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Twelfth Night Masquerade Twelfth Night Masquerade Saturday,January 4, 2020 6:00pm to 9:00pm The beautiful Gothic Tudor style Hunting Hill Mansion at Ridley Creek State Park will set the scene for our first annual Twelfth Night Masquerade. Who will be the King or Queen of Twelfth Night? One lucky winner will be selected to receive a special prize and command of the party. The evening will feature hors d’ouevres, dinner, dessert, wine and beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. Wassail, the traditional Twelfth Night beverage, will be served, along with a Twelfth Night cake. Guests will enjoy live music from the 18th century, compete in a "Best Mask" contest and play games common to 18th century parties. Colonial costume and masks encouraged but not required. A good resource for those wishing to rent 18th century costumes might be Pierre's Costumes on 3rd Street in Philadelphia (we are in no way affiliated with Pierre's Costumes but have heard they have a good selection of historic attire.) Those not wishing to come in costume may dress in cocktail attire. Masks are encouraged--your mask may win you one of our amazing door prizes! INCLEMENT WEATHER DATE WILL BE SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020. A decision on whether to reschedule will be made 24 hours in advance and all ticketholders notified by email. The best GPS address to use for Hunting Hill Mansion is 351 Gradyville Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073. The mansion is the same location as the Ridley Creek State Park office. Plentiful free parking is available. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS   What Is Twelfth Night? This historic holiday has all but been forgotten in the 21st century, but Twelfth Night was arguably THE most important day of the colonial year next to New Year’s Day. Twelfth Night is the last day of the midwinter festival, known as “Yuletide,” which begins December 25th and ends January 6th. Colonists celebrating Twelfth Night feasted, drank, and made merry before returning to winter drudgery. Twelfth Night traditions included the baking of a special cake, an ornate confection into which a bean or coin was placed. The person who found the bean or coin became the King or Queen of Twelfth Night. Another tradition is the consumption of wassail, an ale-based drink seasoned with spices and honey. Revelers often poured a little wassail on their apple trees to bless them for a bountiful harvest the following season. Often, Twelfth Night partygoers wore masks and cavorted through the streets, visiting homes unannounced to beg for treats and drink. In England, these masked dancers were called “mummers,” which continue to appear in Philadelphia’s New Year’s Day parades and New Orleans’ iconic Mardi Gras. |
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