Grab your top hats, shine your dancing shoes, and dust off your flapper feathers, because it’s time to party like it’s the mid-1920s.
On Aug. 2, Boston Swing Central and The Trustees of Reservations will host the annual “Roaring Twenties Lawn Party” at the scenic Crane Estate in Ipswich, where an expanse of green lawn stretches toward the ocean.
Mike Hibarger, who has been organizing the swing dance celebration for the past three years, said he was expecting a robust showing of vintage fashion, plentiful picnic baskets, and old-time cars, as thousands of people flock to this year’s soiree.
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“This year’s response has been overwhelming on social media,” Hibarger said.
Last year, 1,400 people attended the lawn party, which takes a page straight from a scene from the classic novel “The Great Gatsby.” Hibarger expects attendance to double this time around.
“This is our little window into experiencing what the super-wealthy lived like back then,” he said.
The event will feature vintage clothing vendors, food and drinks, and live music by the Baby Soda Jazz Band.
People will spread out on the grassy knoll, dressed to the nines, and set up picnics as others dance to throwback tunes.
The setup for this year’s Downton Abbey-esque gathering, which will be held in front of the 59-room Crane mansion, mirrors last year’s celebration of the lavish 1920s-era.
The major difference, Hibarger said, is that organizers have eliminated the costume contest and replaced it with the “Dandy Dash,” a race to finish obstacles like hitting a croquet ball through a wire loop on the lawn. Attendees can also take rides in the vintage cars, and participate in an interactive mystery game — like a real-life version of the board game Clue — crafted by Green Door Labs.
“It’s the sense of going back to a quieter, simpler time, and getting into the Great Gatsby vibe. It really takes you back to reading that book and into the romanticism of that era,” Hibarger said. “You get this overwhelming sense of opulence for the lifestyle this family lived at the Crane Estate in the 1920s and 1930s.”
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With interest in the lawn party increasing each year, Hibarger is already planning for the future. In 2016, he will switch the event to a Saturday, rather than hosting it on a Sunday, so more people can visit from out of town.
“Many people come from Connecticut, and Maine, and New York,” he said.
The following year, in 2017, the lawn party will expand, becoming a two-day event that stretches through an entire weekend.
“That will be fun,” Hibarger said.
Steve Annear can be reached at steve.annear@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @steveannear.