Holiday teas at Cherokee Ranch and Castle
Cherokee Ranch and Castle Events Assistant Tanya Baldwin stands in the dining room with afternoon tea.
Article and photo by Elizabeth Wood West
If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind holiday event, set in a magnificent castle with breathtaking views of Pikes Peak, Devil’s Head, the Front Range, and downtown Denver, then consider attending one of Cherokee Ranch and Castle’s holiday teas. Beginning with their Thanksgiving Tea on November 23, castle staff will host a series of teas during the holidays through the end of December.
The teas will include a tour of the Cherokee Ranch Castle, which was home to Douglas County’s late grand dame rancher and philanthropist Tweet Kimball. The teas are served in the Castle’s Great Hall, which will be festively decorated for the holidays. Castle volunteers, referred to as docents, will serve the teas and conduct the castle tours. According to Cherokee Ranch and Castle’s Events Assistant Tanya Baldwin, the docents are mostly people who have previously participated in a castle tour; others, however, are devoted former friends and employees of Tweet Kimball.
Baldwin explained that the castle hosts afternoon teas, which are served earlier in the day and with a slightly different menu than the more formal and traditional four o’clock high teas. The afternoon tea menu includes four different kinds of tea, including the castle’s signature black currant tea, several different kinds of finger sandwiches, an assortment of fresh petit pastries, and traditional scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
In addition to the holiday teas, the Cherokee Ranch and Castle Foundation offers a broad variety of educational, performing arts, and corporate events throughout the year.
For more information about the holiday teas, please contact Tanya Baldwin at 303-688-5555 or by e-mail. . Cherokee Ranch and Castle is located at 6113 N. Daniels Park Road, near Sedalia. For general information, please visit www.cherokeeranch.org.
