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The Honky-Tonk Saloon is located in the fading western town of Silver Springs. Once a gold- rich mining town, Silver Springs is kept alive by the bustling saloon, which serves the best root beer this side of the Mississippi! Or so it claims.
While sippin’ on some award-winning root beer, you best be ready to solve a mystery and catch a bandit! Everyone in Silver Springs is counting on you!
Thank you for choosing the Honky-Tonk Takedown!This comprehensive packet includes everything needed to host your murder mystery party—one that
will have your kids talking about it for weeks, if not longer.
This mystery party is easy-to-run and fun for everyone. All of your guests have active roles in the game as suspects or investigators. Throughout the game, the kids will be asked to think not only about their own role, but WHO could have done the crime!?!? To add to the suspense of the party, someone will be taken out during the party (after sampling some bad root beer), not before, as in some other murder mystery games. Don’t worry! That guest will return to help in the search for the culprit/bad guy or girl! The Honky-Tonk Takedown is certain to be a hit with all of your guests.
The following pages contain a short list of things the host does to ensure a successful party. Once the party starts, you will be surprised at how the party flows on it’s own with the guests having the time of their lives!
Assigning the Characters• What age is this mystery for? This party is formatted for 8-12 year olds. The kids will need to know
how to read for the game to flow smoothly. Adults or older friends can also help non-readers.
• Who should be the host? An adult should host and manage the party. To ensure that everything runs smoothly, the host should read through all of the materials well before the party date.
• Because this party needs at least 8 guests, you should determine ahead of time which guests are at-tending before assigning characters. - The invite should be sent early with an RSVP date of two weeks before the party. Once your guests confirm you can send them their complete invitation and character description. You can download an invitation to send via email at: http://www.nightofmystery. com/invitations.php
• What if I don’t have enough guests? Siblings, parents or friends can fill in for any of the missing 8 primary characters. Once 8 guests have confirmed and arrived, you are all set. The other character roles are helpful but not essential to the success of the party.
• The culprit will not know they are the guilty party until you hand them their confession sheet at the end of the party.
• The victim will not know they are the victim until they get to the party. The victim will be notified at the party that they are the victim. After the victim is “proclaimed dead,” the child will re-enter the party as another character and help investigate the crime.
• If you are short of 12 guests listed, the game can be played without the following characters: Cowgirl Riley, Deputy Dani, Goldie Finder and Ace Kelly.
• This version of Honky-Tonk Takedown is formatted for an all-female cast.
Assigning CharactersAs host, you will need to assign each guest a character. After reading the brief descriptions below, you should be able to match the characters with the personalities of your guests.
Wilma Wilson—The Mayor. This character fits well with a child who is boisterous and loud. As the mayor, this girl likes to pretend that they are in command of the town, when really they are not.
Shootin’ Sally—The Sheriff. A real right-hand woman, Sally is the mayor’s close friend who is good at taking orders as well as scheming.
Saloon Sam—Saloon Owner. As the owner of the saloon, this child is confident and direct. Sam knows what she wants from people and is not afraid to ask for it.
Moneybags Maddie—Banker. Moneybags is distraught about losing their money, so a frenzied, slightly anxious, yet forceful or determined personality would be best for this character.
Billie-The-Bartender—Saloon Bartender. Billie is a sneaky individual and interested in making lots of money. You will want a child who will like to help out in serving root beer with this role.
Dirty Dana—Bandit. This bandit is a softer side of a bandit and is not really “bad,” although the tougher they can act, the better.
Sunshine Kate—Saloon Singer. Sunshine Kate is a loud, but poised and confident local “star” at the saloon. Because Kate feels under-appreciated in her role at the saloon, she “over-acts” in her singing role. Important Note: Kate must wear gloves to the party, so it is important to check with her parent ahead of time and/or pick up a spare pair of gloves in case Kate shows up without them.
Mabel Anne—Southern Belle. This “prim and proper southern belle” enjoys her high social status and acts like she is “better than” the others at the party.
Deputy Dani—Sheriff ’s Deputy. Although Shootin’ Sally is supposed to uphold the law, Dani is the true crime-fighter in town. The child chosen for this role should be enthusiastic about mak-ing sure things are done correctly and fairly for everyone.
Ace Kelly—Gambler. Ace is sneaky, devious and focused on figuring out how they could have lost at poker! This character will be intent on seeking revenge!
Goldie Finder—Prospector. Obsessed and preoccupied with the saloon root beer, this character cares little or shows no interest in finding gold in or near Silver Springs.
