‘Knight of Murder,’ mystery and a meal at the Ahern Home
Experience a “Knight of Murder” at the P.J. Ahern Home—an event to tempt you with a Medieval meal, a bit of mystery and murder.
Organized by the Texarkana Museums System, this “Knight of Murder” brings participants together to solve the mystery when, at a celebratory feast in honor of Baron Bartholomew and Lady Diana marrying, someone in attendance is eliminated. The setting? A lord’s manor in the Middle Ages—well, actually starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25.
Everyone is a suspect, explained the TMS Curator
Jamie Simmons, so they’re all in danger of being hung for the crime, as was the justice delivered back in the days of yore.
Once the killing is committed, everyone attending will try to solve the mystery.
The murder mystery dinner will feature a modern twist on the sorts of food one would find at a feast in the Middle Ages. For libations, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be served.
“So it will be things you would eat with your hands,” Simmons said about the feast fare, noting that although it’s not mandatory, “We really encourage guests to wear a costume.”
Prizes are voted on and awarded at the end of the festivities: best costume, best histrionics, etc. There’s a Pinterest page for the event to give ideas about costumes and props; attendees can find it at the “Knight of Murder” event page on Facebook.
Simmons said the TMS always has a host for these murder mystery events, one who helps to both move the game forward and keep it running smoothly. All the guests have a role to play.
“When guests purchase tickets, we’ll assign a character to them,” Simmons said. The deadline to register is Thursday at 4 p.m. so people have time to ask questions, if need be, and prepare. Some characters are servants, some are nobility, some are in disguise.
Usually, the murder victim doesn’t know they’re the victim until he or she arrives, the curator said. But regardless of who one plays, attendees have tasks to perform.
“Everybody does have a character to play, and they’ll each have a mission they’re trying to complete,” Simmons said. Some of the TMS murder mysteries are for adults, some for the whole family, but this one is strictly for the older folks.
The P.J. Ahern Home will be decorated as if it’s an ancient castle. “We’ll be adding little touches that give you the impression of a Medieval castle,” said Simmons, noting the Ahern walls are built of cast concrete block so with that texture it appears like the kind of stone found in a castle.
“The design of the house is Classical Revival,” Simmons said.
Anyone interested in creating a coat of arms for the event is invited to contact her to talk about resources for ideas.
Because of the size of the home, there are a limited number of tickets available. Simmons suggests the sooner tickets are purchased the better. Look for more murder mystery dinners from the TMS.
The “Knight of Murder” theme was chosen because it’s been Medieval month at the Texarkana Museums System. Other events include a catapult-making workshop and a lecture about “fake news” back in Medieval days.
(Admission is $40 per person or $75 per couple for non-members, or $35 per person or $70 per couple for Texarkana Museums System members. Members should call to get the discount code. Buy tickets online through the P.J. Ahern Home Facebook page or Ticketleap. com. For more information or prop/costume ideas, contact the TMS at 903-793-4831 or ahern@texarkanamuseums.org. The P.J. Ahern Home is located at 403 Laurel St.)