By Brooke Hill | Staff Writer
Candy cane soda, eggnog soda and hot Dr Pepper are some Christmas treats that aren’t all too common.
At the Dr Pepper Museum’s 10th annual “A Dr Pepper Christmas” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy musical groups from nearby school orchestras, bands and choirs, as well as to take pictures with Santa, make some crafts and receive a full meal.
“I like seeing all the different music groups that come in,” said Mary Beth Farrell, communications manager for the museum. “We have some of the same ones that come every year, but just getting to hear the holiday music and see the kids perform. This is a great opportunity for their parents to get to come see them perform kind of in an intimate space, not in an auditorium or something like that. We always have a lot of families and parents of the performers come, and that’s my favorite part.”
Farrell said that the liquid lab presents them the unique opportunity to create “artisan craft syrups” and serve holiday themed craft soda. Holiday flavors this year will be cranberry mint, candy cane, black pepper prune (Farrell pointed out that although this sounds gross, it’s one of her favorites) and eggnog soda.
“We always come up with some fun punches and drinks to have, so for some people it’s the first time they get to taste hot Dr Pepper, so that’s always fun to see their reaction to having Dr Pepper served hot with a slice of lemon,” said Joy Summar-Smith, associate director of the museum.
The staff at the museum is excited for guests to be able to see the museum all decked out for Christmas.
“It’s just another way to see and enjoy the museum,” Farrell said. “We really go all out with our decorations as a part of the downtown district, businesses downtown are really encouraged to go all out with our decorations to make downtown feel really special, and we’ve been doing that for a long time anyways, so for me, I just hope people get to come and enjoy the museum in a different way than they normally would.”
Summar-Smith said that one of her favorite things about the event is that it can become a tradition for families to partake in year after year.
“It’s become a part of their holiday tradition, going and experiencing the Dr Pepper museum in a different way with their family,” Summar-Smith said. “It just becomes part of what they want to do every year.”
Tickets are available on the museum’s website page. Adult tickets are $12, child tickets are $6 and there is a range of donor opportunities available as well.
