Pinky’s up for St. Mary’s Royal Tea May 3

DUNROBIN – Affix you fascinators and get ready for St. Mary’s Anglican Church’s event of the season – Royal Tea.

What’s a fascinator you ask? It’s a fancy hat with extra. A fascinator is a formal, lightweight headpiece commonly worn as a stylish alternative to a hat, featuring decorative designs like feathers, flowers, or veils attached to a headband, clip, or comb. Popular since the 1990s, they are staples for weddings, British social events and horse races.

But this story isn’t about fancy hats, it’s about St. Mary’s Royal Tea, a popular annual event that sells out each and every year.

“You are cordially invited to St. Mary’s annual Royal Tea on Sunday, May 3,” church volunteers released in a statement yesterday (March 30).

This year’s Traditional High Tea-styled event will support the work of St. Mary’s.

“Due to high demand, this is a reservation only event with two seatings at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.,” organizers said. “This delightfully delicious event sells out quickly so don’t delay in booking your spot.”

 The menu is packed with delicious snacks and treats including freshly baked homemade scones with clotted cream, an assortment of classic sandwiches and sweets and your choice of tea.

West Carleton Online is a regular attendee and every year organizers have a surprise or two.

“It is a lot of fun,” volunteer organizer Kirsten Davidson told West Carleton Online in 2024. “The fun comes now. Now that it’s all out, and everyone is enjoying it and you get a chance to walk around and chat with them and talk about some of the things that are part of the design of the event, and you hear ‘oh, I didn’t know that!’ Explaining about the royal lemon and elderflower crab apple jelly, which we make here in the fall. You’ve covered that before. The fact that the essence that goes in to that, I found online in Scotland. It was the year after that Harry and Meghan were married (May 19, 2018) and their wedding cake was lemon and elderflower. I happen to really love the smell of that. I thought I would order that, and give it a try, and see how that goes with the crabapples. And it was delicious, and the colour was beautiful. It was a green crabapple that if you leave it on the tree long enough you will get a red blush on the south side, because of the sun. That gives the jelly a champagne colour, that is so pretty. I think that won first prize at the Carp Fair last year.”

Fascinators are encouraged but not required. The cost is $30 per person and $15 for those 12 years and under. RSVP by April 30 to book please contact Kirstin Davidson at kirstin@bell.net or 613-292-5837.

Payments may be made via e-transfer to St. Mary’s or at the door via cash/cheque.