The first Milford Museum Regency Gala, held Saturday, February 4 at the Milford Senior Center was a huge success for the organization. Sold out more than a week before the event, the gala was loosely based on the hit Netflix show, âBridgerton,â and featured period music, dancers from TADA Dance Studio, a full buffet provided by Lighthouse Catering and modern dancing music provided by Dana McDonald.
âThis was our first time trying a formal gala like this,â Nicole Rogers, Operations Manager, said. âAs a millennial, I knew that the Regency Era was very popular right now, so I thought that we could pull off a regency-themed gala not only to raise funds for the museum, but also to show that history can really be fun.â
Guests arrived to find a wisteria laden arch that welcomed them into the Crystal Room at the Milford Senior Center. Although not required, the majority of those in attendance wore period costumes. Raffles were held for the âFeatherington,â âViscount Stable,â âSpill the Teaâ and âWet Your Whistledownâ baskets filled with items donated by area businesses. At the end of the evening, Ann Dragon was named the âDiamond of the Season,â winning a large basket that was also filled with donated items.
âWe had the best time,â Kim Louise posted on social media. âThank you for everything!â That evening, many guests commented that they were already looking forward to next yearâs event and some even offered ideas for other eras that would be fun to attend.
Throughout the evening, âLady Milfordianâ made announcements, thanking sponsors and offering little tidbits of âgossip.â Several photo op stations were placed around the room, including a regency-era parlor, a garden setting with a bench and a romantic pearl enclosure. TADA also offered dance lessons during cocktail hour to those who wanted to learn some of the dances popular during the regency era.
âWe were overwhelmed by how popular this was,â Rogers said. âThere were people who traveled from Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey just to attend this event. Not only did this help raise funds for the museum, but it also added a small boost to the Milford economy as hotels and restaurants benefitted from the out-of-state visitors. This could not have happened without our strong team of volunteers who spent countless hours creating decorations, planning the evening, gathering donations, setting up and then cleaning up when the night was over. We truly rely on them and the community as we strive for our mission to preserve the past for the future.â
Anyone who would like to help the Milford Museum with events can reach out via email to [email protected] or give them a call at 302-424-1080. More information about events and volunteer opportunities can also be found at their website at www.milforddemuseum.org.
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