Guildford has the joy of being a town that welcomes countless different experiences throughout the year. Whatever it is that you’re interested in, there is a very real likelihood that you will be able to get involved in a festival or event that ticks your boxes. If you are something of a literary bug, for example, then you might well find yourself wanting to head along to Guildford Cathedral in order to experience the Great Gatsby Ball, which promises to bring the glamour and opulence of the world of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s character in his novel The Great Gatsby into the area.
What Was The Great Gatsby All About?
There is a chance that you don’t know the story of The Great Gatsby but would still like to be part of the experience of the Great Gatsby Ball in Guildford Cathedral. Written by American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, the novel is set in the Jazz Age and is based on Long Island, which is near to New York City in the United States of America. It is written in the first person, seeing the narrator, Nick Carraway, telling the story of a millionaire called Jay Gatsby, who is determined to be reunited with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan and the trials and tribulations that he goes through.
Reportedly inspired by a romance that Fitzgerald himself had with Ginevra King, a socialite, when he was younger, it ended up being a commercial disappointment as a novel at the time of its release. In the years since then, however, the work has undergone something of a renaissance and is now widely considered to be a masterpiece. It tells its story during a time of economic prosperity and libertine morals, in spite of the fact that America was going through the Prohibition era at the time. It aims to convey the sense of hedonism and raucousness during what is considered to be the ‘flashiest’ time in American history.
What to Expect From the Great Gatsby Ball
As you might well imagine, the entire idea behind the Great Gatsby Ball is that it gives those in attendance the chance to feel as though they are part of the world of the novel. That calls for Guildford Cathedral to be turned into a location that would be more than suitable for a party held in the Roaring Twenties, complete with flappers and swing music played by a live band. It is all about bringing the glitz and glamour of the world of The Great Gatsby to life, all whilst giving it a modern twist. That means that you’ll get to hear modern music but with a jazz twist.
From the classic cocktails, the likes of which you can read about in the novel that the evening is based on, through to the art deco splendour that will be in place around the Cathedral, you will be presented with an evening that will allow you to fantasise that you’re actually part of what happens in the novel. You are presented with the opportunity to step into the opulence that Gatsby, Carraway and Buchanan will have spent their lives living in, ensuring that there will be many a photo opportunity for those that wish to take home the memory of existing in the jazz era.
Things to Think About
Before you start throwing your flapper outfit together or dressing up like a 1920s gangster, there are some things that you might want to think about. For starters, and entirely unsurprisingly when you consider the cocktails and so on that will be flowing freely, the event is aimed at people aged 18-years-old and over. It is set in the Cathedral, but the location will be dressed up to be just like the kind of venue that Gatsby would have used in order to host one of his famous, lavish parties during the 1920s when he was supposed to be hosting all of the socialites for the evening.
Disabled guests will have the ability to bring a carer with them free of charge. Everyone that heads along to the event is expected to dress up in order to impress their fellow attendees. Given the fact that the event is held in the world of the opulent 1920s, that is the theme that you are expected to follow when it comes to your clothing choice. Think New York gangster and moll, with tuxedos and ball gowns positively encouraged. Aside from anything else, this is about imagining that you’re out to impress the rest of the society scene and you need to look your best to do that.
A Lavish Night Is Promised
The Gatsby soirée hosted at the Guildford Cathedral promises to be a night filled with glamour. You will be entertained not only by the outfits of the others in attendance, but also by the jazz band that will be aiming to get you onto the dance floor thanks to the wealth of different tunes that they can play throughout the evening. This isn’t just about playing some hits from the 1920s, but also playing songs that you know and love from the charts today in a style that means that they wouldn’t be out of place back then. There is a Gatsby character, acting as the DJ and host for the evening.
As you spend your time wandering around the Cathedral, don’t be surprised to see some cabaret performers doing what they can to bring the era of the novel to life. There promises to be some old-school charm around every corner, ensuring that the Gatsby Ball is the best possible way to experience what life must have been like during one of the most loved eras in American history. Yes, this is Guildford Cathedral, but it is unlike anything you will have experienced before in such a setting and is not likely to be the kind of thing that the more religious amongst you will appreciate…