Tour the Town! Celebrate the Holidays with the Providence Preservation Society Downtown Holiday Festival.

Visit some of the most distinctive and extraordinary residential and commercial spaces in Downtown Providence, many not open to the public except during this tour. Combining contemporary design with historic architecture, these interiors showcase the adaptability and remarkable vitality of Downtown buildings. This self-guided tour is sure to dazzle and inspire.

The day will also feature hay rides, carolers singing along the streets, activities for children, holiday snacks and hot beverages, and a tree lighting ceremony at City Hall. Additionally, many shops will be open with live entertainment for your shopping pleasure.

Tour sites will be open to ticket holders 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Tickets for the tour are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the event. The Registration Center (where you pick up your guidebook which serves as the ticket) is at the Peerless Building Atrium at 150 Union Street. Click for directions. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day-of the tour. Advance ticket sales at $25 will close on Thursday, December 3 at 5 p.m. After that time, only $30 tickets will be available at the Registration Center on the day of the event.

Ticket holders will also be admitted to the following lectures and tours by showing their guidebooks :

• Clark Schoettle, Executive Director of the Providence Revolving Fund, will present an overview of recent historic preservation projects in Downtown Providence. Through his compelling "before and after" photographs and in-depth knowledge of individual buildings, he will highlight the dramatic transformations taking place in the historic core, many stimulated by the State Historic Tax Credit program and the Downcity Fund.
  
• Tripp Evans, Associate Professor of Art History at Wheaton College, will present a lecture on "Federal, Unreserved: Union Trust and the Vertical American Renaissance." Providence's architecturally exuberant Union Trust Company Building (1901) is both a model of American Renaissance design and an important example of Rhode Island's contribution to the evolution of skyscraper style. Taking a look at the architects, client, and historical context of this building, Professor Evans will explore its significance as a marker of the city's unique banking and design history.
  
• PPS Guided Tours of Downtown: Let a professionally trained guide lead you on a vibrant walking tour that highlights the rich history and architecture of Downtown!

Following the tree lighting, continue to enjoy downtown in the evening with PPS at the "After-Tour Celebration" sponsored by Lite Rock 105 and featuring Tavares band member, Tiny Tavares. Attendees will savor hors d'oeuvres and cocktails while listening to holiday music. The After-Tour Celebration will take place at the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Providence, 58 Weybosset Street, Providence , RI 02903. The Celebration in this recently renovated historic building will start at 6:30 p.m.