Fresno City and County Historical Society is hosting two celebrations for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

A Mother’s Day Tea Party invites guests to traditional afternoon tea with a tour of the Kearney Mansion Museum.

The Father’s Day Sip and Smoke provides a night of tequila tasting, food, and cigars on the veranda.

The museum’s current display is “From China to Fresno: A 150-Year Cultural Journey” in collaboration with the Chinese American Museum Project. It will be available to view during both events.

“It’s a robust exhibit that had been in the vault for 60 years,” said Elizabeth Laval, president of the Fresno City and County Historical Society. “We are working with the City of Fresno to bring into the collection some extra materials from the archive.”

Money raised from these events directly supports the Historical Society’s archive and restoration of history.

“We’re not only looking to preserve the past, but we’re also chronicling and preserving the current life,” Laval said.

Mother’s Day Tea Party

Join the community and celebrate the mothers in your life at a Mother’s Day Tea Party.

“It’s a really beautiful setting to kind of take you back in time,” Laval said. “There is something magical about having Victorian tea in the dining room of the Kearney mansion.”

The traditional tea parties will be held on May 10 with two seating times, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The event offers attendees their choice of time and seating: the mansion dining room or the veranda overlooking Kearney Park.

Those attending often embrace the traditional setting and dress up, immersing themselves in history, Laval said.

“What we’ve tried to do is create experiences for themselves and the family to do together that are a little different.”

The event includes a traditional tea service and a tour of the Kearney Mansion Museum and Gallery.

Additionally, attendees will receive a 10% discount on store merchandise.

Tickets are $75 per person and available here.

Fresno City and County Historical Society expects the popular event to sell out.

Additionally, due to high demand, the Historical Society will not provide complimentary seating for children who are not eating.

Father’s Day Sip and Smoke

Get a jump on Father’s Day and plan to celebrate dads with a night of drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and cigars.

The Historical Society is hosting a night out at Kearney Mansion on June 21 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“It’s a lot of fun for that really hard to buy for dad or grandpa or uncle even,” Laval said. “The last time, we actually had to kick people out, because the park was closing. The nights in June are perfect, so the timing is just right to be able to go sit out on the balcony.”

The festivities include a guided tequila tasting that allows guests to cultivate a deeper knowledge of each unique liquor and the opportunity, for those inclined, to smoke a cigar out on the veranda.

Featured tequilas include Blanco, Reposado, Joven, Anjeo, Xtra Anjeo, Cristalino, Sotol, and Mescal.

An expert will explain how the tequilas are made, what differentiates them, and more. There will be someone on site to do the same with cigars, Laval said.

The event invites participants to experience the warm summer nights like M. Theo Kearney did over a century ago.

The VIP package offers early entrance, an additional cigar, and a full pour of a Mexican Spirit of your choice.

Those wishing to attend can purchase tickets here for $135. All participants must be 21 or older.