The Heights of Fashion

2019 Holiday Tour & Progressive Dinner in West Adams Heights

Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8

Please join WAHA for “The Heights of Fashion in West Adams Heights” at our 33rd Annual Holiday Tour & Progressive Dinner!  This year’s tour opens the doors to a half dozen historic homes and mansions in the heart of elegant West Adams Heights – considered one of the most fashionable neighborhoods of the West Adams District a century ago.

The West Adams Heights subdivision was announced in 1902, and soon was favored by many wealthy families of the time for its picturesque location on a hill. Renowned architects were employed to design imposing homes. Visitors will tour the interiors of landmark homes designed by notable architects, including Frederick L. Roehrig (known as “the Millionaire’s Architect”); Hudson & Munsell (who designed many fine residences in the West Adams District and elsewhere for upstanding members of society); Frank M. Tyler; Dennis & Farwell; and the Heineman & Heineman brothers (who built high-style and extremely creative Craftsman homes primarily in Los Angeles and Pasadena).

In the 1940s prominent African-American performers, impresarios, developers, and capitalists began to purchase homes in West Adams Heights, and it came to be known as “Sugar Hill.” Infamously, a group of white residents filed lawsuits against their new African-American neighbors; but in the end their efforts were unsuccessful and set the stage for the 1948 Supreme Court decision that finally banned restrictive racial covenants. From then, noted entertainers like Hattie McDaniel, Louise Beavers, Joel Fluellen, Pearl Bailey and others hosted swanky soirees throughout West Adams Heights.

The Heights of Fashion Holiday Tour takes place on Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8, with the progressive dinner tours beginning at 3 p.m. each day and departing approximately every 40 minutes after that.  Please be sure to arrive early enough to tour the first house where you will be checking in.  A separate course of our festive holiday menu will be served at each house, and will feature appetizers (and champagne!), soup, salad, entrée with sides, and dessert.

There is also a self-guided Sunday Walking Tour from Noon to 3 p.m. (last ticket sold/last will-call ticket picked-up at 1:30 p.m.)  Visitors will see the same historic houses, festively decorated for the holidays, but without the food.

No high heels or, especially, spike heels, please.  And be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as this is a walking tour.  Please note that the century-old homes on this tour are not ADA accessible.

TICKET SALES/TOUR TIMES



Please read this before purchasing your tickets.

For the Holiday Progressive Dinner tour, advance paid reservations are required; each tour group's participants are pre-assigned. This tour usually sells out well in advance.  Please note that tickets are transferable but not refundable.

PLEASE NOTE: The holiday meal includes a meat entrée. We will gladly serve a vegetarian dinner to any ticketholder who orders it in advance - you'll get a chance to specify your preference when we confirm your ticket order. Please check with everyone in your party - we want to make sure a delicious dinner is prepared for each person and won't be able to accommodate last-minute changes.

Tickets

All Progressive Dinner tickets after November 20 are $90.

Sunday Walking Tour tickets are $35. Purchase online or at Check-In, 2151 S. Oxford Avenue, Los Angeles 90018.

Progressive Dinner Tour Times

Tours depart at these stated times (so a quick reminder: if you plan to tour the Check-in House, you’ll need to arrive before your stated tour group’s departure time).

Saturday – 3 p.m. (SOLD OUT), 3:40 p.m.(SOLD OUT), 4:30 p.m., 5:10 p.m. (SOLD OUT), 5:50 p.m., 6:40 p.m.
Sunday – 3 p.m.(SOLD OUT), 3:40 p.m., 4:20 p.m., 5:20 p.m., 6:00 p.m.

When you purchase your tickets, we'd like to know who is in your party (especially if they're purchasing tickets separately). We will confirm your purchase by e-mail; you may ALSO write us at tours @ westadamsheritage.org to tell us your preferences, your friends’ names plus their e-mail addresses, and any other important information.

Please be sure to check in advance with your guests regarding their dinner entrée preference, as you will need to specify that at time of purchase.

We know that some visitors put together groups of eight or more. To guarantee your group will be together, we request that you reserve and e-mail us with that information no later than November 12. A Table of 8 will be $560 (WAHA members, $550), paid by November 15. Please e-mail us regarding group ticket pricing and purchasing options for more than eight tickets.

For the self-guided Holiday Walking Tour, without food, on Sunday, December 8, doors open (and on-site ticket sales begin) at Noon; please note that the last ticket will be sold at 1:30 p.m. AND that the doors of all the homes will close to walking tour participants promptly at 3:00, so we recommend you arrive early.

You may also purchase tickets for either the Dinner or Walking Tour by sending a check made out to “WAHA” to: WAHA Holiday Tour, 2263 S. Harvard Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90018. Checks should be postmarked by November 20. Please also send an email to WAHA (tours@westadamsheritage.org) telling us your preferred time slot, when you sent the check, and the number in your party, so we can hold your space(s).

Anyone wishing to volunteer to help with the tour should email volunteer@westadamsheritage.org.  We can always use docents, kitchen staff, servers, etc.

We look forward to seeing you at The Heights of Fashion in West Adams Heights.


Please note:  Tickets for this tour are non-refundable (although they may be transferable). If you are unable to attend, your payment will be considered a donation to West Adams Heritage Association.  Please write tours@westadamsheritage.org if you have questions or concerns about this policy.