Joe Barney
Visiting Sick & Dying Children – Dan Slipetsky
2:45-3:45
Thrifts to Gifts – Tony Mills
HireSanta – Mitch Allen
Stories Galore – Becki Stratton
4:00-5:00
0-100 in 8 Seconds: How to get noticed in a moment’s glance – Judi Broderick
Dare to Be Different – Joe Barney
Magic/Puppets – Scott Correll
6:00: Dinner at the Hotel followed by Fashion Show, Military Tribute, and 50-50 Raffle
Sunday, September 12, 2021
Pack and leave for home
2021 Santa Gathering Excursions
Attendees are responsible for their own transportation to excursions.
Please allow adequate time to arrive so we may enter as a group.
Strasburg Rail Road
301 Gap Road, Ronks, PA
Website: www.strasburgrailroad.com
When you visit Strasburg Rail Road, the first thing you can expect is an authentic experience of a real steam railroad. The locomotives and passenger cars, (known as “rolling stock”) are not replicas, and our staff members are not reenactors. Strasburg Rail Road has five working steam locomotives and 20 operating passenger cars, including our President’s Car, First-Class Parlor Car, First Class Lounge, and our Dining Car. All equipment is restored and maintained on-site in our Mechanical Shop.
Arrive by car/carpool by 10 a.m.
Cost: $13.50
To reserve your spot on the Rail Road, go to our Shopping & Payment page. Payment in advance is required.
Plain & Fancy Farm
3121 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand, PA
Website: www.plainandfancyfarm.com
Farm to table since 1959, and Lancaster County’s original Family-Style Restaurant, Plain & Fancy offers their Traditional Farm Feast for group meals. The 10 pristine acres that make up Plain & Fancy are surrounded by Amish farmlands and located midway between Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse on Route 340, an AAA cultural scenic byway. In Lancaster County, Plain & Fancy Farm is the only place where visitors can find it all, including Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides, The Amish Experience Theater, Country Homestead and Farmland Tours, Country Store, gardens, farm animals and Amish View Inn & Suites.
Cost: Included with reservation fee.
Dutch Wonderland
2249 Lincoln Hwy E, Lancaster, PA
Website: www.dutchwonderland.com
Arrive by car/carpool by 9:30 a.m.
Since opening on May 20, 1963, Dutch Wonderland has consistently been recognized as a premier family theme park near Philadelphia, PA and has been voted one of the Top 5 Best Kids Parks in the World by Amusement Today magazine. We invite you to plan a visit to find out why generations of families have visited us and proclaimed us to be A KINGDOM FOR KIDS!
I don’t know of a better way to wind down then to be at Dutch Wonderland and seeing children’s eyes as we enter the park, and not only theirs but also the parents, and make our way to the Train. It is so cool to see the Santas and Mrs. Clauses take their seats and ride the train around the park. This will be our eighth year and it is still as wonderful as the first. After the train ride we will tour the park, sit on a bench and greet the children or climb into a bumper car and I can tell you the kids love it.
Cost: Included with registration fee.
Lancaster Central Market
23 N Market Street, Lancaster, PA
Website: www.centralmarketlancaster.com
Designated as a market town in 1730, the City of Lancaster is home to Lancaster Central Market, the oldest, continuously running public farmers’ market in the country. More than 60 local vendors call the beautiful 1889 Market House home three days each week, when it opens its doors to welcome the surrounding community. A step inside is sure to highlight all that Lancaster County has to offer. A walk through its aisles will find an abundance of produce from the deeply nutrient-rich soils native to the local landscape; an array of prepared foods representing the proud cultural diversity of the county; and locally sourced meat, poultry, cheeses, and more.
Cost: Free – the market is a public place.
2021 Santa Gathering Fashion Show
Palm Court, at the Hotel
Come One! Come All! Pack your favorite outfits to wear for Fashion Show 2021! We know how you love to show off your creative outfits to other Santas and Mrs. Cs! Wonder what Santa Howie and Santa Dan will have in store for us this year! We are back in the Palm Court for the Fashion Show on Saturday evening. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions. See me at registration in our Hospitality Room and let me know if you will be walking the “red carpet” and what you will be wearing. We are going to have so much fun again this year!
Mrs. C. Annette Falkevitz
wvlady43@msn.com
Committee Members:
Santa Paul Nagy, Registration & Website Mrs. C. Annette Falkevitz, Fashion Show
Santa William Neely, Logistics Mrs. C. Alana Neely, Events
Mrs. C. Carol Ward, Mrs. Claus Activities Mrs. C. Linda Yuengel, Mrs. Claus Activities
Santa Greg Puskar, Vendors Mrs. C. Debbie Puskar, Website & Facebook
