MEDIA ADVISORY
2007 FRENCH FESTIVAL: FABULOUS FÊTES
WHAT: Hillwood's French Festival brings the customs and amusements of eighteenth-century France to twenty-first century Washington. The festival honors Marjorie Merriweather Post's first collecting passion: eighteenth-century French decorative arts. Enjoy entertainment a la française – dance, music, drama, art activities, games, and garden strolls – at this fabulous fête.
Theatrical vignettes in the Mansion will recreate the rituals and culture of French nobility. Opera Lafayette and the New York Baroque Dance Company will present the music and dance of the eighteenth-century French court.
Family activities will include creating Sèvres-inspired dinner plates, country dance lessons, children's games from the 1700s, and tips on courtly manners.
Special talks throughout the weekend will feature senior curator Liana Paredes explaining the joyous festival depicted in the tapestry in Hillwood's French Drawing Room and gardener John Sonnier discussing the French-inspired elements in Hillwood's gardens that make it a work of art.
An audio guide, Kings, Queens & Soup Tureens: Decorative Arts in 18th Century French Court Society, explores the court's daily customs and special festivities through the French luxury arts in Hillwood's collection.
WHEN: Saturday, July 14, 2007, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 15, 2007, 1 – 5 p.m.
COST: $25 general admission; $20 for Hillwood Friends and Alliance Française members; $15 for full-time students (over 18); $5 for ages 6 to 18; Free for children under 6. Call 202-686-5807 for more information.
WHERE: Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Metro: VanNess/UDC (20 minute walk)
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