Wranglin’ Riley—Cowgirl. A rough and rugged character, the child who plays Riley should have a tough, no-nonsense attitude.
Making the InvitationsBefore the party, each guest must receive two things: (1) the invitation and (2) The Silver Springs Gazette.
The Print Option:THE INVITATION• Once you have determined the number of invitations you will need, use your color printer and a thick-
er 8.5” x 11” paper to print the appropriate number of the page 7 invitation fronts. - Your local office supply store may also have “half-fold greeting cards” which can be used.
• Add your party details in the designated fields on an invite page. - Once you have filled in the field in one invite, the information will be transferred to the other 11 pages. - If you prefer to handwrite the details into the invite, this step can be skipped.
• Next, print the character descriptions and other party details on the back of the invite.• Once both sides are printed, simply fold the paper in half.• Invite should fit nicely into a greeting card sized envelope.
THE SILVER SPRINGS GAZETTE• This “newspaper” provides information about the murder mystery for the guests and adds excitement for
the kids. • To make the newspaper authentic, you can photocopy or print it onto newsprint or parchment paper.• Fold and place it inside the invite.
The Download and Email Option:• Once you have purchased the party, you may access and use the downloadable character descriptions
from our website.
• Each character description is a pdf file containing the above information for each character.
• This option allows you to email each of your guests their character description without having to print and mail the information.
• Please remember, the pdf file option does not include a place to enter the date, time or address of the party, so you will have to inform or remind your guests of the party location details in another fashion.
• For this, you can find downloadable, emailable invitations at: http://www.nightofmystery.com/invita-tions.php
Get a coupon and a FREE Party!Once your party is thrown, please let us know how your party went by posting it on our MURDER
MYSTERY MESSAGE BOARD! We will email you a $5 coupon for posting comments and/or pictures about your party. (If you would like us to post your pictures, please email them to [email protected] once you have posted your comments.) In addition to the coupon, each month we will select one posting to be featured in our “Party of the Month” forum and that customer will receive a $45 gift certificate towards the purchase of a future party.
Preparing the mystery Materials • Cut out and make name tags for the guests. (You can print the name tags onto on adhesive label paper
or print on regular paper and include a pin with the name tags so that the guests can secure them to their outfits.) The name tag template is compatible with Avery labels 15163, 18163, 5163, 5263, 5523, 5663, 5963, 8163, 8253, 8463, 8663 and 8763.
• Be sure to make enough copies of the Who Dunnit voting sheets for the number of guests attending. - There is only one design included which has 2 voting ballots/page included. - You will have to print this page multiple times to ensure you have enough ballots for everyone.
• Cut all of the sheets with dotted lines in half.
• The mystery materials will be numbered 1 - 7 in the top right-hand corners. Paper clip all of the pages with the same numbers together. Keep the pages in the order they appear in the pdf.
• Discard any introductions for characters who will not be included in your party.
• Separate out the name tag for Marshal Lindy and paper clip it along with the #2 stack.
• Place the materials labeled with a #7 in a sealed envelope and label it “Solution.”
• Make copies of the smoking gun award, as there may be multiple people who correctly guess the iden-tity of the murderer. – You can print or photocopy the certificates onto parchment paper giving them a more professional appearance. – You can electronically input the names of the winners onto the certificate before printing.
• Keep the paper clipped stacks, as well as the name tags, awards and “solution envelope” in a safe and convenient location so you can access them quickly when needed.
optional hosting ideas:• If you have not asked your guests to dress up, you can provide a number of cowgirl hats, bandannas,
etc. and encourage the kids to “dress-up” when they arrive at the party.
• Since one of the pieces of evidence is a root beer bottle, you might want to consider serving root beer bottles to add authenticity.
• After the victim is “pronounced dead,” you can hand the sheriff a roll of masking tape or chalk, so that they can outline the position of the body on the floor or ground.
• You may have other items such as a badge, gun, different hat, etc. to help the victim change from their character into the Marshal after “death.”
• Have awards or prizes for the best costume, funniest actor/actress and/or most dramatic actor/actress.
More Ideas On Preparing For Your Party See: Honky-TonkTakedown.com
A whole website with ideas on how to party plan for THIS game.
The Start of The Party: The Guests Arrive• Have the guests’ name tags and introduction speeches available for them.
Stage One: Introduction & Murder• After all of the guests have arrived, have Billie-the-Bartender pour/uncap some root beer and Sunshine Kate
serve it to all of the guests.
• The host will read an introduction which will explain the game and start the introductions.
