Wives and Daughters Picnic

The summer is winding down, which means that we have some of the best weather of the year here in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is the perfect time to enjoy that last picnic of the year, and a great time to sample the local harvests, before winter sets in. Join the GBACG for a lovely day in the "English Countryside" as we celebrate the apple harvest in a truly Romantic fashion.

This lovely autumn picnic is based around the world and costumes of Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters. Set in the 1830's, Wives & Daughters is the story of Molly Gibson and her stepsister, Cynthia Kirkpatrick—both friends and rivals in life and love. The novel, first serialized in 1864-66, was made into a delightful adaptation by BBC in 1999. The miniseries provides a wealth of costume inspiration, with beautiful day dresses appropriate for the ladies joining our little picnic, as well as suitable attire for the men who wish to join us.

While admiring each other's dresses and enjoying our picnics, we will also sample the local apple harvest. A wide selection of rare apple varieties will be available from antique apple orchards. This is a treat you do not want to miss, with varieties you have never heard of and cannot find at chain grocery stores.

Costume: Costumes are required for this event. The suggested costume era is 1820-1840. GBACG Costume Guideline

Costume Links:

• 1830s in fashion - Wikipedia article with a good overview of women's, men's and children's fashion in the 1830s.
• Women's Fashions 1825-1840: The Natural Waist and Big Sleeves - Good article of the changing fashions of this era.
• Demode's Real Women's Clothing: 1820s and 1830s - Great pictures of womens original garments!
• Tasha Tudor Auction - Collection of Romantic era garments sold from the Whitaker~Augusta Auction Company.
• Eras of Elegance Wives and Daughters Page - Nice summary of the 1999 BBC miniseries including a picture gallery.

Children: This is a very child-friendly event. An open lawn lends itself well to play. Parents may wish to bring or organize games or other activities for their children. Costumes are required for children, although just as for adults they do not have to be authentic reproductions!

Location: Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley, CA
The park is located in the Berkeley hills just north of Highway 24. Take the Fish Ranch Road exit east of the Caldecott Tunnel, drive uphill, and turn right at Grizzly Peak Blvd. Or enter the park from its west side in Berkeley from Canon Drive where Wildcat Canyon Road and Grizzly Peak Boulevard intersect. You can also enter the park on its east side from Wildcat Canyon Road off San Pablo Dam Road just north of Orinda Village (take the Orinda exit off Highway 24 east of the Caldecott Tunnel). Yahoo Maps. There is parking available near our picnic area.

***Directions to our picnic spot will be sent to you via email when you purchase your tickets.***

Practicalities: You will need to bring your own picnic. Five wooden picnic tables are available or you may wish to bring your own table, chairs, and/or blanket.

The deadline to purchase tickets was Wednesday, September 24th, 2008.

Questions? Email Event Coordinator, Lisa VandenBerghe at .

Back to GBACG Home