Crackle up your cackle for The Center’s “Ladies Halloween Tea,” a special event for witches and friends.
“I wanted it to be different than the spring tea or the Christmas teas,” said Lois Lauer, recently retired art and program director for The Center in Palos Park.
A spring tea for 100 people and eight smaller Christmas teas of about 25 people each have been seasonal staple fundraisers longer than the 5-year-old Halloween tea, Lauer said, and they may have a more traditional ladies’ tea ambience. But Lauer couldn’t resist making the Halloween tea happen.
“It just sounded so much fun to think of everybody wearing a witch hat,” Lauer said.
Although the Halloween Tea will have a touch of elegance, it’s mostly about having a giggle, Lauer said.
In the spirit of the holiday, guests are encouraged to wear a witch’s hat or to dress up in any fashion that suits them.
Tricks and treats abound with an annual cackling contest giving bragging rights to the guest with the “witch-iest” voice, and everyone gets a petite pumpkin treat to decorate on site and take home.
Witches’ cauldrons from another of The Center’s adult Halloween events, “The Haunting,” formerly known as the “Haunted Farm,” will hold a “Spider Cider” made of apple juice, fake spiders and an occasional wrinkly wart lost by the witch who stirs the pot, Lauer said.
The elegance is in the edibles.
“Probably the most special thing about any of our teas is the food,” Lauer said.
Heather Young, current art director at The Center, said about 25 volunteer hostesses supply and serve the food, always a “great mix of sweet and savory.”
Attendees can expect appetizers, finger sandwiches fit for a ladies’ tea and desserts including cakes, tortes and cookies.
“It’s just an abundant tea table, a feast. It’s like high tea,” Lauer said.
Young said, “I would say that people really walk away full from this compared to other tea parties.”
Both Young and Lauer agreed that second, or third, helpings off the groaning board of goodies are not acceptable, they are expected.
Those who come for the tea will have a real treat, too, Young said. She said Lauer will brew a tea from lemon verbena and stevia, both grown at The Center.
Lauer said the ingredients will be “collected fresh that morning” and combined with a “pinch of cinnamon” to make a fragrant herbal tea.
“We invented it for the Halloween tea,” Lauer said. “Everyone loves it.”
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The entertainment for the evening will be storyteller and writer Margaret Burk, president of Illinois Storytelling.
Burk said she will tell stories about “clever and courageous women — with a little bit of fun.”
Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Ladies Halloween Tea
When: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 14
Where: The Center, 12700 Southwest Highway, Palos Park
Tickets: $32; must be purchased in advance.
Information: 708-361-3650 or www.thecenterpalos.org