20 May “NOBLE EXPERIMENT” PARTY BRINGS PROHIBITION ERA TO LIFE
For modern Americans, it’s hard to imagine living in a time where alcohol is illegal. In the 1920s, during Prohibition, that was precisely the world that people found themselves in. Ironically, the images evoked from what was dubbed the “Roaring 20s” are those of ladies and gentlemen, dressed decadently, tibbling champagne and partying into the night. The life of luxury and the culture of consuming forbidden alcohol are highly romanticized.
More interesting still are the rich historic ties between Prohibition and Bethany Beach, Delaware where the sandy shores, originally founded as a Christian beach retreat in the early 1900s, became a hotbed for bootleggers to dump incoming barrels of hooch. Some sold the banned booze from the backs of their cars, while others filtered the contraband through the speakeasies that popped up throughout the sleepy beach towns strung along the coast.
“It’s really fascinating to think that, because Bethany Beach was coastal, we became a port, of sorts, for the illegal alcohol trade during Prohibition,” says Tiffany Cordeaux, Event Coordinator for the Bethany Location. “As I was learning more and more, I thought about how cool it all was, and the idea for a Prohibition-style party emerged.”
On Saturday, December 5th, Bethany Blues will transform into a speakeasy complete with poker chips, prohibition-era cocktails, and even dueling pianos! Local actors will be peppered into the mix to provide historical accuracy and entertainment. You never know which Delaware prohibition characters might show up… from Three Gun Wilson, who notoriously broke up Delaware speakeasies, to the barrel-slinging bootleggers, there will characters abounding in the alternate time-space continuum Blues’ is throwing down
Sagamore Spirits of Baltimore will be on hand pouring rye whiskey, Prohibition-style, and bringing all of their bootlegging know-how to the table. The theme of the evening will spill into every room, and party-goers are encouraged to show up in costume for a truly interactive, and historically good time! And of course, in keeping with the luxurious and forbidden vibe of the night, there will be light fare, passed appetizers, and cocktails.
Tickets for the event are tiered to accommodate a number of price points and start at $35. The evening’s casino element will also go to a great local cause, Cocktails Curing Cancer, so you can get it on the action without any of the guilt of losing. Tickets are available online at www.bethanyblues.com