Abbotsford Heritage Society hosted a dinner and dance fundraiser event on Saturday, Sept. 28, in the Rail District Collective building. This was to celebrate 100 years of Trethewey House and to acknowledge 50 years of the society. All proceeds went towards digitizing their heritage interpretive program and collections catalogue. Trethewey House is a heritage site near Mill Lake that was built in 1919 using local materials. It’s available to the public for single or group tours through online booking.
Abbotsford Heritage Society is a non-profit organization focused on preserving and interpreting local history through buildings, other heritage sites, artifacts, and stories. They organize educational, entertaining events and programs for the city, provide interpretive educational and outreach programs, and run summer camps for young people. Their mandate is to be the memory of the community.
This event had a 1920s roaring speakeasy theme, and everyone came dressed in their best flapper outfits. The evening included entertainment, art, music, drinks, and food. Everything was kept under wraps; I even had to email the host to get the secret address and password beforehand. This was to follow the theme of what a speakeasy was traditionally: an underground bar during the era of prohibition (when alcohol was banned).
When we arrived I whispered the password for entry and was handed a small ticket for a glass of “tea.” At the tea bar, I was handed a small cup and told to drink slowly, because it was very hot. What it actually contained was a small amount of sweet whisky, which my friend mistakenly took as actual tea and had quite a surprise when she went to take a sip and just about choked. We were also served a full-course salmon dinner and salad with a delicious local dressing, pizza, appetizers from locals farms, and goodies from Old Hand Coffee. I have to admit, I got pretty stuck at the food table and found it hard to venture around and mingle. (I’m a sucker for goat cheese.)
There was a silent auction that included artwork, Abbotsford Heritage books and items, and local wines. A silent film played gorgeous black-and-white footage from historic Abbotsford and Chilliwack, featuring images of the railway from the 1920s. We often don’t reflect on the history of the city we live in, and it was interesting to see what Abbotsford once looked like and how far it’s come.
Halfway through the evening a musical skit began, featuring actors from Fraser Valley Stage and a live band with a saxophonist, piano player, and drummer. The hosts of the evening were not only invested in their roles, but were genuinely having a good time. One man walked past us with a small flask and a mischievous grin, took a sip, mouthed “shhh” and stuck it back into his jacket pocket. It was like being fully immersed in an actual speakeasy.
After the skit, Suburban Swing, a local dance company, hosted a swing dancing lesson. There was much laughing, foot tripping, and fun as people followed the jazzy live band and took their turn at trying out a classic 1920s dance.
The evening was small, elegant, and deliciously satisfying. We even got to take home the little flowery teacups that we drank out of, and, in the spirit of the 1920s speakeasy, I smuggled out some snickerdoodles for later.
Image: Darien Johnsen/The Cascade
Darien Johnsen is a UFV alumni who obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with double extended minors in Global Development Studies and Sociology in 2020. She started writing for The Cascade in 2018, taking on the role of features editor shortly after.
She’s passionate about justice, sustainable development, and education.