Despite the rain, the 41st annual Victorian Stroll in Troy became a vibrant celebration on Sunday, with residents from the Capital Region embracing the historical charm of the Gilded Age.
"It's that quintessential New England holiday Sunday where everybody comes out to the town, and you got people in costume, people not in costume, and everyone's just mingling together," Troy resident Ryan Palmer said.
"[It] comes from the Gilded Age, you know, it's kind of a dark time," resident Lake Isachsen said. "And so, when I picture a Victorian setting, I definitely picture rain and steam."
"Now that they're shooting 'Gilded Age' here and in Troy, you know, it feels like you can just dress up and pretend to be part of the fun," Matthew Zimmermann of Schenectady said.
The Victorian Stroll blended with the bicentennial celebration of the holiday favorite poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas," honoring the very city where it was published.
"I just read it to my 2-year-old granddaughter for the first time, and that was pretty magical because I've been associated with this poem for a long time, and I've loved it my whole life," publisher and author Pamela McColl said.
Published in December 1823 in the semi-weekly newspaper Troy Sentinel, the historic poem evoked nostalgic memories for McColl, who has published a book about it.
"The most rewarding thing for me is to hear people saying we're still reading this poem and love it," McColl said. "So that's the best part of my job."
Beyond the cultural celebration, the annual event has economic significance as participants dress up as business owners, supporting small businesses in the area.
"I feel like it's something that's not really paid attention to in the Victorian era," said Cro Dorr, who transformed into a Victorian-era shoe shiner. "But I was like, you know what? I'm going to do it."
"Troy thrives and takes so much pride in our small businesses that are here, and the margins for them are so tight," Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce President Norris Pearson said.