On a leisurely Saturday afternoon, guests draped in Regency-era fashion—lightweight muslin and chiffon, adorned with delicate lace and ribbons—converge in an airy hall to indulge in a spread of tea, elaborate pastries, cakes crowned with sugared berries, and delicate canapés. Soft, ethereal light floods the space through arched windows, casting a serene glow on walls lined with bookcases.
In the corner broods a striking, enigmatic figure—tall, fastidiously groomed, and drawing the attention of everyone nearby.
But that’s not the Duke of Hastings from Bridgerton, and this isn’t 19th-century London. It’s the 21st century, these guests are gathered at Collier County (Fla.) Public Library (CCPL), and the figure in the corner is a life-sized cardboard cutout of the duke ordered for the occasion.
Amid a resurgent interest in TV period dramas—Bridgerton, The Great, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, and others—public libraries are getting in on the trend, hosting Regency- and Victorian-era-themed programs featuring book discussions, trivia, crafts, and, of course, tea.
These programs, hosted by library staffers and Friends groups both in person and online, have captured the imagination of diverse audiences, from avid fans to amateur historians. But with finicky details like finger foods, hot beverages, and period decorations to manage, they can require significant labor and coordination to pull off.
Tea by the tankful
CCPL’s 2021 Bridgerton high-tea event brought nearly 150 people ranging in age from 20s to 60s to the library’s solarium to play trivia, participate in a raffle, and enjoy snacks and tea.
“We had two five-gallon Gatorade containers, the ones you used to make punch in as a kid,” says Irene Johnson, CCPL program specialist. “We had that much tea.”
The event, which cost about $500 to host, required the work of 20 volunteers and staffers over three months. The library’s first in-person program after the height of COVID-19-induced social restrictions, the event included a flower-arranging demonstration, a raffle, and Bridgerton series–themed discussion questions.
Two months before, the library launched a marketing campaign that showcased staff members in regal garb posing with the cutout of the Duke of Hastings, a fan favorite from the Netflix show that is based on Julia Quinn’s romance book series. At the event itself, the cutout was used as a prop in patron photos.
“Watching the ladies take selfies with the duke was hysterical,” Johnson recalls. “They had group pictures, single pictures, people kissing his cheeks.”
Across age groups
High-tea programming appeals to a range of demographics, bringing patrons of many ages together for socializing and hors d’oeuvres—all in a cozy yet sophisticated setting.
A high-tea fundraising event hosted by Mt. Sterling (Ohio) Public Library’s Friends group has drawn attendees from young children to patrons in their 90s. The organization has been hosting the event for 12 years, and it has grown more popular over time.
“The people who were children at our table [when we started this fundraiser] are now bringing children of their own,” says Casey O’Neill, president of the Friends group. At this year’s event in February, the fundraiser drew 164 guests to participate in a silent auction, sip tea, and learn about the symbolism behind flowers and floral arrangements. The group raised nearly $4,000 in donations.
Even tea-time events geared specifically to children may attract intergenerational crowds. For nearly 20 years, Grand Island (Neb.) Public Library (GIPL) has hosted a Victorian tea party for kids in grades 2–5. The program honors the birthday of the late Edith Abbott, an American educator and author from Grand Island, and includes educational components such as etiquette lessons and flower arranging.
GIPL took the event online in 2021, scripting, shooting, editing, and sharing a 35-minute YouTube video for patrons to watch at home while enjoying favor bags picked up from the library.
“I remember at least one grandmother that had done it with her granddaughters,” says Elle Supencheck, GIPL library assistant. “She said it was so much fun, and she loved that they were able to participate that way.”
For libraries using a contemporary cultural hook like Bridgerton, the audience may change according to the tone of the material. Moon Township (Pa.) Library has hosted two tea party events—a Downton Abbey–themed gathering in 2022, and another during the run of limited Netflix series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story in 2023. Library director Heather Panella says that the Bridgerton program attracted a younger crowd, something she attributes to the shows’ differing fan bases.
As libraries embrace high-tea programming, they continue to foster the close connections that sharing food and drink often inspires. In an age in which digital connections often overshadow face-to-face interactions, libraries are proving that the simple act of sharing tea and discussing popular media can create and strengthen bonds.
“The library is a community, and having high tea is a way to have an intimate community,” says Johnson. “So, why high tea in a library? Because we are the heartbeat of the community.”
