Jazz Age on the Delaware Makes Philadelphia Debut at Glen Foerd Mansion Today

Jazz Age on the Delaware will make its rollicking debut today, August 1, 2015, from 11:00am to 5:00pm, on the estate of Glen Foerd on the Delaware.

Enjoy open-air merriment with 1920's music and dancing with Drew Nugget & Midnight Society, The Red Hot Ramblers with Chelsea Reed, The Minsky Sisters, The Gin Canaries (pictured), Old City Sweethearts and Dandy Wellington.

Other era-inspired fun will include dance lessons, elaborate picnics, vintage-inspired food and drink, vintage shopping, mansion tours, lawn games, antique automobiles, a pie baking contest, and much more. Plan to step out in your best period attire and celebrate the elegance of the period.

Pre-sale tickets are on sale now starting at $45.00 at www.jazzageonthedelaware.com. Children 12 and under are free. Tickets go up to $55.00 the day of the event. Proceeds will support Glen Foerd's mission to preserve the estate for the community and future generations.

Glen Foerd, the region's only Gilded Age mansion on the Delaware River, will serve as grand host for Philadelphia's premiere roaring Twenties party - and the summer's newest pop-up sensation. Step through the estate's front gates and travel back in time to an era when the Charleston was all the rage on the dance floor, hemlines and hairstyles were on the rise, and libations went underground during Prohibition.

"Jazz Age on the Delaware is a day to experience and partake in the free-spirited fun so prevalent in the 1920's," said Executive Director Meg Sharp Walton. "Guests will come as close as they'll ever get to an era where it seemed as though good times would never end.

Revelers will enjoy an immersive experience that brings together the best of 1920s fashion, food, drink, music, dancing and more. All festivities listed below will take place on the Glen Foerd grounds at 5001 Grant Avenue, and are included with the price of admission (unless otherwise noted). Jazz Age on the Delaware will be held rain or shine.

LIVE PERFORMANCES:

Jazz Age on the Delaware presents the bees knees of entertainment from Philadelphia and New York City. In order of appearance, the line-up will include:

* The Red Hot Ramblers with Chelsea Reed - This 1920s jazz ensemble exemplifies red hot syncopation, stompin' rhythms, and lyrical melodies associated with the Jazz Age.

* The Gin Canaries - Philadelphia based birds that will keep your toes tappin' and your heart soaring with Miss Christa and Paul Salter on vocals (and horns), Louis Marchesani on guitar and banjo, and David Graves on the black and whites.

* The Minsky Sisters - The glittery gals are swingin' and shufflin', tappin' and flappin' their way around speakeasy street, hoping to give you a glimpse of what has been referred to as "sizzle"!

* Drew Nugent & The Midnight Society - Philadelphia's very own red hot jazz ensemble that specializes in playing jazz, blues and pop music from 1900-1934

* The Old City Sweethearts - Whether they're tapping their toes or cutting a rug, the Old City Sweethearts are always dancing up a storm.

* Dandy Wellington - Inspired by the Big|Brave Band Era of Jazz, Dandy Wellington and his Band have taken the sounds of the 1930's and 40's and created a world of well dressed music.

If your toes start tapping and you find that you don't know the moves, complimentary Charleston lessons will be provided on the dance floor under the blue skies.

FOOD AND LIBATIONS:

Take in the sights and sounds of the times while you enjoy food and drink from your own picnic blanket. Pack your own lunch and bring a picnic basket full of homemade cuisine. Purchase snacks and beverages on-site from Jamie Hollander Gourmet Foods and Catering (limited quantities). For the easiest and most leisurely way to enjoy a day of noshing on the lawn, pre-order tasty offerings from Jamie Hollander in advance when you order your event tickets. Preservation Society VIPs will also have access to special complimentary drinks and food with their special ticket purchase.

Vintage-inspired cocktails will be available throughout the event featuring Art in the Age and Hendrick's Gin spirits. Cocktail recipes will be designed by the region's top bartenders at the Speakeasy Stroll on Wednesday, May 27, 2015. Jazz Age tips the hat to Prohibition days with no outside spirits allowed on premises. All guests must be 21 and older to drink.

PIE BAKING CONTEST:

Calling all modern Millies! Dust off your grandmother's recipe box, get out your rolling pin and enter the first Jazz Age on the Delaware pie baking contest. Organizers are looking for the flakiest and most tender crusts, boozy pies worthy of the title of Speakeasy Supreme, and the berry pie your friends call "a taste of a summer's day."

Pies will be judged on the day of the event by a panel of esteemed judges that will include the region's top bakers, chefs and food journalists. Pie categories will include fruit and sweet pies, savory pies, boozy pies and most original pies. Upon arrival, contestants will drop off their pies by 1:30pm at the porch of the mansion. All Jazz Age guests can watch the judging at 1:30pm.

All contestants must be attendees of Jazz Age on the Delaware. Interested bakers should email their name, phone number and what kind of pie they will bake to phillyjazzage@gmail.com. They should also include a sentence or two about themselves and why they would like to enter the contest.

MANSION TOURS:

Step inside the beautiful Glen Foerd mansion for guided tours that show off notable features, including cantilevered grand staircase, impressive pipe organ, stained glass skylights, and even a rathskeller (translation: basement beer hall). Hear about the people, both wealthy and working class, that are part of the Glen Foerd story.

SHOPPING, SIGHTS, GAMES AND MORE:

On the ground surrounding the mansion, look for vendors selling their vintage fashions, decor and memorabilia. Antique cars from the 1920s will be parked in the grand circle in front of the mansion's main door. Look for antique bicycles throughout the estate that will help set the mood. Join your pals in a game of croquet or a rousing game of badminton. Watch for other surprises - to be announced.

JAZZ AGE STYLE:

As part of the authentic Jazz Age experience, all guests are strongly encouraged to dress in 1920's attire. As you take in the sights, enjoy finding the next "It Girl" and "It Boy" walking by in the crowd! Special ribbons will be given to best dressed men, women, children and families.

For more information about Jazz Age, visit or call (215) 632-5330, follow @phillyjazzage on Twitter and like Jazz Age on the Delaware on Facebook. Event is rain or shine.

PARKING AND DIRECTIONS:

Jazz Age on the Delaware is easily accessible by train, bus and car. Glen Foerd is conveniently located one block from the Torresdale Train Station, or by taking the 19 or 84 busses. Free off-site parking will be available at Holy Family University (9801 Frankford Avenue) with a free shuttle bus provided to Glen Foerd. Parking is also available at the Torresdale Train Station SEPTA lot (Grant Avenue and James Street) located only one block from Glen Foerd. Please do not park in the neighborhood surrounding Glen Foerd.

Jazz Age on the Delaware is designed to connect visitors to the Glen Foerd story while raising funds for the Glen Foerd Conservation Corporation, a nonprofit responsible for managing and operating the estate.

Located at the confluence of the Delaware River and Poquessing Creek, the 19th century estate is a public green space where people of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to enjoy a rich natural landscape, historic buildings and impressive art collection. The mission of Glen Foerd on the Delaware is to connect visitors to the legacy of the estate through programs in the arts, nature and history. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Historic American Landscape Survey.

For more information about Glen Foerd, visit www.glenfoerd.org or call (215) 632-5330.

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