Jazz Age Lawn Party, Benefit for the New Castle Historical Society: Pack a picnic and join NCHS on the Chappaqua Station lawn to experience the Roaring 1920s! Then dance to the music of Michael Arenella’s Dreamland Orchestra, the world’s premier Jazz-Age dance orchestra. You may know them for their performances at Jazz Age Lawn Parties on NYC’s Governor’s Island. Michael will strike up his band under the canopy of trees in front of the Chappaqua train station.

Rummage through your closets for your best seersucker suits or 1920s-inspired garb, sun hats, and dancing shoes. Rain or shine!

NCHS’s Jazz Age Lawn Party benefits the New Castle Historical Society’s Greeley House and it’s educational programs.

More from The New Castle Historical Society

The mission of the New Castle Historical Society is to discover, collect, preserve and communicate the history of the Town of New Castle. This begins with maintaining the historic Horace Greeley House at 100 King Street in Chappaqua. You can read the history of the house here.

Castles of New Castle House Tour

In addition to their membership efforts, NCHS supports their programs with a series of well known local events. Beginning with the popular Castles of New Castle House Tour that is held every May. Each year, local residents generously open their homes to NCHS’s guests to support the tour. If you have a yen to sneak a peak into some of the intriguing houses you drive by everyday then check this out. NCHS has featured tours of houses in a wide variety of architectural styles.

Community Sing, Holiday Crafts & Tree Lighting

Each year the New Castle Historical Society decorates for the season using items that the Greeley family would have used when it was their country home from 1864-1873. The event begins with a Community Sing at Bell Middle School presented by The Chappaqua Orchestra. Then children of all ages are invited back to the Greeley House to create old fashioned crafts. Including button wreaths, paper snowflakes, quilled paper stars, cork critters, and natural seasonal decorations.

As darkness falls, the Society’s Tree Lighting celebration marks the beginning of the holiday season. As a special treat and to delight the little ones, that jolly old elf, Santa, will pay us a visit. All events are free and open to the public!

Victorian Valentine’s Tea

Each year the Society organizes a special Victorian Valentine’s Tea for children in grades 2-4. A special treat is making special old-fashioned valentines for a loved one. Other Victorian crafts have included memory strings, crafting beautiful paper fans and floral tussie mussies. Everyone will also be able to practice their excellent penmanship using slate pencils and slate tables.

The young guests will then enjoy a formal Victorian Tea with vintage china and sample yummy treats in the dining room of the Horace Greeley House. This program is co-sponsored by the Chappaqua Library.