“Downton Abbey” season four premieres Jan. 5 on WSKG-TV, but you can have a sneak peek when you join us for a special ‘tea and talk’ — and a celebration of all things Downton — Thursday, Dec. 19 at the Phelps Mansion in Binghamton.
The evening includes a tour of the Phelps mansion at 5 p.m., a tea and talk at 6 p.m., and a preview screening of season four, hour one at 7 p.m. Heather Welland, assistant professor of history, will present a look at the crisis of the old order in the 1920s with a talk called “Downton Under Siege.” Beth Kilmarx, Curator of Rare Books, will offer a look at some of the real individuals who inhabited the actual Downton – Highclere Castle. Then WSKG’s Brian Frey will debut a short video simulating a correspondence between a Downton-era Binghamton resident and a member of the Downton family, to be seen exclusively at this event. Tickets are $15 for the evening’s events. To buy tickets, call WSKG at 729-0100 or go online. Costumes strongly encouraged!