‘Roaring Twenties Lawn Party’ Returns to Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in July

Photo by Olga Khvan

Dig up some dropped waist dresses and straw boater hats, because the annual “Roaring Twenties Lawn Party” is back this summer in its fourth year. The 1920s-themed soiree will return to the sprawling green grounds of Castle Hill on the Crane Estate on July 31.

Hosted by Boston Swing Central and the Trustees of Reservations in partnership with the Greater Boston Vintage Society, the affair attracts thousands of dapper dancers donning Gatsby-esque threads from head to toe.

The lawn party is a true retro picnic, offering live jazz music, swing dance lessons, games, performances, and a Vintage Fair, with vintage apparel vendors ranging from a haberdasher to a classic shoe manufacturer. There will also be opportunities for joy rides in vintage automobiles, and the chance to compete in the “Dandy Dash,” an obstacle-filled foot race that leads up Castle Hill.

A new addition to the activity list is the “Cabinet of Ancient Wonders,” a tent where guests can interact with costumed archaeologists and adventurers of the 1920s. Organized by Boston University’s Archaeology Department, the tent will exhibit real archaeological artifacts from BU’s Gable Museum.

This year, tunes will be provided in part by Meschiya Lake & The Little Big Horns and Cassidy & The Orleans Kids. Dancers will gather once again on a huge dance floor in front of Castle Hill’s Great House, a Stuart-style mansion that was built in 1928.

After the gates open at 2 p.m., festivities kick off with a group dance lesson at 3 p.m., and later, there’s a lindy hop performance by the Lindy Bomb Squad.

In terms of noshing, attendees are encouraged to pack a picnic or order from vendors including Off the Hook Ipswich, White Farms Homemade Ice Cream and Jules’ Kitchen, Q’s Nuts, and Saigon Alley.

You can see photos from last year’s event here.

The “Roaring Twenties Lawn Party” takes place on Sunday, July 31, 3-8 p.m. at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, located at 290 Argilla Road in Ipswich. Gates will open at 2 p.m.

Tickets and parking are available only in advance. Tickets are $40 per person, and $32 for students, seniors, and Trustees of Reservations members. Children 10 and under will be admitted for free.

Photo by Olga Khvan