Do you want to get to Wonderland and drink tea with Alice, Mad Hatter, March Hare and Dormouse, play croquet, enjoy magic cakes, immerse yourself in the dream world by listening to gongs? Then this event is for you!
In July - during the active tourism season - a big and significant event will take place in the manor’s park, which will bring visitors from near and distant places with its diverse and interesting cultural program. Each participant will be able to visualize themselves as the 19th century manor dwellers, participating in the workshops. Learn the basics of a croquet game that has been forgotten but was once popular and related to the story of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland". Dive into your subconsciousness by listening to Dace Straume's gongs.
Padure Manor will host the fourth major event - Cecilia Alice tea drinking.
Cecilia Sophia Balfour (1824 - 1889) was one of the youngest daughters of John Balfour, the founder of the Padre Manor in the Balfour dynasty. Her youthful time corresponds to the time of construction of the new manor house and the new English style park of the manor. This time, guests will be able to enter the imaginary world, which may have been a source of reading the Louis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland in 1865. The Manor Park will turn into this Wonderland.
A glimpse into this Wonderland is scheduled to take place on July 27, 2019
- A small exposition on the history of the manor, its owners and residents on the front of the manor.
- The manor park is decorated with candle dishes in tree branches (will be lit with dusk) and fluorescent flowers and giant mushrooms.
A long tea table with a large amount of tea cans is installed in the lime tree alley in manor’s park. At the table are the main characters March Hare, Mad Hatter and Dormouse, as well as Alice. Next to the table, a floor clock is set, which stops at six o'clock, because teatime is all the time. The main characters actively participate in conversations with the visitors, as well as play the text of the book.
- At the end of the lime tree valley is a small square with a tent in which visitors can meditate with gongs while sleeping and sitting on pillows. Meditation will be directed by Dace Straume.
- The magic of natural sweets guided by the masterpieces of marshmallow cooking and cakes that adhere to the tea, the tent. Will lead Ilze Kupča - the master of gourmet sweets and cakes made of natural sweets for twelve years and it all started with a grandmother who taught to cook a cake with cooked cream. Homemade Cake in Latvia has gained a lot of recognition and its recipe has been over 100 years old. Cakes are made from natural rural products to bring people back to their childhood taste.
- Practical lessons for the seekers. In the manor park you must find plants from which you can make tea. In the workshop, with the help of the artist, it will be possible to draw the found medicinal plants. Because drawing was an essential part of education in the 19th century. Lessons will be directed by Alise Volanska
- Hemp products will be presented in a separate tent to label the story of Alice's psychedelic essence and create visitor creativity and interest in culinary heritage. (NB: Cannabis will be common.)
- Since Lewis Carroll was also a successful photographer and the first photographers in Kuldiga were at the end of the 19th century, the most famous of which was Julius Gessau, there will be a place where visitors will be able to take a picture with the 19th century interior.
- There will be demonstrations of the croquet game in front of the manor terrace, which will be provided by the Latvian Croquet Federation. Except that it won't be played with flamingo and hedgehogs.
- As usual, the paintings created by TMS Kuldīga Palette are exhibited.
- Closure of the event with fireworks.
Event is supported by Kurzemesradio.lv and Amazone.lv