• Each of the kids will read their introduction speech.
• Once the introductions are done, Saloon Sam will lead a toast during which she will fall down “dead.”
• Have all of the kids help drag the body into another room.
• Once in the other room, instruct the kids to return to the main room.
• After they have left, hand the victim a new name tag and an introduction speech.
• Return to the main room and introduce “Marshal Lindy” to the crowd. - If you plan to serve a meal during the party, it is best to do it here. (Optional)
Stage Two: First Investigations• After the Marshal has been introduced, they will read a short speech in which the kids will be divided into
suspects and investigators.
• Hand each child their appropriate sheet and have them practice their dialogue according to their part. - The children named as suspects will receive a suspect card with their name on it. - The children not named as suspects will participate as investigators to help solve the mystery. - Divvy up the investigator cards between the children who are not suspects. Some may have more than one investigator card.
• Have the children present their investigations one suspect at a time with the other children watching. - You may want to arrange two chairs at the front of the room to provide for this. - Have the investigations go in the order that they were named as suspects.
Stage Three: Evidence & More Investigations• After the first round of investigations, the host will present evidence and a new round of suspects will be
named.
• Hand each child named as a suspect their suspect card and have them read and practice their dialogue. - Divvy up the investigator cards between the rest of the children who are not suspects. - There may be more kids than investigator cards, depending on party size.
• After the second round of investigations, the host will read a short synopsis and hand out the voting sheets so the kids can guess the culprit.
• At this time, it is best if the evidence is then laid on a table so that everyone may see it before making their best guesses.
Stage Four: The Solution• When all the ‘Who Dunnit’ sheets are handed in, the host will read the solution aloud to the guests.
• The guilty party will confess!
• Award the super sleuth awards to anyone who guessed the culprit!
Wilma Wilson—Mayor. With the town in trouble, this leader will need to keep the bandits out and the good gals in if she expect to keep her job!
Shootin’ Sally—Sheriff. The mayor’s sidekick, Sal ly will do whatever she is told… regardless of what side of the law it is on.
Deputy Dani—Sheriff’s Deputy. There is no more dutiful citizen than Dani. Dani believes it is her job to keep everyone in check, including those Dani answers to.
Moneybags Maddie—Banker. With the bank always getting robbed, no one wants to rid the town rid of outlaws more than Moneybags herself!
Saloon Sam—Saloon Owner. Owner of the most popular joint in town, Sam takes the credit for keeping the town alive…and some don’t like it!
Billie-the-Bartender—Bartender. Serving up everything from root beer to lemonade, this bartender knows how to stir things up!
Sunshine Kate—Saloon singer. No one can carry a tune like this little diva. And she knows it.
Dirty Dana—Bandit. While Dirty Dana would like to stay on the right-side of the law, she just can’t seem to keep anything straight lately.
Mabel Anne—Southern Belle. Prim and proper, this little lady is out of place in the wild, wild west… or is that just what she wants you to think?
Ace Kelly—Gambler. Known for her sly style and card counting ways, this card shark can’t seem to win while she is at the saloon. Ace is sure to want to make someone pay for all the money she has lost before she leaves town.
Goldie Finder—Prospector. Goldie came to town to find just that... gold. But could Goldie be looking for gold in all of the wrong places?
Wranglin’ Riley—Cowgirl. Home on the range, Riley has been practicing her roping skills... but for what reason we do not know.
SILVER SPRINGS GAZETTE
BANKROBBEDEarlier this week, the Silver Springs Bank was robbed - leaving Money-bags Maddie broke and without a dime to her name. Maddie is want-ing any and all information about who the bandit could be!
Town Overrun With Outlaws!
No matter how hard Shootin’ Sally (the sheriff) tries, it seems that Sally just can’t rid the town of the riff-raff that likes to cause trou-ble. Some think that Shootin’ Sally is too easy on the bandits and out-laws living in the city limits. Others think that Shootin’ Sally may be working FOR the criminals instead of AGAINST them.
A TOAST TO THE TOWN As the mayor is trying to rebuild the broken down town of Silver Springs, Saloon Sam has much to celebrate! There is nothing better than his root beer – and he has the sales to prove it! To try to liven the spirits of the townspeople, Sam is hosting a root beer social at The Honky-Tonk Saloon where only the best of the best - and maybe a few unwanted guests - will attend. Planning to be there is:
Visit the
Honky-tonk
SALOONfor good music and even
greater ROOT BEER!
