Cairnwood Estate Wine Tasting and Jazz Event Thursday

The following information was taken from a press release:

Cairnwood Estate in Bryn Athyn will open its doors August 18 for a romantic end-of-the summer evening including a wine tasting, live jazz, and a chance to explore the Beaux Arts-style mansion and its lush grounds.

Visitors are invited to experience the grandeur of the “Gilded Age” from 8 to 11 p.m. at Cairnwood, 1005 Cathedral Road.

Co-hosting the event is Frank’s Union Wine Mart of Wilmington, Del., which will provide international wines for the event. Imported and domestic cheeses will be among the fare offered by Karen’s Catering of Ambler.

Deborah Massa & the Synergy Jazz Project will perform throughout the evening, with Massa leading the collaborative of jazz artists. Massa has appeared on Broadway, recorded soundtracks and commercials and has performed at numerous venues including the World Café Live and Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, in the Philly Concert Series and at the Beaux Arts Ball.

Proceeds from the event will be used to continue restoration work at the estate and will benefit the Cairnwood Estate Dream Garden Landscape Plan which is based on the original 1895 plan for Cairnwood designed by Olmsted, Olmsted and Eliot of New York City. Frederick Law Olmsted earlier had designed Central Park.

Steeped in history, Cairnwood – now part of the Bryn Athyn Historic District - was built during America's "Gilded Age" by industrialist John Pitcairn and his wife, Gertrude. It was designed by Carrère and Hastings, one of the country’s leading architectural firms, as a large country estate and consisted of the main house, an adjacent courtyard, a formal garden with a garden house, greenhouses, a pergola, stables near the entrance gate and a working farm across Huntingdon Pike.

The Pitcairns made Cairnwood a cultural and social center for the community, hosting everything from meetings to wedding receptions, plays and concerts. Located about 15 miles from Philadelphia and operated as a nonprofit, it now is a venue for weddings and other social events, tours and educational programs.

Admission to the Aug. 18 event is $15; free for members of Cairnwood Estate. No tickets are required, but reservations are strongly recommended and may be made by calling 215-947-2004 or by sending an e-mail to info@cairnwood.org. Guests must be 21 years old or older.

For additional information about Cairnwood Estates or for directions, visit www.cairnwood.org.