The Roaring Twenties Lawn Party Is Even Bigger This Year

Photo by Olga Khvan

This year, the annual Roaring Twenties Lawn Party at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate will entertain double the dapper dancers.

Ipswich’s Gatsby-esque affair has expanded to an entire weekend, offering two days of Lindy Hopping on August 5 and 6. The retro picnic’s five-year anniversary celebration will feature all of the old favorites—jazz, swing dancing, and lawn games—plus one breathtaking new offering: house tours. Guests will be able to take a break from dancing to embark on a 30-minute guided tour of the Crane Estate’s Great House, a 1928 mansion that serves as a striking backdrop to the dance floor.

The event, hosted by by Boston Swing Central and Trustees of Reservations, attracts thousands of fashionable flappers and gentlemen donning their best 1920s garb. This year, swinging tunes will be supplied by Tamar Korn and A Kornucopia on Saturday and Baby Soda Jazz Band with Tamar Korn on Sunday. Attendees are encouraged to pack a picnic or order from vendors including Ferreira Foods, White Farms Homemade Ice Cream, and Kelly’s Roast Beef.

After the gates open at 1 p.m., the party kicks off with a group dance lesson at 3 p.m. Aside from mastering the Charleston, guests can explore the vintage fair, play croquet, and hop inside an antique automobile on the sprawling green grounds of Castle Hill. Festivities wind down at sunset.

In years past, the 1920s-themed Sunday soirée has sold out, which is why organizer Mike Hibarger says it expanded to two days. Hibarger, the president of Boston Swing Central, suspects the new Saturday offering will sell out quickly, too.

“The ticket sales so far have Saturday outselling Sunday two-to-one,” says Hibarger. Ticket sales opened on April 24th. Each year, says Hibarger, the event grows larger.

“A lot of people reserve this weekend and plan other trips around it now, so it’s pretty exciting that they’re prioritizing the Lawn Party over their trip to the Cape or New Hampshire,” he says.

Looking to reserve a spot? Tickets and parking passes are available only in advance. Tickets are $40 per person, and $32 for students, seniors, and Trustees of Reservations members. Parking passes are $10 per car, and children 10 and under are admitted for free. For the die-hard ’20s enthusiast, there’s also a two-day pass, priced at $70 per person and $52 for students, seniors, and Trustees members.

The Roaring Twenties Lawn Party takes place Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6, at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, located at 290 Argilla Road in Ipswich. Gates will open at 1 p.m. For more information, see roaringtwentieslawnparty.org.

Photo by Olga Khvan