Watch 'Downton Abbey' Movie a Week Early at Fancy Dress Parties All Over the U.S.

We’ve been not-so-patiently waiting for the new Downton Abbey movie for what feels like forever, and we’re finally less than two weeks away. The movie officially hits theaters on September 20, but good news if you're more excited than ever to reunite with the Crawleys and their crew: on September 12 Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas all across the United States are hosting "Downton Abbey Fancy Dress Parties," and they're going to be extravagant affairs.

Image courtesy of Jaap Buitendijk / Focus Features.

The theaters are cordially inviting all Crawley fans to dress up in their most “Downton-esque attire” and don their finest hats for the celebration of a lifetime. And after the success of the Downton Abbey Christmas Ball, we’re sure these dress-up parties will be well attended. There will be a special "Upstairs/Downstairs" menu to set the tone, but the highlight of each party will, of course, be the on-screen return to Downton.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the upcoming Downton Abbey film has sold more advanced tickets than any other drama this year, so it's no surprise tickets for this event are going fast. The Focus Films movie features the original cast of the six-season show, and we can’t wait to see Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville back on screen. From what we’ve seen in the trailers, the film depicts the Crawleys and their staff preparing for a visit from the royal family—which sets us up for a lot of drama. Only these fan-favorite characters know how the film will end, so you’ll have to head to one of the advanced screenings to find out for yourself.

Related: The ‘Downton Abbey’ Exhibition Is Coming to the Biltmore Estate

We can’t think of a better way to be reunited with our favorite Downton residents than dressing up in our Sunday best and speaking in accents all evening. Pick out an outfit Lady Mary would be proud of and book your tickets to the show. There are Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas in 23 cities across America, with 47 participating theaters within those cities. Tickets are $12.50 a person, so head to the theater’s website to book your seat.

And if there's not an advanced screening happening near you, you can still get a glimpse of the Crawleys before the official premiere date. On September 19 (the day before the movie comes out), NBC is airing a one-hour special called Return to Downton Abbey: A Grand Event. The special will be hosted by Derek Hough (who you may recognize from Dancing With The Stars), who will interview the film's cast members along with celebrities who follow the show. While we're not anticipating many movie spoilers, we'll definitely be tuning in to get our fix of the iconic characters before we see the film. The special will air on NBC at 8 p.m. CST.