Come for an afternoon of good laughs, sweet treats and vintage Wedding gowns galore at the 2009 DuPont Historical Society Cherry Blossom Tea and Vintage Bridal Show on May 2nd at 2:00pm at Chloe Clark Elementary School (1700 Palisade Blvd.) in DuPont. This year’s tea will include finger sandwiches, wedding cake, tea, and a fashion show featuring 100 years of bridal gowns and wedding fashions from the 19th to the mid 20th century. Guests are invited to wear hats, gloves or fashions from their own weddings. The tea will begin promptly at 2pm. This year there are many opportunities to participate, including sponsoring, hosting or decorating tables.
“We would like to invite local businesses, clubs, and churches or simply groups of friends in sponsoring tables”, said Lee McDonald, President of the DuPont Historical Society. Various levels of sponsorships are available from $50 up to $500. Clubs or businesses can sponsor as many tables as they choose. Interested parties can also host a table for $80- $100. Each table seats 8 to 10, and there are 20 tables total. Individual seating is $12.
Table Decorators are encouraged to create wedding themed tables for tea-goers. Some sample wedding themes offered by publicity chair Cara Mitchell are “Golden Wedding Anniversary, Wedding Vegas-Style, Hawaiian Wedding or Spring Garden. We think people can have some fun with this and can even recreate the wedding theme or colors from their own weddings”.
Tea History
In the mid 1930s, the DuPont Company planted Japanese Cherry Trees down Barksdale Avenue and around the parks and green spaces. According to the DuPont Historical Society, the village ladies began hosting an annual Cherry Blossom Tea some time in the 40s to celebrate the beautiful cherry tree blossoms, which were a welcoming site to rain-weary residents. The first Cherry Blossom Teas were held at the DuPont Club House. After the Club House was torn down, the tea moved to the DuPont Community Presbyterian Church. In 1976 the townspeople replanted diseased and missing trees.
This year’s Cherry Blossom Tea will again be held at Chloe Clark Elementary. “Last year, over 175 ladies attended the tea; many of them wore their new or vintage hats and tea fashions. I think the villagers would be proud to see that we are carrying on the tradition,” said McDonald.
For reservations and sponsorships or to host or decorate a table, please call
253-964-2399 or 253-267-5267. The Cherry Blossom Tea and Vintage Style Show is a fund raising event for the DuPont Historical Society. The Bridal show is put on by Goodwill Industries Golden Oldies Guile, a charter member of Goodwill Industries Volunteer Services. The Society’s mission is to preserve, interpret and promote the Historical heritage of the City of DuPont and surrounding areas for present and future generations.