Everyone loves to dress up from time to
time, and who doesn’t dream sometimes of what life would be like if they were
born in a different era? With a historically themed party, you’re giving your
guests the chance to do just that, if only for the day. Whether it’s just for a
bit of fun, or as part of a fundraising event, you’re sure to have the crowds
flocking in to get their taste of the past. If you follow our 7 top tips to
planning a historical party, you’ll be well on your way to organising an event
that people will remember for a very long time.
Decide on the Period
Are you looking for something that’s more Renaissance
Faire, or Medieval Banquet? A Victorian or Georgian day at the park? Or a military
re-enactment? Whatever you’re thinking about, you need to pick a specific time
period, and stick to it. A historical party takes a lot of planning, so you won’t
have the time to change your mind. Think about what your local area is most
famous for historically and work around that. Is there a local historical
society that you could link up with to discuss your plans? Having an in-depth
knowledge of the era that you decide to go for is always a plus. You’ll also
need to think about the type of audience that you want to attract as that may
influence your decision.
Choose Your Venue Carefully
Once you know the period of history that
you want your event to explore, it’s time to start searching for the perfect
venue. Luckily, there are a whole host of historic venues for hire in London,
so there’ll be one that will fit with your plans perfectly. From grand houses,
to castles, to banquet halls, any type of historical party will be possible. If
you are looking for an area for outdoor activities in particular, you will need
to make sure that you book your venue early in the year as the summer months
tend to book up quickly with different events. The managers of the properties
are sure to be enthusiastic about your event, as it’s rare that a party is held
that uses these venues in the way they were built for.
Hire Some Experts
With any historical event, it’s necessary
to get in some experts to help to guide you. You will want to be as
historically accurate as possible, and so hiring people who have studied the
period of your interest in-depth will help you to create an event that really
allows your guests to step back in time. They’ll even be able to help you come
up with more ideas for fun activities on the day. Having them about at the
event means that you will have some people who can explain the history to your
guests and answer any questions they may have about this period in history.
Details are Important
Attention to detail can make or break an
historical event. You want everything to be as correct as possible and encourage
your guests to fully immerse themselves in the experience. For example, at a
medieval banquet, no forks are allowed! If you are having an event in the
Georgian era, teach people about the etiquette of the time and the role that
women played. Many will find it difficult and eye-opening to have to wait to be
introduced to someone or chaperoned at all times! It is these details that teach
us about what our history was really like.
Have Plenty of Spare Costumes
Do you want everyone to dress up at your
event? If so, it’s best to have plenty of your own costumes on hand for people
to wear. It can be hard for the general public to acquire the right outfits, so
you’ll want to be able to keep everyone happy when they arrive and help them to
get into character! This is also a great chance to explain the different
articles of clothing to the people who arrive, why they were popular, and what
difficulties arose because of the way that people dressed.
Have Historical Food and Drink
What’s a party without some food and drink?
Of course, at a historically themed party, you’ll need to keep everything that
you serve relevant to the time period. Think mead and ale for medieval, and
some traditional home-cooked pies for the Victorian era. While not everyone is
going to like the food, serving it in a traditional manner is exactly the type
of thing that brings these events to life. If you are using an outdoor setting,
you can even organise to have a pig on a spit, although this will shock some
people!
Activities for Everyone
You will need to have a good idea of the age
range of the people that are set to attend your historical event and have
activities prepared that will suit all ages. Archery is always popular but
having opportunities for people to try their had at traditional blacksmithing,
sewing, and other games will keep everyone in high spirits. If there’s plenty
to do, everyone is much more likely to stay around for longer. It’s always a
good idea to round off the day with a show or other activity that will
encourage people to stay. This might be jousting or a parade, but whatever it
is, make sure that it’s well advertised when promoting your event.
Everyone loves some history, and what
better way to get involved than with an historical party? Whatever era you
choose to set yours in, make sure that you plan well in advance and consult
with the experts to get all of the details right. It’s a great use of some of
our historical landmarks, and if people enjoy it, you might even be asked to organise
an historical party every year!
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