Dark History Paint Night: The Donner Party

Art. History. A Journey That Changed Everything.

Step into the darker side of history for an immersive creative night unlike our traditional paint parties.

For this installment of our Dark History Paint Night series, we're traveling back to 1846 and following a group of families and pioneers heading west toward California in search of a new beginning.

What began as a journey filled with hope would become one of the most infamous survival stories in American history.

A late start. A dangerous shortcut. Difficult terrain. Lost time.

And then came the snow.

Tonight, we'll look beyond the story most people think they know to discover the people, the choices and the extraordinary struggle for survival behind the Donner Party.

Your Dark History Experience

During this special 3-hour experience, you'll:

✦ Create a dimensional layered Sierra mountain landscape

◆ Paint and build a snow-covered scene inspired by the mountains where the party became trapped

♠ Experience themed details inspired by the 1846 journey west

♣ Follow the route and the decisions that changed the course of the journey

❖Hear the story of the Donner Party unfold throughout the creative experience

🤔 Explore the difficult choices ordinary people faced under extraordinary circumstances

No artistic experience is needed. We'll guide you through the project step-by-step while leaving plenty of room for you to make it uniquely yours.

Why the Mountains?

For the Donner Party, the Sierra Nevada wasn't simply the backdrop to the story.

It changed everything.

By the time the group reached the mountains in late October 1846, precious time had already been lost. An early winter storm brought heavy snow to the Sierra, blocking the route ahead and leaving families stranded.

Your layered landscape captures that moment — the overwhelming mountains, the deepening snow and the isolation that would define the months ahead.

But there's more hidden within this peaceful winter scene.

We'll uncover that part together during the night.

A Journey Measured in Miles... and Choices

The Donner Party story didn't begin in the snow.

It began months earlier with wagons pointed west and families willing to leave nearly everything familiar behind for the promise of California.

Throughout the evening, we'll follow their journey across the country and explore some of the pivotal decisions along the way — including the infamous Hastings Cutoff.

You'll see how delays accumulated, supplies dwindled and a series of choices that may have seemed reasonable at the time became increasingly consequential.

And as the story progresses, so will our journey.

The calendar will change. The weather will change. And the choices will become harder.

Choose Your Venue

Dark History Paint Nights are offered at select partner venues. Choose your preferred date and location from the event options above.

The Stoat — Granite Falls
104 E Stanley St, Granite Falls, WA 
21+ only

Barley Pop — Marysville
1208 10th St, Snohomish, WA 
All ages welcome

Dates, times and availability are shown in the event options above.

Your registration includes:

Your dimensional layered wood art project, paints and finishing materials, all supplies needed to create your piece, step-by-step creative guidance, themed interactive elements, and the complete Dark History storytelling experience.

Just bring yourself — we'll bring everything else.

Come for the art. Stay for the story.

This isn't a history lecture, and it isn't quite a traditional paint night.

It's an evening of creativity, storytelling and a closer look at one of America's most remembered — and often misunderstood — stories of survival.

Behind the legend were real families making impossible decisions in extraordinary circumstances.

Space is limited. Choose your event above, reserve your seat and join us for another chapter of Dark History Paint Night.

Dark History Paint Night explores real historical events that may include themes of death, starvation, extreme survival conditions and cannibalism. The story of the Donner Party will be presented thoughtfully and respectfully.