My Magical PBS SANDITON Lawn Party & Screening Event!
I enjoyed the most thrilling evening sponsored by PBS and Masterpiece Theater to celebrate Season 2 of SANDITON, their most popular TV series. I’m giving away SWAG from the event, so keep reading to learn how to enter!
SANDITON is a British historical drama television series inspired by an unfinished manuscript by Jane Austen, which follows spirited Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) as she navigates the new seaside resort of Sanditon. I absolutely love the show. It feeds my Jane Austen addiction!
I won tickets to the PBS event by entering their online contest and submitting a photo of myself in my “best SANDITON-inspired costume.” With a wardrobe of Jane Austen/Regency era gowns and accessories that I’ve made for JASNA events and conferences, I had a lot of costumes to choose from, and I was excited to be chosen.
I attended the event with my dear friend Jane Boltz as my plus one. Jane is an avid Austen enthusiast and expert seamstress and costume designer. Since SANDITON Season 2 features the militia, Jane dressed up in her redcoat military uniform—and it was a hit.
I wore my favorite purple ballgown with an embroidered black velvet spencer and feathers in my hair. Jane and I won 2nd place in the costume contest!
Photo courtesy of the Bel Air Bay Club
The event was held at the stunning Bel Air Bay Club in Pacific Palisades, at a historic 1927 Spanish-style mansion perched on the bluffs with lush grounds and breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. The weather was simply ideal. The festivities began with croquet on the lawn. Fun!
We were treated to champagne, wine, and delicious appetizers including finger sandwiches and salads in a glass that would have been right at home at an English High Tea.
A sumptuous buffet dinner and dessert reception followed, along with a trivia contest with such questions as “Who cut the pineapple?” (Answer: Arthur Parker). I won a Jane Austen mug for answering the question “What was Tom and Sidney Parker’s favorite game?” (Answer: Vingt-et-un.)
Check out the Masterpiece Theater and Jane Austen SWAG!
The event culminated with an advance screening of the final episode of SANDITON Season 2, which was absolutely wonderful.
Jane and I felt lucky to be included in this magical evening. It was a night to remember forever.
SWAG GIVEAWAY!
As a thank you to you, my dear readers and friends, I’m giving away this PBS tote bag and a pair of Masterpiece Theater socks to one lucky winner!
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment below!
To enter, simply leave a comment below telling me about your favorite Jane Austen novel, film, mini-series, or TV series, and/or what you like about SANDITON. Do you have a favorite character, scene, or episode? What do you hope will happen in SANDITON season 3?
Giveaway open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be announced on 5/9/22. Good luck to everyone and I look forward to hearing from you!
UPDATE: WINNER ANNOUNCED
The winner of my PBS SANDITON SWAG GIVEAWAY is: Velvet V.B.
Congratulations, Velvet! The goodies are being sent your way.
Thank you so much to everyone who entered the giveaway. I appreciated your enthusiastic response and am delighted by all your comments. SANDITON is indeed a wonderful series and I can hardly wait to see what viewing pleasures await us in Season 3!
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The pictures were lovely. Certainly a perfect location that might reminds one of Sandition. Thank you for the giveaway, and your purple gown is perfect for a lawn party.
It was a perfect location, Eva, with stunning views of the Pacific. Such fun!
How lovely to have attended this wonderful celebration! Pride and Prejudice is my all time favorite JA book
Looks amazing!
P & P is my favorite Jane Austen book too, although Persuasion is a close second!
The PBS Sanditon series is so much better than the book. I love how they made it even more quintessential Jane Austin.
Yes, isn’t the series marvelous! I can’t wait for season 3.
Syrie, Thank you for sharing this fun event! The PBS Sanditon series is amazing!
It was such a magical evening. I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
Persuasion is my favorite but all Austen is good. I am enjoying Sanditon but hope for the return of Babington and a happier story line for Esther!
I can’t wait for season 3, to see what happens for Esther, Charlotte, and Georgiana Lambe!
Thanks for sharing your experience at this lovely Sanditon event. Currently re-reading Jane Austen’s S&S and finally watching Sanditon season one this month 😉
I love the movie of Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant.
