The Road to Marrakech was the theme of the 2007 Legacy Gala, hosted by the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Durham College. The authentic Moroccan experience, produced by Relevents, enthralled the 370 guests of this annual black-tie fund-raiser that raised $206,000 for bursary and scholarship endowments.
For one night, the route to the legendary Moroccan city passed through Whitby’s Tosca Banquet & Conference Centre. “We really wanted to have a unique event theme that was classy but fun,” said Donna McFarlane, vice president of communications and marketing with UOIT and Durham College. “Our guests were blown away by the theme, decor, food, and entertainment. Everybody got really into it, which made for a great time and memorable event.”
Gervais Party & Tent Rentals supplied a 60- by-90-foot tent that helped set the scene. Stepping inside, guests found themselves in an authentic Moroccan marketplace, or souk, complete with two live camels. The camel handlers, clad in long, white Berber robes and headdresses, greeted guests as they picked up green mint tea from greeting tables.The cavernous tent contained seven smaller tents, draped by Eventure Custom Environments in satins, sheers, and organzas in vivid gold, fuscia, purple, and teal. These smaller venues housed the silent auction, cocktail bars, cruiser tables, and lounge areas. Red and gold table linens from Around the Table, a variety of table lanterns and candles, and some 50 palm trees from Amherst Greenhouses added to the decor. Mingling guests sipped themed cocktails, including “palm-opolitans”, which substituted pomegranate juice for the usual cranberry juice. Performers from Zero Gravity Circus enlivened the evening with daring feats of sword swallowing and fire eating and street-swindler tricks, performed with dazzling sleight-of-hand.
The Moroccan experience continued through a stone archway from Decor & More into a dining room decorated with copper, red, and orange table linens and settings. The tables featured one of two centerpieces from Designing Trendz—either an oversized Moroccan lantern nestled in a colorful floral bed or a three-foot gold-coloured pole wrapped in twisting bark, topped with cascading palm leaves and hanging votives, and based in burnt orange roses and greenery.
Keeping with the evening theme, Tosca chefs Denio Jorgii and Danny Miragliotta tantalized palates with a menu of distinctly North African fare, including taboule, harira soup, a main course of chicken tanjine, and a chocolate mousse dessert. The dinnertime entertainment included three mesmerizing belly dancers accompanied by musicians performing traditional Moroccan music, and Zero Gravity Circus acrobats performing a show-stopping routine with lit candelabras.
For one night, the route to the legendary Moroccan city passed through Whitby’s Tosca Banquet & Conference Centre. “We really wanted to have a unique event theme that was classy but fun,” said Donna McFarlane, vice president of communications and marketing with UOIT and Durham College. “Our guests were blown away by the theme, decor, food, and entertainment. Everybody got really into it, which made for a great time and memorable event.”
Gervais Party & Tent Rentals supplied a 60- by-90-foot tent that helped set the scene. Stepping inside, guests found themselves in an authentic Moroccan marketplace, or souk, complete with two live camels. The camel handlers, clad in long, white Berber robes and headdresses, greeted guests as they picked up green mint tea from greeting tables.The cavernous tent contained seven smaller tents, draped by Eventure Custom Environments in satins, sheers, and organzas in vivid gold, fuscia, purple, and teal. These smaller venues housed the silent auction, cocktail bars, cruiser tables, and lounge areas. Red and gold table linens from Around the Table, a variety of table lanterns and candles, and some 50 palm trees from Amherst Greenhouses added to the decor. Mingling guests sipped themed cocktails, including “palm-opolitans”, which substituted pomegranate juice for the usual cranberry juice. Performers from Zero Gravity Circus enlivened the evening with daring feats of sword swallowing and fire eating and street-swindler tricks, performed with dazzling sleight-of-hand.
The Moroccan experience continued through a stone archway from Decor & More into a dining room decorated with copper, red, and orange table linens and settings. The tables featured one of two centerpieces from Designing Trendz—either an oversized Moroccan lantern nestled in a colorful floral bed or a three-foot gold-coloured pole wrapped in twisting bark, topped with cascading palm leaves and hanging votives, and based in burnt orange roses and greenery.
Keeping with the evening theme, Tosca chefs Denio Jorgii and Danny Miragliotta tantalized palates with a menu of distinctly North African fare, including taboule, harira soup, a main course of chicken tanjine, and a chocolate mousse dessert. The dinnertime entertainment included three mesmerizing belly dancers accompanied by musicians performing traditional Moroccan music, and Zero Gravity Circus acrobats performing a show-stopping routine with lit candelabras.
Photos by: BizBash
Photos by: BizBash
Photos by: BizBash
Photos By: BizBash
Photos By: BizBash