Events - The Harvest Hop

The Living History Society of Minnesota, in conjunction with The Boys of '61, present

The Sanitary Fair Hop

The Ladies and Gentlemen of the Living History Society of Minnesota cordially invite one and all to their Sanitary Fair Hop, to be held the 9th of October 2010, at the Historic Triune Masonic Lodge. The event will recreate the Hop held in conjunction with the Saint Paul Sanitary Fair of 1865, when the citizens of that great city gathered together to raise money for the widows and orphans of those who fought valiantly for the Union Cause.

Our celebration will begin with a low-key workshop for the purpose of learning all dances performed at the Hop. Led by local dance masters, the workshop will be held from 9 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon at the Triune Masonic Lodge, 1898 Iglehart Avenue in Saint Paul. A hearty lunch will be provided with the workshop fee, along with a lesson on ballroom etiquette. Comfortable modern clothing is appropriate. All attendees are highly encouraged to attend this educational and very enjoyable workshop.

After the workshop, the hall will close. The doors will open once again at five o'clock in the evening, with dressing rooms available for those who wish to use them. The festivities will begin at 6 o'clock promptly with true pomp and patriotism. The evening's events will feature tableaux performed by the MinneHaHa Players, music, games, and dancing with music provided by The Camptown Ladies. A period standing buffet of delectable refreshments will be served as guests trip the light fantastic toe until the clock strikes twelve in a candlelit ballroom. Military uniform, daywear, or best dress of the mid 19th century is admired, but not required. Modern attire is warmly received as well. No sidearms or hobnail boots are allowed in the hall.

In addition to the festivities, a silent auction of highly desirable items will be held, as well as sales of fancy articles and baked goods, in the style of a period Sanitary Fair, for the purpose of raising funds for The Boys of '61, a non-profit group of modern reenactors and Civil War enthusiasts, in their endeavor to erect a monument to the memory of Minnesota soldiers who served from 1861 to 1865. A raffle will be held for a cot-sized quilt, made by the members of the Living History Society of Minnesota - a prize any soldier would be glad to win! The proceeds of the entire event will go directly to the Boys of '61.

As an added incentive to register early, all attendees who return their registration form by Friday, September 17th will be invited to attend the Living History Society's monthly dance practice that evening free of charge. Dance practice is held at the Triune Masonic Lodge at 7 pm and comfortable modern clothing is appropriate. All attendees are encouraged to take this opportunity to gain a head start on learning the period dance steps in preparation for the event.

Admission is $30 for Living History Society members, and $40 for non-members. Pre-registration is respectfully required, and must be postmarked and paid in full by October 1st, 2010. Tickets are limited, so do not delay in registering! In accordance with custom, registration is limited to those aged fourteen and older.

Please refer any inquiries to harvesthop@lhsmn.org. Visit our website for more details and directions as they are available.

We hope you will join us for this patriotic and charitable event!

Registration Form

Location & Directions

Triune Masonic Lodge
1898 Iglehart Ave.
St. Paul, Minnesota

From the West
Follow I-94 to the Cretin Ave. exit and turn right (south) at the top of the ramp. Proceed south to Marshall Ave. Turn left (east) on Marshall and go six blocks to Howell St. Turn left (north) on Howell and go one block to Iglehart. The lodge is on the southeast corner of Iglehart and Howell. Locate on-street parking and join the fun.

From the East
Follow I-94 to the Snelling Ave. exit and turn left (south) at the top of the ramp. Proceed south to Marshall Ave. Turn right (west) on Marshall and go seven blocks to Dewey St (one block past Fairview) and turn right (north). Go one block north to Iglehart and turn left (west). Proceed on more block to the lodge which is on the southeast corner of Iglehart and Howell. Locate on-street parking and join the festivities.

From the South
Follow I-35E to Ayd Mill Road. Stay on Ayd Mill Road until it ends at the merge with Selby Ave. Follow Selby Ave to Fairview Ave. Selby ends at Fairview, so you cannot miss the turn. Turn right. You will now be heading north on Fairview. Proceed to Iglehart (one block north of Marshall). Turn left (west) onto Iglehart and go two blocks to Howell. The lodge is on the southeast corner of Iglehart and Howell. Locate on-street parking and join the party.

From the North
If you're driving via I-35E, merge into I-94 and follow the directions above for "From the East." If you're coming via I-35W, follow the Minnesota 280 cutoff south to I-94 and exit at Snelling. Follow the directions for "From the East," above, with the exception of turning right onto Snelling instead of left. Alternatively, you can take any of St. Paul's North/South thoroughfares to Marshall and turn either left or right onto Marshall, depending on which one you have taken, and follow the directions for either "From the East" or "From the West" after the point of gaining access to Marshall from the directions above.