Greenwich Winter Antiques Show Design Chair Shares Tips for Holiday Entertaining

In his newly published book Born to Party: Forced to Work – 21st Century Hospitality, Bronson van Wyck distills the essential pillars of the fine art of celebration with examples from spectacular events he’s hosted for Presidents Obama and Clinton, celebrities and captains of industry.

Attendees at the Greenwich Winter Antiques Show will see first-hand his genius for creating an imaginative atmosphere when the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center is transformed into an animal kingdom in keeping with Van Wyck’s show theme: Animal Instincts.

The visionary and fun-loving master entertainer is just as adept in creating memorable intimate parties. Patron ticket holders at the opening reception will hear him elaborate on how to pull off small scale events that are as much fun to give as they are to attend.  For a sneak peak, here are a few of his tried and true tips:

  • I always like to greet guests at the door with a shot of tequila – nothing gets the party going like a little liquid courage.
  • To minimize stress, think about having a buffet or serving a family-style meal. That way you won’t be running back and forth to the kitchen in between each course. I like to think of food that will taste great hot and cold like fried chicken, so everything doesn’t have to be served piping hot from the oven.
  • Have a library in Spotify or Pandora of playlists for a variety of moods. Music sets the tone for the night – this way you can easily get guests in your desired mindset right away.
  • Keep the surprises coming! When planning events, I try to have something new happen every twenty minutes. This could be as simple as changing the playlist or circulating a new round of appetizers or as exciting as arranging a special musical performance. Guests should always be kept guessing.

The Greenwich Winter Antiques Show, sponsored by the Greenwich Historical Society and produced by Frank Gaglio, has a 50-year pedigree and offers the finest decorative furnishings, fine art and designer, estate and vintage jewelry and accessories, from over 30 dealers with international reputations.

The show is open to the public on Saturday Dec. 7 from 10am – 6pm and Sunday, Dec. 8 from 11:00am – 5:00pm.

Admission is $15.

Eastern Greenwich Civic Center is located at 90 Harding Road in Old Greenwich. For more information: www.barnstar.com

Attendees at the opening reception on Friday, Dec 6 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm will enjoy an open bar, passed hors d’oeuvres and a light buffet dinner provided by Watson’s Catering. Tickets are $150 and are available at: www.greenwichhistory.org/antiquarius

Patron ticket holders have exclusive benefits, including an intimate presentation by Van Wyck on holiday entertaining and a copy of his new book. For tickets: https://greenwichhistory.org/patron-tickets/