Clara's Tea Party

The tea party that I attended was great!!! My child enjoyed the experience and we had a wonderful time. I would recommend it to anyone who have young girls.

This year, Clara's Tea Party wasn't worth the paper the ticket was printed on. The day before the event we were contacted that they had moved locations (assuming because of poor ticket sales). Even though I felt the event last year was a little pricey, it was set up beautifully with scones, chocolates and little desserts on every table, along with a variety of teas all set up on one table. They had a piano player and enough room for the young girls to dance (which quite a few did). Most of the main characters came out for pictures and autograph signing on a poster of the cast each tickteholder was given. My daugter and I had a very nice time..nice enough to want to pay the price to do it again this year. Although... This year was a completely different story. The small area it was held in was a sitting room with sofas and a couple coffee tables. They had one table set up with only hot cider to drink (at a kid event a remind you), a few cookies and a few chocolates. No tea. The tickets for me and my daughter were $63 (with fees). For what?? Already extremely upset when arriving to this display, it only got worse when I saw a juice box displayed on the bar where a gentleman worker was. Since my daughter does not like hot cider, I asked for one. He responded that it would be $2. WHAT!! The tickets were $63 (with fees) for my daughter and I, and they want to charge me $2 for a juice box!! Then 3 sets of characters come out .... Clara and a few others were the only ones to come out for signing (I guess because of the poor turn-out) and they had no posters this year for cast signatures....but we still paid more than last year. So to sum it up: Cost of 2 including fees: $63 which included a sitting room event with one table of a chocolates and cookies and hot cider. 2 sets of characters and the King of the Mice came out for pictures and to sign the program. That's it. The event should have been cancelled and our money refunded instead of this disappointment. Needless to say, we will not return!

My sister-in-law and I took our little girls to this event last year, and though the food was sparse and forgettable, the atmosphere was great, with Christmas decor, beautiful tables, and live piano music the whole time, which made the event. This year, however, there were no beautiful tables, only one small display of "tea party" food, and to drink,-- no tea. There were fewer dancers there to meet this year as well. The party room was hardly decorated. There was no music to speak of--much less a live pianist. The Richmond Ballet should have given everyone their money back instead of hosting a sub-par event. My group, including my 9 year-old daughter, were very disappointed. We will not be attending this event next year. I could have spent my $27.00 a ticket elsewhere and been much happier.