Sanditon is captivating and memorable. I am enjoying this wonderful series. Charlotte is someone whose life has changed dramatically and I am intrigued and fascinated with this drama. What a beautiful setting and enthralling story.
Sanditon fills me with joy. This period drama is so perfect. The acting, characters, locale and interaction make it riveting. I have only superlatives for this series. I look forward to season 3.
I love all of Jane’s books, but when it comes to adaptations for television or film, I especially love all adaptations of Emma!!
Beautiful always beautiful things you do
Thank you Conrad!
like the pride and prejudice book
Sense and Sensibility is my favorite Austen novel, though I enjoy them all. Thank you for doing this great giveaway!
Sense and Sensibility (the Ang Lee film version with Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant) is one of my favorite movies! I just watched it again for the zillionth time and I find something new to admire every time.
Beautiful party! Thanks for sharing the photos. I am really enjoying Season 2 of Sanditon!
I liked Season 2 even better than Season 1!
I don’t know I have a favorite but I guess I would say persuasion I love the most, I wish they would make a n ew movie version of it too, I also love sense and sensibility but all of them are great.
I have not gotten to watch alot of the TV series sanditon. The time it comes on is when I have to go to bed or be getting ready because I get up sonearly for work.. I hope to get pbs passport this summer and watch the whole thing
James, Netflix is making a new movie of Persuasion starring Dakota Johnson, due out July 15. I can’t wait!
“Persuasion on Netflix is being touted as a fresh and funny take on the renowned Jane Austen narrative that stays close to the source material.”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13456318/
https://www.vogue.com/article/dakota-johnson-newest-stills-persuasion-netflix
https://thewestnews.com/persuasion-dakota-johnson-movie-gets-a-release-date-plot-cast-and-more/77490
Persuasion would be my favorite novel, I enjoyed the photos
I love Persuasion! It’s my second favorite but right up there with P&P.
Oh my gosh! too much fun! My favorite Jane Austen novel is Pride and Prejudice.
thanks for the chance
Suzannah Clark
Thanks for your comment Suzannah! That’s my favorite Austen novel as well.
Over the many years, each has taken a turn at being my favorite, but P&P is at the top, I believe. Listening to the audio versions has been my constant driving companion, and Mansfield Park takes top honors there…. Sense and Sensibility a close second! I loved Sandition when it first aired, but was absolutely devastated by the ending of Season 1…. NOT Jane Austen like at all!!! So, have not watched Season 2, but after listening to a discussion of Charlotte’s character growth by the lovely little actress playing her, I believe I will watch the rest… though I may wait for Season 3 to have my happy ending!?! 🙂
I love your dress and all your work, Syrie!
I love all Jane Austen! Sanditon has truly captured me. It feels like a love letter to her and encompasses all of her stories into one adaptation. I fought to save it and season 2 was the biggest gift I could have ever received. I adore the characters and love Charlotte and Colbourne’s romance. Counting down until S3.
My favorite Jane Austen book is Persuasion.
As for Sanditon, I love season 1 because it inspired me to write fiction, which I haven’t done since high school. My favorite episode was the third episode, in which Sidney comes to show respect for Charlotte’s abilities and she gets a truer sense of him before it all goes wrong again.
For season 3, I hope Charlotte and Georgiana come to find the independence they’re seeking on their own terms, hopefully with partners who respect it.
Thank you for sharing the photos of this gorgeous, fun event. How lucky that you two were selected to attend! I LOVE Sanditon on Masterpiece PBS, & I hope we see the wedding of Charlotte Heywood & Alexander Colbourne early enough in Season 3 that there’s still time to see them start their life together. As many have said on #Sanditon Twitter, it IS “an affliction”. 😉 But I’m so happy to have such an affliction! LOVE your costumes & that you have even MORE to choose from!
I LOVE this series!!! Gee, I’m not sure I can pick a favorite character. I DO greatly admire Esther & of course our dear heroine.
I also ADORE your books about Jane!!
Debra
I am loving Sanditon and I desperately hope that Charolette ends up with her happy endings as all my favorite Jane heroines do! Kudos to Jane Austen and the Juliette Shaprio collaboration!