On Jan. 5, fans of the show are invited to The Log Cabin for an elegant evening that will include a five-course dinner, dancing to a live orchestra, commentary by food and fashion historians and an advance screening of Season 3 of the popular period drama set at an estate in the English countryside.
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Julia Flannery of Holyoke featuring a Downton Abby period dress she will be wearing to the ball at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on January 5th.
HOLYOKE—Julia S. Flannery already knows what she is going to wear to The WGBY Masterpiece Ball in Celebration of Downton Abbey: a mostly black and gray floor-length gown with a full skirt and small train with an intricate black, gray and tan lace top, draping in the back with lace. “It’s very detailed and exquisitely sewed,” she said.
She’ll probably wear gloves that reach above the elbows and understated jewelry to keep attention focused on the details of the dress and not the accessories.
The Holyoke resident selected the early-20th Century couture as a tribute to the fashion on the popular PBS series “Downton Abbey.”
Season 3 premieres Jan. 6, but the night before you can join Flannery and other fans of the show at the ball.
On Saturday, Jan. 5, fans of the show are invited to The Log Cabin for an elegant evening that will include a five-course dinner, dancing to a live orchestra, commentary by food and fashion historians and an advance screening of Season 3 of the popular period drama set at an estate in the English countryside. It spans 1912 through the 1920s and follows the lives of those who inherited the castle and their servants.
“Downton Abbey” won six Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe in its first season. It averaged 17.1 million viewers during Season 2, making it the most-watched Masterpiece series ever.
The series’ “unprecedented success” sparked the idea for the ball, said Marie Waechter, WGBY director of community engagement and events. “Our viewers are really excited about it and really care about it.”
The ball is WGBY’s kick off of 2013, a first-of-its-kind event for the Western New England PBS station.
When Flannery heard about the ball, she found the dress she will wear on E-bay. “Even though I love the characters (on the series), my favorites are the house and fashions,” she said. “I love to look at the house and gardens and the fashions.”
What makes the series appealing, Flannery said, is the visual beauty, interesting story line, characters, high fashion and “little bit of soap opera” with intrigue and deception. “It’s a lot of fun to watch.”
The special setting for the screening is the result of the attitude “if we’re going to do a Downton Abbey-themed event, we’re going to do it right,” Waechter said, noting that among the special accouterments will be a 12-piece live orchestra for dancing to period music, a world-class exhibition of ballroom dancing and a fashion contest; guests are invited to dress in period formal attire or as their favorite character from the series.
There will be a pub quiz, food commentary and a fashion history commentary.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Waechter said.
Guests at the ball can bid on items signed by Elizabeth McGovern--Lady Grantham in the series.
The series’ popularity is a result of its cast, production and coverage of an historical time period that is still relevant, Waechter said. It’s portrayal of transitions, changing social mores and the lives of everyone in the house add to its appeal. “It’s not just about the gentry but about everyone,” she said. “It was a time of unprecedented social change after World War I.”
A timely menu, planned by Chef Michael “Mick” Corduff and food historian Darra Goldstein, will be based on a menu aboard the Titanic.
This is a major fundraiser for WGBY and celebrates all of what the station brings to viewers: drama, story telling and connection, Waechter said.
Tickets are $100 and $250 (for special “gentry” seating) per person and are available online at www.wgby.org/downtonabbey or by calling Marie Waechter at (413) 781-2801, ext. 247.
Those who wish to attend only the 10 p.m. screening do not need tickets; it is free and open to the public.