When Kevin Jayroe, local realtor and chairman of Georgetown’s Architectural Review Board, and Trudy Bazemore, associate director of the Georgetown County Library, sat down for lunch at the Rice Paddy restaurant 23 years ago, they hatched an idea to create a holiday tour of homes as an event to raise funds for the library’s children’s area and its programs. Jayroe and Bazemore invited homeowners from the historical district, as well as the Willowbank and West End neighborhoods, to open their decorated doors for touring during the season, all for a great cause.
Last year the four-hour event, which falls on the second Saturday of December, attracted over 700 guests, the biggest attendance so far, according to Jayroe, whose home, built in 1739, will be one of the featured homes this year. “We love seeing repeat visitors on the tour because it feels like homecoming,” he said.
“The homes we select for the tour never disappoint,” Bazemore added, “because we always offer a variety. Some houses may be more contemporary with minimalist design, while others may be more traditional with a maximalist decor. Guests keep coming back to take away ideas they can try themselves at home, so we never repeat a house from one year to the next.”
The growth of the event is due largely to the dedicated efforts of the Friends of the Georgetown Library President Bob Willey and the great group of volunteers he recruits to make this a much-anticipated holiday happening. Under his leadership, the tour now includes churches, museums and the Kaminski House, with each room decorated by local designers. Willey also spearheaded a “Santa Shoppe,” which features local vendors who offer handmade crafts for sale, which make unique holiday gifts.
More information about the Friends of the Georgetown Library, as well as tickets and other details about the Annual Yuletide Home Tour can be found online at myfogl.org, and for details on the 2025 Yuletide Home Tour visit https://www.myfogl.org/yuletidetour.
By Sarah Rose
Leave a Reply