Happily Ever After for Santa Claus' Fairytale Castle

Santa Claus, IN (PRWEB) July 24, 2006

Visitors are expected to flock to this week’s grand re-opening of the town’s 70-year old castle, which claims to be the first and oldest themed attraction in the nation. The “Candy Castle”, as it has been known for decades, was first dedicated December 22, 1935, and was originally sponsored by the Curtiss Candy Company, creators of the Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars.

The Candy Castle was the first attraction in “Santa Claus Town”, a family-oriented themed tourist attraction that was the vision of Vincennes, Indiana entrepreneur Milton Harris. Harris saw the potential of Santa Claus, Indiana’s unique name after its post office had been featured in Robert Ripley’s famous Believe It or Not cartoon in 1929.

The castle has been closed to the public for over thirty years, having fallen into a dismal state of disrepair. The grand re-opening should provide the long-anticipated “happily-ever-after” ending to the modern-day fairytale of the Candy Castle. The once-magical building delighted thousands during its heyday in the 1930’s, but ultimately closed after a host of challenges including legal battles with a rival entrepreneur and the lean years of WWII. A private family recently completed an extensive restoration of the historic castle, transforming it back to its former glory.

The castle will be re-opened as “Santa’s Candy Castle” and will once again be open to the public as a family-oriented themed attraction. It will feature a gallery of the history of the castle and of the town of Santa Claus, Indiana; visits with Santa and letter-writing to Santa for children; and a confectionery shop that will boast the world’s largest selection of gourmet candy canes.

The grand re-opening ceremony for Santa’s Candy Castle will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday, July 26th. The ceremony will be open to the public at no charge.

On the web: http://www.santascandycastle.com.

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