Victorian tea and hat-making for Mother's Day

Newburgh — The Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands will host a special Mother’s Day Tea from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, at Crawford House at 189 Montgomery Street in Newburgh. The event, designed for mothers and daughters, will feature a Victorian hat-making session with local designer and milliner Kimberly D’Auria. She will offer instructions on how to make a lace headdress using simple, hand-sewing methods. The program will include live music and poetry readings, which was typical entertainment for mid 19th century sewing circles and teas. Tea, sandwiches and scones will be served at 3 p.m. for high tea on the porch, with views of the majestic Hudson River. The exhibit “A Hundred Years of Hats” will chronicle the history of hat-making from the 1830s, the period of the Crawfords in Newburgh, through the middle of the 20th century. Photographs, and vintage and reproduction hats and fashions will be displayed throughout the house, offering insights into one of the Hudson Valley’s major industries. Additional hat and millinery memorabilia will be provided by Patricia Affron’s Secret Closet, The Beacon Historical Society, and Duchess County Historical Society, as well as the Crawford House and Newburgh Historical Society archives. Tickets are $5 per person, plus $3 per hat-making kit. Embellishments will be available for purchase. For reservations, call 561-2585.