Name Tags
Name tags can be printed on paper and trimmed or printed on adhesive label paper and applied as stickers. Compatible with Avery labels 15163, 18163, 5163, 5263, 5523, 5663, 5963, 8163, 8253, 8463, 8663 and 8763.
Wilma Wilson
Saloonsam
MoneybagsMaddie
DeputyDanI
sunshineKate
Billie-the-bartender
mabelanne
DirtyDana
shootinsalLY
marshalLindy
Name Tags
Name tags can be printed on paper and trimmed or printed on adhesive label paper and applied as stickers. Compatible with Avery labels 15163, 18163, 5163, 5263, 5523, 5663, 5963, 8163, 8253, 8463, 8663 and 8763.
EVIDENCEInstructions for Host after round 1 investigations
SAY: WOW!!! That was some pretty intense investigating that was going on. Do any of you have more ideas on who the murderer could be? - Encourage kids to talk about their theories on who it could be.
SAY: Before we go much further, there are some KEY pieces of evidence that we have found in the investigation. I think it is important that I share these with you so that we can all solve the crime.
Hold up Exhibit A. FIRST! This is Sam’s root beer bottle. We did find that it was poisoned and what led to his death. ALSO, we were only able to find Sam’s fingerprints on the bottle.
Hold up Exhibit B. SECOND, we have Sam’s last will and testament. In this, it reads, “...I leave my root beer recipe to my only living relative... MABEL ANNE!”
Hold up Exhibit C. NEXT! We have the deed to the saloon which shows that Moneybags Maddie, the bank owner, is the one who will reclaim the saloon if Sam dies. My, My, My. Moneybags this is not looking good for you...
Hold up Exhibit D. LASTLY, we have a poster that Sam had made for his upcoming campaign for Mayor.
OH MY GOODNESS! This is a lot of new information that has come about!
While we are not ruling ANY of you out as being the culprit, I think Marshal Lindy and her deputies are going to have to question SOME of you again.
If I call your name, could you please step forward:Mabel AnneMoneybags MaddieSunshine KateSheriff
- Hand out suspect and investigator cards for round 2 like you did for round 1.- Have the investigations go in order that the names were called.
HONKY-TONK SALOON SIGN• 2 designs (3 pages). • For best results, print on legal sized (8.5” x 14”) paper.• Can be printed on craft paper for authenticity and/or to appear as if it were on wood.• Design 2 is meant to be printed on craft paper, backed on foam core and then hung like a hanging sign.• You can use chain links to fasten the signs together.
DIRECTIONAL SIGNS• Create a post and add these directional signs for ambiance.
POSTERS• 2 designs.• Can be printed on craft, parchment or other decorative paper for authenticity and originality.
SIGNS FOR AROUND THE SALOON• 3 designs (3 pages). • Can be printed on craft, parchment or other decorative paper for authenticity and originality.
OUTHOUSE SIGN• Print out. Trim out crescent moon and hang on bathroom door.
HISTORY: Probably the most recognizable symbol associated with the traditional outhouse building is the familiar crescent moon carved into the privy door. Actually, the symbol is an ancient one, and was a sign for womanhood in colonial days and on the frontier. It’s male counterpart, Sol, was either a star or a sunburst design also on the door. Since most male outhouses fell into disrepair rather quickly they seldom survived; the female outhouses were better maintained, and were eventually used by both sexes.
MENU• 1 design (2 pages).
ROOT BEER LABELS• 1 design (1 page).• Print out and trim on guidelines.• Adhere to root beer bottles with spray adhesive to create your own branded beverage.• You can print on full sheet label paper (with adhesive backing) to avoid having to use spray adhesive.
HOW TO MAKE A JAIL• Directions on how to make your own Jail out of styrofoam and paint!
MAKING GOLD AND MONEY BAGS• Directions and templates to make these fun props.
BANDANA SETTINGS• Directions on how to westernize your silverware place settings
RECIPES• Directions to make an assortment of fun, western-themed foods.
HONKY-TONK
Making a Saloon Sign• Printthisandthefollowingpageonlegalsized(8.5”x14”)craftpaper.• Adheretofoamcoreorcardboardwithspraymountorotheradhesive.• Trimoutsignsusinganexactoknife.• Punchoutholeswhereindicated.• Tietogetherusingtwine.• HangsignintheentrywayforyourHonky-TonkSaloon!
Making a Directional Sign• Printfollowingpagesonlegalsized(8.5”x14”)craftpaper.• Adheretofoamcorewithspraymountorotheradhesive.• Trimoutsignsusinganexactoknife.• Usinghotglueornails,attachdirectionalsignstopaintedwoodendowelorothersignpost.• Stakeoutsideofpartyareatodirectyourgueststothefun!
