Holiday High Tea Features Music, Food, Shopping and Fun

This holiday season, revelers will get a rare opportunity to see two of Crawfordsville’s most prestigious historic homes decked out in Christmas finery during the 5th Annual Holiday High Tea & Fashion Show, a fundraiser for the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum, on Friday, December 2 from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

This year’s event takes place at both the Crawfordsville chapter DAR House on Wabash Avenue and the old Elston Homestead on adjacent Pike Street, now home to Wabash College President Patrick White and his wife Chris.  These privately-owned homes, two of Crawfordsville’s most well-preserved architectural treasures decorated lavishly for the season, will feature live entertainment, an interactive fashion show, a sale of original themed holiday wreaths, and live holiday music from the T-Tones, a men’s vocal ensemble from Wabash College.

“Our Holiday High Tea has become a valued community event celebrating the advent of the holiday season in a beautiful historic setting,” said Helen Hudson, Chair of the Tea Committee.  “The General Lew Wallace Study & Museum, the Daughters of the American Revolution, Wabash College, and Crawfordsville Main Street merchants cooperate to create for us, and for our many out of town guests, a sparkling afternoon.”

High tea will be served at the Elston Homestead, complete with coffee, sweets, and savory snacks provided by the Tea Committee and Bon Appétit from Wabash College.  Local models will show off fashions from local boutique heathcliff, and the venue will be decorated with seasonal floral arrangements by Milligan’s Flowers & Gifts.  Homestead Greetings & Gifts will showcase the latest Vera Bradley designs, and door prizes from several local merchants will be awarded throughout the afternoon, giving event-goers several chances to win accessories and decorations to brighten their own homes. 

The Daughters of the American Revolution will be offering tours to Tea guests of their beautifully-appointed Dorothy Q chapter house, decorated in a Victorian Christmas motif where a unique display of original themed holiday wreaths will be available for sale.  These wreaths have been created especially for the Tea by artists and designers from throughout the area, and each one will be a fabulous décor item or holiday gift idea.

The afternoon’s festivities will not be limited to the tea, however.  Guests are being invited to make a day of their Crawfordsville sojourn, taking advantage of discounts and specials only for Tea guests throughout the downtown retail district, enjoying lunch at several terrific restaurants, and possibly even culminating their visit by purchasing tickets to the Sugar Creek Players’ presentation of “Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus”, which premieres at the Vanity Theater that night.

Reservations for the Holiday High Tea and Fashion Show are $25 per person and due by November 30.  To reserve places for you and your guests, call the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum at 765-362-5769.