The social season or Season has historically referred to the annual period when it is customary for members of the social and political elite of society to hold debutante balls, dinner parties, and large charity events, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It was also the appropriate time to be resident in the city rather than in the country, in order to attend such events. The social season typically occurs during the warmer summer months. Look up elite, élite in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Poster from the 1958 Sandra Dee film, The Reluctant Debutante A debutante (or deb) (French word for female beginner) is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal presentation... A ball is a formal dance. ... Dinner is a term with several meanings. ... A charitable organization (also known as a charity) is a trust, company or unincorporated association established for charitable purposes only. ...

1870 cartoon satirizing the coming of the London season

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 775 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (930 × 720 pixel, file size: 95 KB, MIME type: image/gif) The Coming Season, an 1870 cartoon satirizing the London social season, as printed or reprinted in Harpers Bazaar magazine. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 775 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (930 × 720 pixel, file size: 95 KB, MIME type: image/gif) The Coming Season, an 1870 cartoon satirizing the London social season, as printed or reprinted in Harpers Bazaar magazine. ...

The Season in London

The original Season is the "London Season", coinciding with the sitting of Parliament, and beginning some time after Christmas, and running until midsummer (ie. around late June). Historically, the Season comprised innumerable social and charity engagements, including lavish balls and dinners and evenings at the opera or theatre. The most exclusive events were held at the town mansions of leading members of the aristocracy. In the effect, these series of events served as a courtship ritual for the children of marriagable age of the nobility and upper gentry. The season began with the presentation of debutantes to the monarch. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons The Right Honourable Michael Martin MP Lord Speaker Hélène Hayman, Baroness Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups (as of May 5, 2005 elections) Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats... Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... Midsummer may refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the diverse celebrations of it around the world, but more often refers to European celebrations that accompany the summer solstice, or to Western festivals that take place in June and are usually related to Saint John... Gaskell Ball Ballroom dance, refers collectively to a set of partner dances, which originated in the Western world and are now enjoyed both socially and competitively around the globe. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. ... Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Nobility is a traditional hereditary status (see hereditary titles) that exists today in many countries (mainly present or former monarchies). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Poster from the 1958 Sandra Dee film, The Reluctant Debutante A debutante (or deb) (French word for female beginner) is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal presentation...

The traditional season went into decline after the First World War, when many aristocratic families gave up their London mansions. From this time on an increasing number of society events took place at public venues, making it harder to maintain social exclusivity. The presentation of debutantes at court ended in the nineteen fifties. The events which today comprise the London social season are increasingly hosted or sponsored by large companies (ie. "corporate hospitality").

Although there is no official organisation of the season, according to the peerage guide Debrett's, the season runs from April to August and includes the events listed below. For other uses, see Peerage (disambiguation). ... Debrett’s history as a specialist publisher began in 1769, with the publication of the first edition of The New Peerage. ...

• Arts: Edinburgh Fringe — Glyndebourne — The Proms — Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
• Horticulture: Chelsea Flower Show
• Equestrianism: Royal Ascot — Glorious Goodwood — Badminton — The Grand National — The Royal Windsor Horse Show
• The Crown: Trooping the Colour — The Garter Service
• Sport: The Boat Race — Henley Royal Regatta — Wimbledon — Cowes Week — The Lord's Test Match

