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Regency Romance Weekend
Dearest Readers,
You are cordially invited to the most ardently anticipated affair of the season: Regency Romance Weekend at Old Westbury Gardens. Step onto the grounds, don your finest gowns and cravats, and prepare for a weekend of charm, wit, and elegant amusements.
Stroll the gardens, try your hand at lawn games and crafts, enjoy classical melodies, test your Austen knowledge, and admire the finery of fellow guests dressed for the occasion. Between diversions, indulge in sweet treats at the café and discover Regency-inspired treasures in the gift shop.
Pray join us for two delightful days of romance, revelry, and refinement. Society awaits.
Yours most affectionately,
Old Westbury Gardens
[Read on}
Saturday, May 2nd
📖 Storybook Stroll: Little People Big Dreams by Isabel Sanchez Vergara
Join us on our new and improved stroll route, we will start at the map stand. Little listeners are invited to join us for a guided stroll through the Gardens! Along the way, we’ll discover nature’s wonders, in our formal gardens. The tour ends at the Thatched Cottage with a story and hands-on craft for each child to take home. Included with admission.
10:30am – 11:30am
Location: The Map Stand📚Wandering Page LI Mobile Bookshop
The Wandering Page Long Island is a mobile bookshop curated for the entire family. Adults and children can find a variety of books across all different genres. The shop also carries a variety of bookish items such as apparel, bookmarks, keychains, stickers, journals and mystery book bundles. These items are all created by the bookshop owner.
10:00am–6:00pm
🪭Fancy Fan Drop-In Craft
Decorate a custom fan with art supplies and embellishments, then take it home. Learn a little about fan etiquette and how fans were used historically while you craft. This is a drop-in activity—join anytime during the program. Fun for all ages and skill levels. $
11:00am – 4:00pm
Location: The Barn at Orchard Hill🏏Croquet All Day! And Other Lawn Games
Enjoy some classic outdoor fun with croquet, cornhole, ring toss, and Jenga set up on the back lawn! Perfect for a little friendly competition and relaxation. Included with Admission.
11:00am -4:00pm
Location: The North Allée
🔎Austen in the Gardens Scavenger Hunt
Take a literary walk through the gardens as you search for Jane Austen books hidden along the paths. Match quotes and clues on your scavenger hunt sheet as you explore. Finish the hunt and visit the Barn or Westbury House for a prize! Included with admission.
11:00am -4:00pm
🩷The Romances of the Past: Why We Love the Couples of Yesteryear
Whether it’s Anthony and Cleopatra, Robin Hood and Maid Marion, Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennett, or Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe, we see our hopes and dreams reflected and refracted in the mirror of the past. Talk with Long Island Romance Writers about what draws us to the romance of another time, and learn what it takes to write a touching tale of love in another era. Included with admission.
11:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Red Ballroom💃Dances of Bridgerton
Join us for an hour of merriment as we learn some dances from the Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte television series! No experience necessary and no partner needed. Instructor Susan de Guardiola will guide you through easy choreographies and talk about how the Bridgerton dances differ from the dances of the Jane Austen era. $
12:00pm -1:00pm
Location: The Barn at Orchard Hill
🎻String Quartet on the South Terrace
Enjoy classical music and some classical twists on modern pop tunes with The Dolce Perenne String Quartet. Included with admission.
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Location: The South Terrace💃Dancing with Jane Austen
Join dance historian and teacher Susan de Guardiola for a lively hour of Regency-era dance inspired by Jane Austen’s novels. Enjoy historical images and fun insights into Austen’s life as a dancer. No partner or experience needed—this beginner-friendly class is perfect for anyone! $
3:00pm–4:00pm
Location: The Barn at Orchard Hill🎨Sketching and Water Coloring for Adults
Explore your creativity in this hands-on adult education program. Participants will use a sketch pad, pencil, watercolor set, and brush provided during class while learning techniques for sketching from observation. At the end, take home your finished artwork to display. $
4:00pm–5:00pm
Location: The Barn at Orchard Hill📚Jane Austen Trivia and Tea
Think you know your Mr. Darcy from your Mr. Knightley? Put your Jane Austen knowledge to the test in this lively trivia program. As you play, sample a variety of teas and enjoy light refreshments while competing with fellow fans for bragging rights and a bit of Regency glory. Adults and Ages 12+ | Included with Admission
5:00pm–6:00pm
Location: The Barn at Orchard HillSunday, May 3rd
📚Austen’s Shelf Mobile Bookshop
Inspired by Jane Austen and guided by a deep belief in the power of stories, Austen’s Shelf is filled with sweet romances, timeless classics, young adult favorites, non-fiction, and regency themed treasures perfect for gifting or collecting.
10:00am–6:00pm
🪭Fancy Fan Drop-In Craft
Decorate a custom fan with art supplies and embellishments, then take it home. Learn a little about fan etiquette and how fans were used historically while you craft. This is a drop-in activity—join anytime during the program. Fun for all ages and skill levels. $
11:00am -4:00pm
Location: The Barn at Orchard Hill🏏Croquet All Day! And Other Lawn Games
Enjoy some classic outdoor fun with croquet, cornhole, ring toss, and Jenga set up on the back lawn! Perfect for a little friendly competition and relaxation. Included with Admission.
11:00am -4:00pm
Location: The North Allée🔎Austen in the Gardens Scavenger Hunt
Take a literary walk through the gardens as you search for Jane Austen books hidden along the paths. Match quotes and clues on your scavenger hunt sheet as you explore. Finish the hunt and visit the Barn or Westbury House for a prize! Included with admission.
11:00am -4:00pm
🪡Embroidered Bookmark Class
Learn basic embroidery stitches and craft an embroidered bookmark with the help of an instructor. All supplies are included, and participants take home their hoop and embroidered design. Adults and Ages 12+. $
11:00am -1:00pm
Location: The Barn at Orchard Hill🎻String Quartet on the South Terrace
Enjoy classical music and some classical twists on modern pop tunes with The Dolce Perenne String Quartet. Included with admission.
1:00pm -2:00pm
Location: The South Terrace
Lecture: Austen’s Shelf: Don’t Quit Your Daydream
After a cancer scare, Charity stopped waiting and opened Austen’s Shelf, a thriving South Jersey mobile bookstore. In Don’t Quit Your Daydream, she shares how life’s challenges can lead us to what truly matters. Inspired by Jane Austen, Austen’s Shelf features romance, classics, YA favorites, and Regency-inspired gifts. Included with admission.
2:30pm – 3:30pm
Location: The Barn at Orchard Hill
Sketching and Water Coloring for Adults
Explore your creativity in this hands-on adult education program. Participants will use a sketch pad, pencil, watercolor set, and brush provided during class while learning techniques for sketching from observation. At the end, take home your finished artwork to display. $
4:00pm–5:00pm
Location: The Barn at Orchard Hill