Laurel Hill Cemetery will host an unusual workshop on Aug. 6. The class will teach attendees how to create a custom Victorian mourning hair flower. Yes, a flower made from hair.
During the Victorian era, mourning a lost loved one was observed through many nonspoken rituals. There was a complicated rules system in place to commemorate the dead and express the relationship to the deceased.
Civil War re-enactor, Lucy Cadwallader, has spent 13 years perfecting the art of creating wreaths, bracelets and necklaces from hair; she will use her expertise to teach the class how to make the intricate flowers. All materials will be provided.
The workshop will begin at 11:30 a.m., with a tour of the cemetery following at 1 p.m. Tickets for the full day are $35 per person. There's also an option to skip the workshop and only take the tour, which will cost $12 per person (Laurel Hill members, seniors and students receive a discount).
On the walking tour through the historic cemetery, visitors will learn about Victorian mourning customs and decipher the symbolic messages left behind on Laurel Hill’s graves.
Death Loves a Shining Mark: The Language of Mourning (Tour & Workshop)
Saturday, August 6
11:30 a.m. | $35 per person
Laurel Hill Cemetery
3822 Ridge Ave.