Although several of these events are not actually held in London, the organisers of most events attempt to avoid date clashes, so it is generally possible to visit all of them in the same year (given sufficient leisure time, disposable income and stamina). A street performer on the Royal Mile, with volunteer (2004). ... Glyndebourne Opera Festival is a music festival held at Glyndebourne House near Lewes, England. ... A Promenade concert in the Royal Albert Hall, 2004. ... Royal Academy during the 2004 summer exhibition The Summer Exhibition is an art exhibition held annually by the Royal Academy in Burlington House, Piccadilly in central London. ... // The Chelsea Flower Show is a garden show held each year on five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London, England. ... Ascot Racecourse is a racecourse, located in the village of Ascot in the English county of Berkshire used for thoroughbred horse racing. ... Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond. ... The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only four elite international four star, CCI****, events as classified by the FEI. Badminton takes place in May each year in the park of Badminton House the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England. ... The Grand National is the most valuable National Hunt handicap horse race in the United Kingdom. ... Elizabeth II riding to Trooping the Colour for the last time in 1986 Trooping the Colour is a military pageant or ceremony performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. ... The insignia of a knight of the Order of the Garter. ... Boat Race Logo Exhausted crews at the finish of the 2002 Boat Race The Boat Race is a rowing race between the rowing clubs of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. ... A race taking place at Henley Regatta 2004 Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the river Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. ... The Championships, Wimbledon, commonly referred to as Wimbledon, is the oldest major championship in tennis and is widely considered to be the most prestigious. ... Cowes Week is the longest-running regular regatta in the world. ... The Pavilion The Grand Stand Match in progress The Media Centre at Lords Cricket Ground This memorial stone to Lord Harris is in the Harris Garden at Lords Lords Cricket Ground is a cricket ground in St Johns Wood in London, at grid reference TQ268827. ... A relaxing afternoon of leisure: a young girl resting in a pool. ... Disposable income is the total amount of income an individual makes after direct taxes. ...

In contemporary times, around 30 noble ladies are selected in the year before their 18th birthday to participate in the forthcoming London Season. In April, the Season kicks off with a charity fashion show, followed by parties organised by each noble lady. One of the most memorable in recent times was organised by Marianna Hay in July 2004^{[citation needed]}.

The Season in the United States

Many large American cities have a more-or-less official social season, although only those persons on the social register may be aware of its existence. In the US, timing of the social season is adapted to the climate, rather than to the sitting of Parliament, and may start as early as the autumn and end in the early summer when the upper classes traditionally fled the hot and sticky cities for the so-called camps of the Adirondacks, seaside retreats such as the Hamptons, or, in California, the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Specific to the United States, the Social Register is a directory of names and addresses of the powerful and wealthy individuals who form the social elite, though until recently not necessarily the political or corporate elite; inclusion in the Social Register was formerly a guide to the members of polite... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Upper class refers to the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Some factual claims in this article need to be verified. ... The Hamptons, shown highlighted The Hamptons refers to the towns of Southampton and East Hampton on the South Fork, Suffolk County, New York on the east end of Long Island, in Suffolk County, New York. ... Places: Napa, California Napa County, California Napa Valley College Other: NAPA - National Automotive Parts Association NAPA - National Asphalt Pavement Association Categories: Disambiguation ... Sonoma is a town located in Sonoma County, California, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 9,128. ...

In New York, the opening of the Metropolitan Opera in September is a major event of the early social season; in Los Angeles, it is the Las Madrinas debutante ball; and in San Francisco, the Opening Night Gala of the San Francisco Opera. NY redirects here. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Las Madrinas Ball is a debutante ball held in Los Angeles, California by Las Madrinas (Spanish, the Godmothers), an organization founded in 1933 to provide financial support to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and its medical research programs. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... San Francisco Opera (SFO) is the second largest opera company in North America. ...

The Season in literature

A London Season features in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, and is often a key plot device in regency romance novels. 1873 engraving of Jane Austen, based on a portrait drawn by her sister Cassandra. ... For other uses, see Sense and Sensibility (disambiguation). ... Regency romances are a subgenre of romance novels set during the period of the English Regency or early 19th century. ...

Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence uses the New York social season as a backdrop for its story. Edith Wharton (January 24, 1862 – August 11, 1937) was an American novelist, short story writer, and designer. ... For other uses, see Age of innocence. ...

Further reading

Florence Adele Sloane (ed. Louis Auchincloss): Maverick in Mauve: Diary of a Romantic Age, Doubleday, 1983.

Kate Simon: Fifth Avenue: A Very Social History, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1978.

External references

• A London Season
• Debrett's (click "The Season")
• New York's Social Elite Today