Annual Gala Day: 1920's Vintage Lawn Party & Open House

Join us for our annual summer fundraiser Gala Day!

For this year's theme we are traveling back to the 1920s! Come experience our version of Gala Day. We encourage guests who would like, to come dressed in their best 1920s attire and spend the day with us! The site will be open from 11am-3pm.

General Admission is $15 (plus fees)

Under 16 will be FREE

-Explore the Historic Nurse Homestead Museum and its beautiful grounds.

-Live music by Wolverine Jazz Band

-Vintage Cars in partnership with The Greater Boston Vintage Society

-Vintage Vendors from Picture This Antiques & The Salem Flea Marketplace

-Try your hand at playing period-style lawn games. We have Badminton, Croquet, Horseshoes, and Lawn Shuffleboard. (But feel free to bring your own lawn games as well.)

-Watch silent “moving pictures” & play period table games like cribbage and dominoes.

-Free Kids Craft

You are also welcome and encouraged to bring your own snacks or a picnic lunch (please no alcoholic beverages). Some light refreshments including Pastries, Lemonade, and Rootbeer Floats will also be available for purchase.

There will also be picnic baskets for sale (which must be ordered in advance and will not be available to order the day of the event) please click HERE to pre-order.

The very first "Gala Day & Garden Party " was held at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in 1912 right after becoming a Museum, and they continued to be held annually through the 1920's. It was a way to welcome the community to explore the newly restored historic house, learn about local history, raise funds for restoration projects and just enjoy the beautiful grounds on a summer day! The first Gala Day in 1912 was also used as a fundraiser to create a colonial garden. This year we hope to raise funds to restore and improve our Kitchen Garden.

Admission fees and donations from our annual summer fundraiser go towards the preservation of the Nurse Homestead. As an independent 501c(3) non-profit we rely almost entirely on donations and admission fees to preserve this unique historic site.