Morning Call: 28th annual Rooms to View House & Garden Tour: Virtually explore breathtaking outdoor spaces in Bethlehem area

For 27 years, the Rooms to View House & Garden Tour has been the premiere spring fundraising event at Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS).

This year, the tour takes on a new digital format – Rooms to View Virtual Outdoor Room & Garden Tour beginning Friday, June 5.

The event, with a theme of “bringing the outdoors in,” begins with the opening of the HBMS online store and a “sneak peek” of the outdoor living areas and striking gardens on Friday, June 5.

The online store features home accessories, artwork from prominent local artists, specially curated planters from Barto-based Scott Rothenberger’s PLACE, wine from Upper Macungie Township’s Boos Rock Winery and menu samplings from Historic Hotel Bethlehem.

Merchandise will be available for pre-order and safe curbside pickup 1-6 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in June at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, 427 N. New St., Bethlehem.

A live Zoom event featuring the estate of Tom and Chris Motamed kicks off the two-part video series at 6 p.m. Friday, June 12. Patrons will enjoy touring the Motameds’ beautiful outdoor room and pool house, along with a cooking demonstration by the Historic Hotel Bethlehem, a signature cocktail presentation by Lower Saucon Township’s Black River Farms and wine pairings from Boos Rock Winery.

Rooms to View guests will be able to purchase their wine and food-to-go items on the HBMS online store prior to the live event. The live segment wraps up with tours of an environmentally friendly garden at the home of Barry Pell in Fountain Hill and Tim Shannon in historic downtown Bethlehem.

The full series of outstanding garden tours will be released on Vimeo on Friday, June 19.

Guests will be able to explore well-designed pools, patios and gardens from nine homes owned by Peggy and Frank Baker of Saucon Valley, John and Susan Blair of Saucon Valley, Carol Dorey and John Berseth of Springtown, Karen and Steve Hampton of north Bethlehem, Mary Ann and Michael Hilton of Saucon Valley, Pat and Matt Millen of Durham, Judy Siegfried of Riegelsville, Rudy and Annette von Watzdorf of downtown historic Bethlehem and Joe and Brenda of Saucon Valley.

The tours are coupled with must-see demonstrations from Allium Floral Design, Ornithea House of Flowers, a “paint along” with local artist Elena Shackleton and herb garden tips from HBMS volunteer Sharon Donchez.

Tickets for the live event, virtual tour, and demonstrations are $30 for HBMS members and $40 for future members and can be purchased on HBMS’s website. All proceeds help HBMS to maintain 20 historic landmarks in Bethlehem.

The Rooms to View Virtual Outdoor Room & Garden Tour is made possible through the generosity of its sponsors, including presenting sponsor Quadrant Private Wealth, Premier Sponsor Argyle Capital Management and Innovation Sponsor ASR Media Productions.

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TOUR DETAILS

What: The Rooms to View Virtual Outdoor Room & Garden Tour

When: Tour series begins Friday, June 5.

Tickets: Tickets for the live event, virtual tour, and demonstrations are $30 for HBMS members and $40 for future members

Details and info: historicbethlehem.org/rooms-to-view-house-tour-2

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