Dates: Thursday, April 1st, 2027 – Sunday, April 4th, 2027
Location: The DeKoven Center in Racine, Wisconsin (1 hour away from the Chicago O’Hare International Airport)
Ticket Price: $950
The cost of the ticket covers lodging for 3 nights, 8 meals (Thursday dinner through Sunday breakfast), light snacks and refreshments, character sheets, scholarship allotment, and general entry into the larp
Max Number of Participants: 37 (42 total including the organizing team and crew)
Minimum Age: 21
Due to the presence of alcohol at this larp, all participants must be at least 21 years or older by the start of the game
Venue
Dearest Debutante will take place in Taylor Hall of the DeKoven Center in Racine, Wisconsin, USA, roughly a one-hour drive from the Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
The DeKoven Center is a wheelchair-accessible, lakeside wedding venue featuring historic buildings, gardens, and several chapels.
If there is sufficient interest, the organizing team will arrange a bus to transport players from the Chicago O’Hare International Airport airport to the venue (and back) at an additional charge, but we cannot guarantee that until player interest is gauged.
Costuming
While Dearest Debutante does not require historically accurate costuming, costumes are required and players are strongly encouraged to costume with some consideration to the trends of the time (however loosely and with whatever modern twists they like). A Regency silhouette—meaning empire waist dresses for ladies, tailcoats/waistcoats and breeches for gentlemen—is recommended.
Multiple costumes and historical undergarments are not required for this larp.
A more extensive packing list will be sent out down the line, but basic costuming recommendations include:
- For female characters
- One or two empire-waist dresses (preferably one for the day and one for the evening)
- Some jewelry and/or hair accessories
- Flats (shoewear)
- Gloves for daytime and evening activities
- A handheld fan
- For male characters
- Breeches or pantaloons (but dress pants are acceptable in dire circumstances)
- A tailcoat and/or vest
- A button-down shirt
- Shoes
- A top hat
- A cravat or small scarf/necktie
We may provide some minor props to those in need, but sufficient supplies for all players cannot be guaranteed. We encourage players to bring any props and costuming they consider necessary for their enjoyment of the game.
The weather in Wisconsin can be unpredictable in early April, so we recommend bringing a coat or (spencer) jacket to wear over your costume in the event of low temperatures or wind chill. The larp will be primarily played indoors, but a jacket could be useful for those who wish to promenade or enjoy the gardens.
Cultural Costuming
Regency costuming can be supplemented or substituted by traditional attire from other cultures for characters from different racial or ethnic backgrounds. For example, majismo or goyesca styles would be appropriate for Spanish or Latin American characters.
Since there is a high chance that white players will end up playing characters from ethnic backgrounds outside of their own, we strongly recommend that white players do NOT costume with other cultures’ attire.
Cultural costuming is not required for any characters—any player may default to British Regency styles, regardless of their character’s cultural background—but it is permitted and appropriate for our setting.
Photography
A member of the organizing team will serve as the photographer and capture photos of the larp.
Photos will be sent out to all participants for review after the larp, and we’ll delete any photos of players that they request removed. We reserve the right to use photos from this event for promotional purposes for future Secret Garden Studios events.
Players are discouraged from taking photos during the larp due to the historical setting and our collective commitment to immersion for participants.
Room & Bathroom Sharing
Players are expected to share a room with their partners. Each room features two twin beds, and multiple shared bathrooms with privacy stalls can be found on each floor. If sharing a room with one’s partner poses a problem, participants are encouraged to reach out to the organizing team to see if alternative accommodations can be made.
There are a total of 9 shared bathrooms in Taylor Hall. Guests would ideally use the bathrooms on the same floor as their assigned rooms, or at least the floors which are occupied by the Dearest Debutante group, but in emergency situations all bathrooms are available for use.