Three years later, the Governor's Island Alliance officially handed the party reins over to Mr Aranella and his famous Dreamland Orchestra. Next came the national media interest, and right behind them was St-Germain, who pledged to hydrate New York's "fops and flappers" with their bespoke summer cocktails.
Sunshine, music, and cocktails - what's not to like about the Jazz Age Lawn Party? Indeed the annual celebration has grown from strength to strength, and now welcomes more than 20,000 partygoers each year.
You might recall that I've written about Governor's Island on this site before but until today, I'd never actually been there. The ferry to Governor's Island leaves from a terminal in Lower Manhattan, right next door to where the Staten Island ferry departs. I thought the ferry would actually cost me something (and perhaps it usually does), but everybody appeared to be traveling for free today which was a lovely bonus. The ride itself only takes about 10 minutes and as the sun belted down, the cool breeze off the water was most welcome.
Before we continue this story, you need to know that if you plan to come to the Jazz Age Lawn Party, do not shy away from dressing up. Do not fear the feathers, sequins, or tassles - you must embrace them. For if you do not dress up, you will be in the minority. And while dressing up is actively encouraged, so too is dancing. I absolutely LOVED how much everybody got into the spirit of the day - they all brought their A-games, and it was particularly great to see so much Daddy-daughter dance floor action, in honor of Father's Day in the US.
Watching your counterparts dance is one thing, but then we turned things over to the professionals and it was amazing. Roddy Caravella and the Canarsie Wobblers are a group based in Brooklyn and they brought high energy and slick choreography to the dance floor. Then it was time for The Dreamland Follies, who glided onto the stage as if in a dream - all beige leotards, flowing skirts, and the most wonderful feathered headresses. As The Gelber & Manning Band took to the stage to serenade everyone with "Baby Face", I took off in search of food.
En route to the food tents it occurred to me that if you forget a part of your costume, or if you start to covet your neighbour's parasol, there are great little stalls set up around the Jazz Party that will sell you just the thing you need. I had my eye on multiple pairs of vintage earrings but I did not give in. Still, if you wanted to stock up on feathers and lace and beading, you certainly could have taken your pick.
After a tasty hotdog and salad, and a couple of sparkling cocktails, I listened to a few more musical acts before deciding to beat the crowds and head back on the ferry to Manhattan.
The Jazz Age Lawn Party has been on my NYC bucket list since I got here and I'm so glad I finally made it. The good thing is that the second weekend of partying is still to come - August 16 and 17, which just so happens to be right around my birthday time. I wonder if I should go again? Next time though I think I would splash out on a much more sparkly costume than the dusty pink one I wore today. I also think I could do with the peacock headdress I saw at the vintage stall. You only live once, right?
I've only put a couple of my photos on this page, but you can see the rest by clicking here.
