Garden party planned at Rotch-Jones-Duff House

NEW BEDFORD — The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum will hold its annual garden party on Saturday, June 15, at 6 p.m. This year’s fundraiser carries the theme, “Keeping Up With The Duffs,” celebrating the era of the Duff residency at the house and a mid-century chic vibe. The evening features live piano music, DJ, catering by The Westporter, open bar, and a silent auction. Honorary co-chairs of the event are Deborah Pierce and Carlotta McKee, both granddaughters of Mark and Beatrice Duff, the last residents of 396 County before it became a museum.

There will be more than 50 items up for bidding at the silent auction including gift cards to local restaurants, wine, exercise sessions, antiques, travel packages, and garden items.

Featured auction items are:

• Destination: Salem: Salem is a destination for lovers of literature, history, art and folklore - and the successful bidder will get to experience it all with this amazing package! The winner enjoys passes to the House of the Seven Gables - the famed setting of author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel of the same name. Next, they’ll venture to the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem’s central art and culture museum founded in 1799 by the East India Marine Society. Dining at Nathaniel’s Restaurant inside the Hawthorne Hotel can complete the day.

• Champagne Sunset Sail. The successful bidder will enjoy the beauty of Sippican Harbor at sunset, champagne in hand, with Chris and Les Dole for up to six people aboard a Hylas 49 sailing yacht, known for its exquisite lines and considered by many to be one of the best sailboats for the high seas.

• Year of Dates: This epic package includes 12 months of outings and adventures for two. The successful bidder enjoys a wide range of excursions for two. Summer fun includes whale watches and picnics. Cold months include a holiday house tour, and movie nights. Twelve experiences are all wrapped up in a lovely picnic basket set that’s ready for any adventure.

Proceeds from the event will underwrite the cost of the Museum’s educational programming for K-12 students and for community members. Serving more than 2,000 area students annually, curriculum-supporting programs are offered free of charge to New Bedford students. Programs at the Museum help students engage in critical thinking, learn about the community in which they live, and make connections between the past and present. The Museum’s public education programs, many of which are free, range in topics, from transcendentalism to topiaries, and serve about 1,300 people each year.

While the deadline to purchase tickets o-line has passed, a limited number of tickets will be available at the door for those who call the museum by 4 p.m. on June 13 to reserve them. Interested parties should call the museum at 508-997-1401. Donations in lieu of attendance may be made on line at www.rjdmuseum.org.