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The sweetest event of the year returns to the Port Colborne Historical & Marine Museum and Arabella’s Tea Room on Sunday, May 29, 2022, from 12 to 4 p.m.
The 38th Annual Arabella’s Pie Social & History Fair encourages the Port Colborne community to enjoy a slice of homemade pie with a hot or cold beverage at Arabella’s Tea Room before, or after, a walk through the museum grounds where traditional heritage is on display with live demonstrations, exhibits and entertainment.
Pie and beverages are served in Arabella’s Tea Room by reservation only. To make a reservation, call 905-834-7604 or email museum@portcolborne.ca.
“The social is a fun and interactive way to kick off Arabella’s Tea Room season and encourages the community to visit the Museum to learn and experience about our city’s history,” said Michelle Mason, museum curator. “It’s also a great excuse to treat yourself and your family to some delicious pie and tea after a long two-years.”
Some additional activities taking place on the Museum grounds include discovery of traditional skills at the Niagara Antique Power demonstration and museum blacksmith; heritage demonstration; children’s activities; perennial plant sale; and live piano performance by musician Frank Krahn.
Arabella’s Tea Room opens for the season Wednesday, June 1, 2022, and operates daily from 2 to 4 p.m. until Sept. 30, 2022. Reservations are required by calling 905-834-7604 or emailing museum@portcolborne.ca.
About Port Colborne Historical & Marine Museum
Located at 280 King Street, Port Colborne, the Museum and Heritage Village feature a century of heritage buildings in a landscaped setting of historic gardens, pathways, trees, flowers, picket fences, and a memorial pavilion with picnic tables and benches.
The Village includes the original 1869 Georgian-revival style home and carriage house of Arabella Williams which houses the main exhibit galleries, Humberstone's first log schoolhouse where school tours are held, the 1850 log home of John and Sally Sherk, the F.W. Woods and Sons 1880 Marine Blacksmith Shop, a 1915 Edwardian Cottage, which is the home of Arabella's Tea Room, where volunteers serve Afternoon Tea with hot homemade tea biscuits and preserves, a Marine Exhibit Lighthouse, a reproduction of the parapet of Port Colborne's Lighthouse, which displays marine artifacts and ship models, and a Heritage Resource Centre which holds the Museum’s Reserve Collection and is open for research by appointment.
The Museum interprets and exhibits the history of Port Colborne and the Welland Canal. Marine artifacts include the wheelhouse from the Yvon Dupre Jr. Tug Boat, the anchor from the Raleigh and a lifeboat from the S.S. Hochelaga.
The Museum is the home of Canada's Century Car, the 1901 Neff Steam Buggy, one of Ontario's oldest existing automobiles, built by Benton Neff at the Neff Foundry in Humberstone, which is part of Port Colborne today.
About Arabella’s Tea Room
Arabella's Tea Room began in 1977 with the formation of a Museum Auxiliary willing to operate a tea room on a volunteer basis. It was originally a small house, built in 1915, as a rental home on the William's Estate. Arabella Williams lived in the main house, which is now the Museum. The rental house was deemed to be the perfect location for a tea room, and after much research, it was decided that an Edwardian Era theme for afternoon tea would be ideal in creating an authentic atmosphere. After several months of restoration and deliberation, Arabella's Tea Room was officially opened. Lieutenant-Governor, Pauline McGibbon cut the opening ribbon, held by Florence Neff Young and H.H. Knoll, on July 1st, 1978.
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