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1. National Geographic Debuts Exhibit With Chinese Dragon, Tented Lounge

2. Obama's First State Dinner Calls on Marcus Samuelsson, Jennifer Hudson

3. 8 New Venues for Washington Holiday Parties That Won't Break the Bank

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3 Ideas for Stylish, Eco-Friendly Events

News Archive for Corcoran Ball

THE SCOUT 04.21.09 1:37 PM

Corcoran Ball Trend: Settings That Mix Textures and Patterns

A jungle motif tabletop detail at the Corcoran Ball
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash

Ecological responsibility was the theme for the 54th Corcoran Ball at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on Friday, as organizers incorporated everything from reclaimed timber to recycled, patchwork linens into the decor, but it was the diverse place settings—all custom made by Perfect Settings—in the nine dining rooms that stood out. Here’s a look at some of the event’s most striking displays. MORE >>

Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Ball

EVENT REPORT 04.21.09 8:00 AM

Inspired by Maya Lin Exhibit, Corcoran Ball Incorporates Eco-Friendly Elements

Gallery 1 at the 2009 Corcoran Ball
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash

On Friday night, the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s 54th annual Corcoran Ball carried a distinct eco-friendly message to its who’s who crowd of Washingtonians, among them White House social secretary Desirée Rogers and British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald. With the museum’s current Maya Lin exhibition serving as the inspiration, the evening highlighted a panoply of recycled and sustainable materials, while staying true to its decor-heavy focus.

The event’s planning team—the Corcoran’s women’s committee, headed this year by ball chair Collette Bruce, and Occasions Caterers' Eric Michael and floral designer Jack Lucky—first met back in September to finalize the theme. “From the beginning, it was always meant to be a green event,” said Michael. “Subsequently, the world has changed and events in general are wanting to be a little less extravagant. So it was important that we focus on everything that had been done to keep the ball eco-friendly.” MORE >>

Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Ball

FEATURE 09.26.08 2:00 PM

Washington's Top Benefits 2008

The Soccer Ball for D.C. Scores at the Organization for American States
Photo: Paul Morigi

1. Knock Out Abuse and Fight Night Gala
This November fund-raiser is actually two parties: a cigar-and-boxing-fueled Fight Night, which raised $2.4 million for nonprofit Fight for Children in 2007, and the Knock Out Abuse gala, which raised $650,000 to combat domestic violence. Actor Chris Tucker and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia were among the 2,200 guests at the Washington Hilton and Towers for Fight Night, while a crowd of 750 flocked to the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C., for the gala. Everyone then merged for an after-party at the Ritz. Liz Warnecki of Fight for Children coordinates Fight Night, while the gala is produced by Andre Wells. Both parties return on November 6.

2. The Opera Ball
French ambassador Pierre Vimont’s Kalorama residence played host to the Washington National Opera’s largest annual fund-raising event on June 6. Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff attended the Midsummer Night’s Dream-themed garden party, which featured 4,000 glass votives, five chandeliers hanging from a tree, and 15 lighting displays. Patti Humphrey, special events director for the Washington National Opera, planned the 500-person party. MORE >>

Washington's Top 100 Events, Fight for Children, Knock Out Abuse, National Geographic, Population Services International, YouthAIDS, Corcoran Ball, Best Buddies, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Fight for Children's School Night Benefit, Fight for Children, Meridian International Center, W.N.O., Washington National Opera Midwinter Gala, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Prevent Cancer Foundation's Annual Spring Gala, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Gourmet Gala Benefiting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Washington Ballet Spring Gala, Washington Ballet, Larry King Cardiac Foundation, Heart of America Foundation, National Symphony Orchestra, Heart of America Foundation's Sweet Charity Benefit, Leon Harris, Artrageous, March of Dimes Gourmet Gala, March of Dimes, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Ambassadors Ball, Folger Shakespeare Library Gala, N.F.L. Players Gala, Phillips Collection Annual Spring Gala, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association's Heartsongs Gala, Spina Bifida Association, Washington Performing Arts Society Gala, Capital Area Food Bank, American Red Cross, American Red Cross Fire and Ice Ball, Soccer Ball for D.C. Scores, D.C. Scores, Humane Society, Washington Humane Society Bark Ball, Trust for the National Mall Luncheon, Bono, Ashley Judd, Jay Leno, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, James Brown, David Gregory

THE SCOUT 04.23.08 9:35 AM

From Tutus to Tree Trunks: Details That Popped at the Corcoran Ball

Tutu-tufted chairs at the Corcoran Ball
Photo: J.C. Martins/Fotobriceno for BizBash

Vivid color schemes and Americana-inspired patterns could be seen throughout the Corcoran Ball's 13 dining galleries last Friday, with details ranging from tutu-tufted seats to Grand Canyon-inspired centerpieces. Here's a look at some of the evening's most vivid details. MORE >>

Corcoran Ball, Corcoran Gallery of Art

EVENT REPORT 04.22.08 4:16 PM

Corcoran Ball Dining Rooms Get Colorful Americana Interpretations

Layered sashes became giant chandeliers in the atrium.
Photo: J.C. Martins/Fotobriceno for BizBash

The Corcoran Gallery of Art hosted its annual Corcoran Ball on Friday night for some 1,200 Washingtonians. The museum turned 13 of its exhibition spaces into unique themed dining rooms, relying on the current exhibition, “The American Evolution: A History through Art,” and the advent of spring for inspiration.

Producing the event is a collaborative effort between Occasions Caterers' Eric Michael, floral designer Jack Lucky, and the Corcoran’s women’s committee, headed up this year by ball chair Nancy Smith. “As soon as one ball ends, the next one begins," Smith said. "The challenge is always to work with what exhibition is going to be up in the galleries.”

Added Michaels, "The format is always the same, but every year we come up with a whole new collection for decor. The notion for this ball was to try and capture aspects of Americana without being cliché." MORE >>

Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Ball

Q & A 04.07.08 9:50 AM

Occasions' Eric Michael Readies Americana Theme for Corcoran Ball

Eric Michael
Photo: Courtesy of Occasions Caterers

For the last six years, Occasions Caterers owner Eric Michael has produced the Corcoran Ball—coming up on April 18—at the Corcoran Gallery of Art with the museum’s women’s committee. This year’s ball, chaired by Nancy Smith, is expected to draw some 1,200 guests who will dine in 15 of the museum's gallery spaces, ranging in capacity from 20 to as many as 400. This 53rd edition of the ball will pay homage to the current exhibition “The American Evolution: A History Through Art” and the museum’s permanent collection of American art.

The event is an operation that takes months of preparation and a small army of staffers (210 waiters, 30 bartenders, 35 kitchen workers, and about 10 coat check and restroom attendants). In a countdown to the event, we talked to Michael about his waitstaff “war captains,” his Americana decor motifs (without red, white, and blue), and how he only gets one crack at making an impression.

The Corcoran Ball is just two weeks away. What are you working on now?
At this point, everything’s been chosen, the tastings are done, the orders are in, and we’re now working on logistics. This morning we had our final walkthrough with the curators, where we went through the entire museum and looked at what art would be hanging on walls. In certain sensitive places, the museum will have to remove artifacts to keep up the flow of 1,200 people. MORE >>

Eric Michael, Corcoran Ball, Corcoran Gallery of Art

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