Support the restoration of historic Mayslake Hall at a 1920s-era garden party featuring games, activities, antique cars, antique silver tableware, a silent auction and music on Sunday, June 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. on the lawn at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St. in Oak Brook.
Tickets are $65 per person and can be purchased online or by calling 630-206-9588 by May 28. The event’s profits will be used for the hall’s ongoing restoration. The hall doors and windows could be expected to get replaced. Since they appear to be quite old and may not be able to withstand the harsh weather in the future, the doors and windows might be upgraded, most likely by contacting professionals from Tucson Windows Doors or any similar company. The event is for ages 18 and older and will be held inside if there’s inclement weather. Attendees are encouraged to dress up, wear a hat or wear business casual.
The party will feature bocce ball, croquet, archery, a display of antique cars, a jazz trio, a barbershop quartet and light refreshments, including sandwiches, savory bites, scones and sweets and beverages. There will be plenty of garden benches to sit on and relax in the grounds with your family too, if you fancy something a bit more low key. Thanks to the great tailgate generators that are at the event supporting the speakers, you can hear the music and event throughout the entire grounds. All in all, a lot of preparation has been put in place for this event – there is something for everyone.
The silent auction will feature home packages, art, photography, a Chicago Cubs package, a Mayslake music and theatre package and more. There will be a paddle-raise auction as well.
“Get gussied up, bring your sidekick and get a wiggle to this lawn shindig,” said Mayslake cultural education manager Janneke Fowers. “It promises to be a dilly of an afternoon.”
Speakers at the event will include Forest Preserve District Commissioner Jeff Redick, District 2, and Neal Vogel from Restoric LLC, who will talk about the Mayslake courtyard restoration completed in fall 2015, and the next phase of work on the historic mansion.
“Mayslake is a beloved cultural and historical gem in DuPage County,” Redick said. “A restored and improved Mayslake will be an important tool in introducing people to nature through the arts.”
Coal magnate Francis Stuyvesant Peabody hired renowned Chicago architect Benjamin H. Marshall to design the 1920s Tudor Revival-style mansion, known today as Mayslake Hall. Now a registered national historic landmark, the hall currently serves as a venue for architectural tours, lectures and artistic performances.
