Nahant turns back time

NAHANT – The Nahant Historical Society will take a trip through time next month when it hosts its annual Victorian Weekend.The 24th Victorian Weekend, which also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the historical society, explores the music, clothing and dances of the era, which took place toward the middle of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th.The event is sponsored by the Nahant Historical Society and coordinated by office manager Katy Bishop, who began coordinating the event – which includes a Victorian Ball – after she and her husband, Ben, attended a Victorian dance class and ultimately waltzed right into her passion.”A friend of mine knew that I was interested in Victorian clothing and asked if I wanted to go to a dance class,” Bishop said. “I was hooked right away. My mother is from Vienna so once I started, I realized dancing is in my blood.””I was always too shy to dance until I was in the costumes,” she said. “It’s a passion now and it’s where I belong.”Bishop and her husband are now Victorian dancers who specialize in 19th and 20th century ballroom dance. They belong to a dance group out of Medford and Melrose called The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers. Her son, Nick, unofficially dances with the group too.”We knew about Nahant’s history and we wanted to bring it to Nahant,” she said.Nahant was first incorporated as a town separate from Lynn in 1853. Its true history lies in the 19th and 20th century when it was widely known as a summer retreat location for the wealthy.The first hotel was built in Nahant in 1802 and many visitors owned cottages and properties where they would stay for the season. They would spend their days enjoying the beautiful coastal views and their nights were spent at elegant dances and balls.The event celebrates the town’s history and gives residents and tourists the opportunity to recreate life in 19th century Nahant, if only for one weekend a year.”We usually have about 100 people,” Bishop said. “We used to have about 60. It has really gotten bigger in the last few years.””People come from all over the United States and Canada and a few people even come from Europe,” she said.Guests dress in full costumes for most of the weekend’s events, except for the classes that are offered on Friday and Saturday.”People wear costumes from all different eras,” Bishop said. “The most popular are civil war era costumes from the 1890s but we don’t require one era. We want people to wear what they’re comfortable in.””The majority of the people make their own,” she said. “We see a lot of very creative costumes.”If you don’t have access to a costume, Bishop recommends dressing in modern formal or semi-formal wear such as an elegant full-length gown. For men, a suit and tie can be worn in place of a tuxedo or coat tails.The weekend will kick off on Thursday at 7 p.m. with a formal dinner and dancing at the Nahant Country Club, which was built between 1824 and 1825. Tickets cost $50 each and guests will have a choice between three dinners: Chicken Picatta, Baked Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp and Stuffed Red Peppers.Tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday can be bought together for $95 or separately for between $30 and $50. Student discounts are also available.Activities will include a costume workshop and class by Sue Fischer on how to make ribbon flowers.”Ribbon flowers were very popular in the early 20th century,” Bishop said. “I have a friend who is coming in for the weekend who is an expert and will be teaching the class.”The Seaside Soiree will be offered on Friday from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and “Spare Parts,” a band that plays historically accurate music of the Regency, Victorian, Gilded Age and Ragtime eras, will perform. It will be held at the Egg Rock Estate, which is a mid-19th century mansion that is furnished in the period’s style.A ragtime dance class, 1890s Dance Variations class and beginners dance workshop will be offered at the Nahant Community Center leading up to the Ball. The community cent