What you Will need:• 2- 4’ x 8’ pieces of Styrofoam (found at a hardware/home supply store such as Lowes, Home Depot, etc.)• Wood burning tool (found at craft stores~ $10)• PVC pipe (enough to make 5 bars, approximately 40”)• Grey latex paint• Black spray paint• Black paint• Cement nails adhesive
Create Your Own Jail!
a perfect picture opportunity that adds to the fun!
hoW to make your Jail:• Using a utility knife, you will trim your pieces of styrofoam to the dimensions above.
• You will use the extra pieces of styrofoam to make the “Jail” sign on top and patches to help hold the styrofoam together.
• Trim out a piece for your “Jail” sign.
• Use a permanent marker to design the details, such as the mortar lines on the jail facade and the type on the sign. - For our bricks, we measured 6” high and 12” long.
• Next, take the wood burning tool and burn where you have drawn in your details.
• Paint the styrofoam with the grey latex paint. - You will want to use latex paint, as spray or oil-based paint will eat away at the styrofoam.
• With the black paint, paint in the details where you have burned. -You may want to water down the black paint to make it seep into the cracks.
• Hold the spray paint at a 90 degree angle to the surface and coat the surface VERY LIGHTLY with the paint, just enough for the piece to look aged and weathered.
• Once painted, use cement nails on the inside ridge of the styrofoam and glue the large pieces together.
• Also using cement nails, attach the “Jail” sign to the top.
• Cut your pvc pipe to around 40”.
• Measure and mark where you are planning on putting your pipe into the back of the jail.
• Once marked, use your woodburning tool to burn holes or divets where the pvc pipe will sit.
• Spray paint your pvc pipe black.
• Using cement nails, adhere to the pipes the styrofoam.
• After constructing, you will need to find some way to make it stand. We created a small wall on the left hand side to support the wall. Guests then entered from the right.
• You may want to put something behind it where the window opening is. We hung a piece of gray fabric.
making money BagsMoney bags can be used to house the information that your guests will receive at the beginning of the night, in lieu of the (A) envelope, or they can be made for purely decorative purposes and placed around the room. Either way, they are affordable to make and will add a little western flavor to your party.
What you will need: • Standard brown lunch bags • Yellow card stock paper • Rope or twine • Red marker
Directions: • Print the following pages of this PDF onto yellow card stock paper
• Cut-out the badges and the money symbol along the lines.
• Use the money symbol as a template and trace it onto the center of each of the brown lunch bags. Color in the money symbol with red marker.
• Punch a hole through each of the top circles on the badges. Make sure the hole is big enough for the rope or twine to go through.
• Fill your bags with whatever you desire.
• Cut a piece of rope or twine about a foot in length. Insert the twine through the hole of a badge that you cut. Wrap the twine around the top of the bag and tie, sealing the bag.
For authentiC Gold:This “gold” is an excellent decoration or prop for your guests to enjoy. Not only is it very easy to make, but also very affordable. All it requires is for you to do a little collecting in the outdoors and a bottle of spray paint. The more shapes and varieties of rocks you find, the better. Simply spray paint your rocks gold.
Bandana napkin settingsFor these simple bandana napkin settings, you simply need to start with a number of bandanas and fold as shown below. Tie off with a piece of twine or rope,
Cactus CakeWhat You Will Need: • 1 pkg. cake mix (+ ingredients to make cake mix)
• 2 pkgs. vanilla frosting
• Green food coloring
• 1/8 cup sugar
• Chocolate sprinkles
• 9x13 pan
Directions: • Grease generously and lightly flour 9x13 pan.
• Make cake mix to the specifications on the box. Bake in a 9x13 pan.
• Let cake cool 10 minutes on cooling rack. Flip pan over & remove cake from pan after 10 minutes.
• Let cake cool completely on cooling rack.
• Print out template on the following page. Blow up template 200 percent.
• With serrated knife, cut cake into pieces as specified by the template (FIGURE B).
• Arrange pieces of cake as seen in figure A (bottom of this page) on a large serving plate.
• Color your frosting green with green food coloring and frost cake. (You will probably need both tubs of frosting due to the large amount of surface area of cake.)
• In a small bowl, color the sugar with green food coloring by mixing in a few drops of the food coloring into the sugar.
• Sprinkle the green sugar over the cake before the icing dries to add texture.
• Sprinkle some of the chocolate sprinkles as well to give the cactus “needles.”