This year's Victorian High Tea, put on by the United Church, was another great success, and even busier than last year's High Tea. The event, which ran from 1:30 to 3 p.m. both Friday and Saturday, saw well over 100 people sit down with tea, treats, and a festive hat each day. The High Tea on Friday had a record-setting attendance out of all the Dickens Village Festival years.
Upon entering the tea, Irene Doty was ready to find a big, decorative, Victorian hat for the ladies and a less extravagant hat for the gentlemen. Many of the fancy hats featured at the High Tea were fashioned by Doty herself, who uses old straw hats to create the fun, elegant pieces.
All the attendees of the High Tea were more than happy to adorn their special hats, finding the little bit of dress-up to be very entertaining.
Along with the tea, the United Church also held a bake sale and silent auction as well as had numerous quilts on display in the tearoom. Many of the quilts decorating the walls were creations of the quilt group in Carlyle.
The quilt show even featured an antique quilt, as well as a beautifully embroidered quilt hand-sewn by a lady in her 90's. The quilt show and tea attracted quite a few quilters from all over Saskatchewan and beyond, who came to admire the work of others.
Friday saw the musical talents of Glenna Stewart on the harp, while Sharon Elliott entertained guests on the harp at the High Tea on Saturday. Sharon, who plays a harp made from the wood of a demolished Saskatchewan grain elevator, was quite excited to be at the Dickens Village Festival for the first time, and was happy to share her music with the large crowd.
Happy, laughing faces filled the room as volunteers cheerfully served tea, coffee, biscuits, tiny sandwiches and other sweets! With everyone in high spirits, the Victorian tea was quite the joyful event!
