2026 Patriotic Luncheon - America 250!
Celebrate America 250 with the Wylie Historical Society's at our 2026 Patriotic Luncheon
Keynote Speaker: Author and American Historian Tracy Lawson will share about Using Family Lore, Letters, and Journals as the Basis for Historical Novels.
Demonstration: Jen Thompson and Beth Klimek of the DFW Costumers Guild will present a fascinating demonstration of 18th-century women’s fashion!
Thanks to the generous support of Frost Bank, our Literacy Sponsor, every ticket holder will receive a complimentary signed copy of one of Tracy Lawson’s Ladies of the Revolution novels: Answering Liberty’s Call: Anna Stone’s Daring Ride to Valley Forge or Patriot of the Lowcountry: Eliza Wilkinson and the Fall of Charleston.
♦ Patriotic Outfit and Hat Contest! By popular demand (Hats are not required, thought highly encouraged!)
♦ Features: Door Prizes + Silent Auction
♦ Luncheon registration includes lunch, program, exhibits and entry in the door prize drawing!
♦ When: Saturday, Aug 29th 2026 at 11:00 AM
♦ Where: St. Anthony's Church, Pondant Hall, 404 N Ballard Ave, Wylie, TX 75098
Event Tickets: ♦ $45 per person Early-Bird through Jul 31st, regular price is $50 per person
Children are welcome to attend with a parent, note this event is not geared for young children. Adults may add a child/children tickets ($15 each)
Spots are limited, get your Tickets Now!
Benefitting the Wylie Historical Society a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
A limited amount of tickets may be available the day of the event, but we encourage everyone to purchase tickets in advance.
About Tracy Lawson:
Ever thought about writing a book based on family stories? Author and DAR members Tracy Lawson based her novel Answering Liberty’s Call: Anna Stone’s Daring ride to Valley Forge on her patriot sixth great-grandmother’s adventures during the winter of 1778.
Tracy will share about her research journey and tips for developing a historical novel from family lore and letters.
Exploring the stories of women patriots led Tracy to develop the Liberty Belles series for Young Readers, perfect for grades 2-5.
Tracy Lawson’s interest in American history began during the Bicentennial celebration in 1976. She is the author of fourteen books, including six that feature women patriots of the American Revolution.
Tracy, who is also the curator at Wylie's Welcome Center at Brown House, has been a member of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution for thirty-five years. She and her husband Bob live in the second-oldest house in Wylie's historic downtown. They have one grown daughter, two spoiled cats, and recently welcomed a grandson.
For more information and to purchase Tracy's books go to TracyLawsonBooks.com
About Jen Thompson and Beth Klimek
Jen Thompson is an art educator and seamstress with a passion for fashion history. She has been researching, recreating, and teaching historical garments from a wide variety of eras for over three decades, and she has a special interest in Georgian era costuming from the last quarter of the 18th century. Jen has authored numerous articles about fashion history and garment construction, and she has given lectures and organized fashion shows at DFW-area historical sites such as Chestnut Square Historic Village of McKinney and the Heritage Farmstead Museum in Plano.
Beth Klimek is an award-winning costumer who has been sewing 18th century garments for 16 years. She learned to sew as a child and has created everything from French Court dresses to children’s stuffed toys. Her favorite eras to dress for are Regency, the late Victorian period, and 18th century. When she’s not in her sewing room, you can find her in her vegetable garden tending her tomatoes, or cuddling her three dogs and two cats.