The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History is planning once again to open its doors to the community when it hosts the annual Holiday Open House.

This year’s event is set for Dec. 15, from 10 a.m., until 5 p.m., and admission is free, according to Executive Director Matt Edwards.

Edwards said the open house is one of his favorite events throughout the year.

“This is the museum’s annual gift to the community,” he said. “This free annual event is a great opportunity to come and see the museum decorated and spruced up for the holiday season.”

During the event, visitors can tour four floors of museum exhibits, browse themed Christmas trees, shop for holiday gifts and enjoy light refreshments and live holiday music.

Read more: Mount Airy News - A holiday favorite…

During the month of October, the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History will be offering a multitude of activities that will appeal to a variety of interests.

For those who love wine and music, the museum is offering its Toast and Jam program on Friday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Jam, or music, will be offered by The Classix band, and the Toast, or wine, will be offered by Old North State Winery. The program will be held outside in the museum’s courtyard. The program is free to the public.

Wine tastings will be offered and wine will be sold by the glass and by the bottle. Toast and Jam is being sponsored by B&L Custom Jewelers.

For history buffs, the museum will be offering another session of its History Talks series on Saturday at 2 p.m. The talk will be presented by North Carolina Humanities Road Scholar, Ed Southern. He will give a talk about the “Race to the Dan - The Retreat That Won the Revolution.”

The strength of individuals and the strength of community were recognized at the first Mount Airy Museum of Regional History’s Founder’s Day celebration held Thursday in the Woltz Clock Tower and Courtyard.

Mount Airy Mayor Deborah Cochran gave the opening speech at the gathering. She was accompanied by Vice Mayor Pro tem Steve Yokeley and City Commissioners Scott Graham and Dean Brown.

Read more: Mount Airy News - Strength of individuals community praised at Founder’s Day ceremony

Staring into the faces of old friends from his past on Monday at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, Hylton Wright explained how he is the last one of the 1946 Mount Airy Fire Department that is still alive. “I could tell you stories about every one of these men,” said Hylton as he looked at a blown up picture of the department on the wall. “I was the youngest in this picture.” The photo was taken in front of the old police station located on City Hall Street. It was located beside the old fire department building. There were 21 members in the department in those days and D.G. Witt was the chief, Wright said. All three of the fire trucks featured in that 1946 photograph are housed in the basement of the museum. Mount Airy’s first fire truck was a 1916 truck. The second and third trucks are 1926 and 1946 American LaFrances. The earlier two trucks have steering wheels on the righthand side of the vehicle, because they were made in France, he said. Read more: Mount Airy News - The last one standing…