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Red Hat Society Member
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
In 2008, the American Festivals Project headed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to document the Red Hat Society Convention. Every September, hundreds of women age 50 and older don red headgear and descend on Grand Rapids for a fast-paced weekend of fun, fellowship, and flamboyance.
Here, a participant shows off her spirited tattoo.
Read more about the Red Hat Society Convention on the American Festivals Project blog.
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Red Hat Convention
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
A society member looks out the window of the convention hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Traditionally, the larger and more glamorous the hat, the better.
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Red Hat Night Out
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
Members of the Queen of Hearts Chapter of Elmwood Park, Illinois, enjoy a late-night drink in the hotel bar at the “Glam on the Grand” convention.
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Red Hat Dance Class
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
Weekend activities at the Red Hat Society Convention include dance sessions. Red Hat ladies embrace the pursuit of fun and freedom in middle age.
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Purple Hat
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
A traditional red-and-purple outfit serves as a canvas for lighthearted embellishments. Founded by Sue Ellen Cooper, the society has more than 42,000 chapters around the world and an estimated 1.5 million registered members.
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Red Hat Dining
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
Dressed in signature red and purple, Red Hat Society members enjoy a meal in the convention center. The society’s national conventions can draw up to 5,000 members.
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Red Hat Glamour
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
The Red Hat Society encourages glitz and glamour. The idea for the society came in part from "Warning," a poem by Jenny Joseph in which a woman vows to be carefree in middle age.
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Red Hat Keepsakes
Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project
In Red Hat chapters around the world, women over 50 embrace friendship and fulfillment and allow a little silliness to infuse their zest for life.
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