Hamburg family parties like its 1911: The Punturieros celebrate their house’s 100th birthday

There are parties, and then there are Punturiero parties.

Hamburg resident Adrienne Punturiero and her husband, Dominic, are known by their friends and in community circles for their over-the-top theme parties.

“My family and I just have so much fun planning them,” said Punturiero, whose past parties have included a “millennium party,” where guests had to dress up as a different decade; and a “black and white” party in honor of Dominic earning his black belt in karate.

So when the Punturiero family’s Village of Hamburg house turned 100, they knew exactly what to do.

“We have had many themed parties, but this one blew them away,” said Punturiero, who said her husband and children were very enthusiastic when she suggested they throw a birthday party for their house. “It really came together quickly, everyone jumped on board.”

Initially, they planned to host their centennial house party on November 11, 2011.

“We wanted to have it on 11/11/11 since the house was built in 1911 and our house is address number 11 (on Dudley Avenue), and it is also my birthday,” Punturiero explained.

Yet the date was too good to be true — Punturiero’s niece booked her wedding for the same day. They rescheduled the centennial party for the next day, with out-of-town relatives remaining in Hamburg for the big bash.

The party began promptly at 7:11 p.m. The 75 guests were asked to dress up in 1911-period costumes.

“Even if they didn’t have a full-blown costume, some of them wore antique jewelry or some interesting item,” Punturiero said. The hostess wore a floor-length navy velvet dress with a pearl collar and a large burgundy hat, topped with a feather. Though the outfit may seem lavish, she was able to put it together using Goodwill items that cost a total of $5.

At first, Punturiero was not sure she had dressed the part. Then one guest coincidentally arrived with a photograph from 1912 as a gift, and Punturiero’s fears were put to rest.

“The woman in the photograph was dressed almost exactly like I was,” she said. “I immediately brought it around to all the guests, who were as amazed as I was — we all got a huge kick out of it. It made me feel more authentic!”

The house was adorned with antiques, including lit candles in mason jars, oil lamps, washtubs and washboards, old wooden crates, and photographs.

Punturiero covered her home with notes containing facts on what life was like back in 1911. (“The average life expectancy for men was 47 years,” said one fact card. “Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub,” read another.)

The centennial theme even extended to the party food. Punturiero found old cookbooks and whipped up dishes that were popular during the time period.

“Everyone’s favorite hors d’oeuvres was made from a recipe by a former slave,” noted Punturiero, who described the appetizer as bread with a cream cheese filling.

Among the desserts Punturiero served was a tray of Oreos — the famous cookie was invented in 1911.

But what happened at the party at 11:11 p.m. really took the cake. Punturiero dimmed the lights treated her guests to 100 cupcakes topped with candles.

“Everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to my house,” she said. “It seemed silly at first, but after a couple cocktails everyone got into it.”

Although Punturiero and her family love to throw a good party, the reason for their centennial celebration had a deeper meaning. Recognizing their house’s centennial was a way for the Punturiero family to honor the charm of the historic homes and buildings in the Village of Hamburg.

“We love the charm of older homes, the fact that they are so well built, and the details like the woodwork, high ceilings, stained leaded glass windows,” said Punturiero, who has lived at 11 Dudley Ave. for the past 26 years.

“We love living in the village, there is such a fabulous sense of community,” she continued. “So many people volunteer and work very hard to make it the wonderful place it is. There are so many events that we love to attend, and we know we will see our friends and neighbors there.”

Punturiero is still receiving praise from those who attend the party.

“They are continually telling us, even these months afterward, what a great time they had,” she said.