The “Hatter’s Ball” takes place in the isolated town of Bloodworth Falls, and all of the neighborhood socialites will be in attendance! Join in the fun at Lakeside Inn on Saturday, March 12th, for the Hatter’s Ball Murder Mystery Dinner.
“Lakeside Inn has an amazing atmosphere for these murder mystery dinners: the over-100-year-old Arts and Crafts Era building, big ballroom, fireplace, and view of the lake adds to the feeling of being in a quiet, remote place. It all definitely lends itself to the idea of being a bit cut off from the rest of the world, so it’s easy to imagine yourself in this Agatha Christie setting,” says Katie Paradiso, Events Coordinator for Lakeside and Gordon Beach Inns. Her husband, Sam Darrigrand, became the manager for the inns in 2019, and they both immediately agreed a murder mystery event would fit the space wonderfully.
These ‘off-season’ events began in February of 2020, but were quickly halted by the onset of the pandemic. Since Halloween of 2021, the crew at Lakeside Inn has successfully put on a murder mystery dinner about every six weeks, offering entertainment and intrigue when our Midwest weather is less than ideal for getaways that require travel. The murder mystery dinners will run October through April, and the last one before Summer is scheduled for April 16th.
“We don’t cast any actors for the dinners,” Katie says, “Instead, we use interactive games that allow our guests to play characters. They all receive information throughout the game that allows them to examine their relationships with each other and figure out which of them is the killer.”
This dinner is the sequel to January’s “Bloodwood Masquerade”, and is provided by My Mystery Party. The games work best in medium-sized groups, so having between ten and twenty people has been perfect. Guests are encouraged to dress up, but it is not required, and you do not have to be a guest of the inn to attend the murder mystery dinner.
Tickets for the Hatter’s Ball on March 12th are $45 per person, with an entree choice of stout-braised beef or a vegetarian option, and please B.Y.O.B! Proof of vaccination is mandatory for attendance.
Characters are assigned in advance, to ensure you will have time to assemble a costume (complete with fabulous hat), if you so wish. The evening’s shenanigans start at 6:30 p.m, and you can call 269-469-0600 to purchase and reserve tickets, or email Katie directly at events@lakesideinns.com.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM contributor
