Musselman Middle School sixth grader Raygen Brown, Mussellman High School freshman Ky Anderson and three-year old Scarlet Whitteker take their turn at the photo booth at the Kid’s Par-Tea in the Station at Shepherdstown on Feb. 14. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The Station at Shepherdstown was filled with bright smiles and bustling activity on Feb. 14, during which Gypsy Soul Catering owner Maria Tobei hosted three back-to-back tea parties.

In the early afternoon and evening on Valentine’s Day, two tea parties were hosted for adults wishing to celebrate the holiday in style. The third tea, a Kid’s Par-Tea, was held in the late afternoon, so children of all ages would be able to attend the party after school let out for the day.

For Lauren Hawley, of Bunker Hill, the Kid’s Par-Tea provided the perfect opportunity for her to mentor a few of her friends’ children.

“They’re my friends kids. I have guy friends whose wives are no longer around, so I take the kids and go do things with them. We get into all sort of adventures together, just to help them out since their moms aren’t around,” Hawley said, mentioning this was her way to invest in the next generation as a single woman. “I have five godchildren ages five months to 21-years-old, and in my neighborhood I just end up collecting these kids — I call them my Kid Krew. We went to see the ‘Barbie’ movie. I took them all camping — we didn’t have cellphone service and had to learn how to build a fire together!”

Waiting to take a photo of her three-year-old daughter, Scarlet, at the event’s photo booth, Martinsburg resident Cat Whitteker said she was excited to share this event with her daughter.

Gypsy Soul Catering owner Maria Tobei chats with a table at the Kid's Par-Tea in the Station at Shepherdstown on Feb. 14. Tabitha Johnston

“She’s starting to remember stuff now,” Whitteker said, mentioning her family was new to the area. “This is something I didn’t get to do as a kid. I want to give her different experiences than what I had as a kid.”

Tobei made sure to make the event a community experience. The evening adult tea party featured live music by Shepherdstown resident Jade Tremba and the Kid’s Par-Tea featured collaborations with two local people, April Johnson, owner of Something Borrowed decor rental company, and Dan Mace, children’s book author and fairy door artisan.

“We have two local vendors that are working with us today. Dan is a children’s book author, so he’s going to do story time for us,” Tobei said of Mace, whose fairy doors are sold at Shepherds Blessings LLC on German Street. “And we are using a vintage loveseat for our photo booth from Something Borrowed.”

Although this was the first event she has held for the general public, Tobei made it clear she is well versed in the art of catering for all sorts of occasions.

“I’ve done catering since 2017,” Tobei said. “Tea parties are one of the popular themes. Everyone wants to throw a tea party for their bridal shower or their baby shower, because it has a pretty aesthetic. So I had the idea of doing one where I’m actually hosting ones for the public, where they can just purchase tickets to come.

Pimento cheese sandwiches, fruit, cupcakes and brownies were some of the menu items featured at the Kid's Par-Tea in the Station at Shepherdstown on Feb. 14. Tabitha Johnston

“I plan on doing a series of them — this is just the first of it,” Tobei said. “I already have it booked for the 16th of March, to do a Saint Patrick’s Day theme, so we’re going to do it with an Irish flair. We’ll have Irish stew and corned beef sliders and some kind of green scones. It will be a twist on the old-fashioned English tea.”

In contrast, the Feb. 14 menu featured a handful of Valentine’s Day-themed sweets, such as chocolate-covered strawberries, raspberry brownies and pink and white cupcakes. Other menu items varied, depending on the tea party. The Kid’s Par-Tea featured finger sandwiches in kid-friendly flavor combinations like peanut butter ‘n jelly and hazelnut banana. The adult teas had more stereotypical tea party finger sandwich flavors, including cucumber dill, red pepper pimento and smoked salmon. Beverages included citrus-infused water, sweet iced tea, hot black tea, hot decaf English tea and hot afternoon tea.

To purchase tickets for the St. Patrick’s Day tea, visit https://www.gypsysoulcatering.com.