The Rainier City Library will host a murder mystery tea party this St. Patrick’s Day, the second of its kind after a similar Mardi Gras murder mystery fundraiser hosted in February of 2023.
The event will be Mar. 16 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Rainier United Methodist Church located at 101 E C St. in Rainier. Attendees will play one of a variety of characters celebrating St. Patrick’s Day over a three-course tea in a small town pub.
Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen said he is excited for the community to come out and participate.
“Last year, we had around 60 people, so we’re looking to do the same this time, have it be half and half. Half the people will be characters, and have the people will be detectives,” Jorgensen said. “I’ve already picked out my character!”
Tickets are $20, and when people buy a ticket, they can choose the character they would like to be. Organizers encourage participants to dress up for the role, embrace their imagination, and enjoy solving a mysterious make-believe murder.
The character list includes people from all walks of life, “from the local chicken farmer to a major league soccer player, a rodeo cowboy, and a professional moocher,” organizers said. There were 60 tickets available, and organizers hope the event sells out this year.
The ticket website is rainiercitylibrary.ticketleap.com/stpattysday.
The proceeds from the event will help fund operations at the library and build additional funding streams.
Library Board Chair Marcia Roberts said the murder mystery component adds a bit of intrigue to the library’s yearly tradition of hosting teas at the Methodist Church.
Roberts said she would be making food for the event. There will be two kinds of scones served at the event, as well as a cabbage salad with green peppers and green onions, corned beef pasties, and egg salad with arugula sandwiches. For dessert, there will be an Irish cream chocolate mousse brownie and a bowl of fruit with a sugar cookie.
If people are interested in volunteering to help serve food at the event, they are encouraged to contact the library.
