Enjoy a truly Divine summer evening, sipping a special signature champagne cocktail, beer, wine or champagne from Hillwood’s Café, competing for the best picnic spread and watching John Water’s cult classic Hairspray.  

Come early and set out your elaborate picnic spread.

Pour your energy into planning your fabulous props and costumes, knowing that we'll pour the drinks when you arrive! Choose a special champagne cocktail, beer, wine, or champagne to go with your feast, or pre-order dinner from Hillwood's Café and let us do the cooking!

What wins over our judges?

• Themes and connections to the film,
• Costumes, including wild hair-dos and hair-don'ts,
• Props, including table cloths, flameless candelabras, serving dishes, centerpieces, and classic movie snacks, and
• Group dances. Bonus points if you'll do The Bug, The Bird, or The Maddison for us!

Winners will recieve:

• An autographed Very Crudely Yours, John Waters box set, which includes Hairpsray, Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Desperate Living, Polyester, Pecker, A Dirty Shame, and John Waters DVD Scrapbook,
• An annual membership to Hillwood,
• Bragging rights, and
• The envy and admiration of your fellow film-goers.

Hillwood Café

Stop by the bar for a champagne cocktail, beer, wine, or champagne by the glass or bottle. Light snacks are also available to purchase. The bar will remain open until 9:45 pm.

Please note that our liquor license does not permit outside alcohol.

Event Timeline

Gates open 7 pm
7-8:30 pm: Mansion and Ingenue to Icon open for touring
7-9:45 pm: Hillwood Café open
8-8:30 pm: Best picnic spread judging; winners announced before film
Film begins around 8:45

This event is rain or shine. In the event of rain, the screening will be moved indoors.

This program is made possible by the Dina Merrill Film Program.