Ticket holders love dressing up in 1920s attire and taking seats at fully decked tables under beige shade umbrellas along the lawn’s center path while a jazz band plays on Valhalla’s outdoor stage. During tea service, guests are treated to a vintage fashion show featuring clothes from the period. At the end of the fashion show, the band takes the stage again and everyone is encouraged to toss their tea and have their cups refilled with champagne, which was an act of defiance during prohibition.
The Great Gatsby Tea is a Tahoe tradition loved by locals and visitors alike. As part of the Great Gatsby Festival held at the beginning of August, it is a joint fundraiser for Valhalla Tahoe, which manages the Heller Estate and Great Basin Institute, which manages the Pope and Baldwin Estates. The Great Gatsby Festival starts at the Pope and Baldwin Estates on Saturday with classic cars on display, vendors with 1920 wares for sale, music and tours of the Pope House. The festival’s finale is the Gatsby Tea held Sunday at Valhalla.
2023 Festival Schedule