TOWN OF PARISHVILLE, New York (WWNY) – Just off of State Highway 72 in the town of Parishville, Dottie and Steve Parker have been waiting for the holiday season with much anticipation.
While the front of their home has a charm of its own, it’s what’s in the living room that has the neighbors dropping by every year after Thanksgiving until Christmas: Steve and Dottie’s Christmas Village.
“So, the very first one house we got, I think it was 1986. My mother sent it to me and it really reminds me of the Congregational Church in Hopkinton beside the town hall and then from then on we’ve just expanded through over the years,” said Dottie.
From the town square where a carousel goes round and round, to the wooded area where weary hikers gather around a fire, each inch of the Christmas village is full of small details that make people look twice.
It takes more than eight weeks to put this 600-piece village together, including 300 trees and 98 buildings.
Dottie says that she encourages people in the community to drop by the house and look at the village because it gives them holiday cheer.
But this may be the final year people get to see the village.
“We say it’s going to be the last year, but… you never know! I might get real energetic next year and put her up too,” said Steve.
“We’d like to show it to as many people as possible this time, because it’s probably going to be our last time. So from noon to 8 every day – if they call ahead would be great. If not, we do accept drop-ins. We are requesting that masks be worn,” said Dottie.
The Parkers’ phone number is 315-265-2099.
A nearly 40-year project that has brought joy to others, is sure to make people light up – possibly for a final time.
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