A New Page with Martha Hall Kelly at Winvian Farm
Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden to host special event with New York Times bestselling author
The serene grounds of Winvian Farm in Morris will set the scene as bestselling author Martha Hall Kelly joins Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden staff to discuss her newest unreleased novel, The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club. On Friday, May 16, attendees will enjoy an afternoon talk and Q&A with Kelly over light refreshments and tea service. Specialty tours of the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden, a Connecticut Landmarks museum, will be available for attendees to explore the property that inspired Kelly to write her bestselling book, Lilac Girls.
Martha Hall Kelly and Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden staff are returning to Winvian Farm for a continuation of last year’s sold-out event, “Afternoon Tea with Martha Hall Kelly.” Minutes away from Bethlehem’s Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden, Winvian’s rich history dates to 1775.
Its second owners, Winthrop and Vivian Smith, raised their family on the idyllic farm before later generations began operating it as a luxury spa and resort. Its interesting history and proximity to the Bethlehem property make it an ideal venue for a special conversation with Kelly. You can learn more about Winvian Farm at winvian.com.
The upcoming event will give 50 guests the chance to hear Kelly speak about the inspiration, research process, and writing timeline related to her new work of historical fiction. Inspired by true events, The
Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club is set to release May 27th and explores the story of two sisters living on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II who find hope in the power of storytelling when they start a wartime book club for women. Find more info about the incredible, true stories behind all of Kelly’s books on her website, marthahallkelly.com.
Event attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to make an advanced purchase of Kelly’s newest book. Her novels, Lilac Girls, Lost Roses, Sunflower Sisters, and Golden Doves, will also be available for purchase and signing. Those who select the top-tier ticket package will sit with Kelly at her table to share a conversation over tea. Raffle prizes and a select assortment of gift shop items from the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden will be available for purchase.
“We are excited to return to the fabulous Winvian Farm this year with Martha Hall Kelly. We’ve held several events with Martha over the years, and each occasion creates a special experience for guests to delve deeper into the history of her books. Last year, we even had a guest attend from Illinois–it is amazing to see so many passionate readers and history lovers connect with each other, Martha, and our museum,” said Peg Shimer, site administrator at the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden.
Attendees can extend their day by visiting the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden that morning to experience the beauty of the historic garden on the museum’s popular Lilac Walk. At 3:30 pm, attendees can tour the home and garden of Caroline Woolsey Ferriday, a champion for human rights and social justice causes who was intricately involved with several French freedom movements during World War II.Ferriday’s work with the survivors of Ravensbrück, Hitler’s only all-women concentration camp during World War II, inspired Kelly to write Lilac Girls based on the true story of 75 women who were imprisoned and experimented on at Ravensbrück and how Ferriday brought them to the U.S. for rehabilitation and the trip of a lifetime.
Tickets for “A New Page with Martha Hall Kelly” as well as the special house and garden tours are currently on sale, with discounts for Connecticut Landmarks Members. For more information, including pricing, visit ctlandmarks.org/tea. Tickets for this event are very limited and are anticipated to sell out.
Proceeds support the continuing preservation of the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden, the longtime summer home of Caroline Ferriday and her family before her.
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