Close to 100 mirrored balls—the largest of which measured eight feet—filled Heritage Court at the Direct Energy Centre last night for the Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary's annual gala, which adopted a '70s theme and included a performance by Earth, Wind & Fire. "I think we've all have enough of the economy and the winter," said design consultant Bill Fulghum, who handled the decor for the benefit.
"The [organizing committee] booked the entertainment and I said, 'Let's have a disco party,'" Fulghum said. "Earth, Wind & Fire is for a lot of people, I think, reminiscent of good times and celebration. So we used full-on colour for a festive dance party." Pink and orange linens draped tables in the dining room, which Fulghum topped with mirrored disco balls placed on tall centrepieces. Victoria Ghost chairs by Philippe Starck surrounded the tables and a 30- by 30-foot black plexi dance floor from Contemporary Furniture Rentals sat in front of the stage.
Chris Newkirk of ScreamLab used 240 LED sticks—arranged in two circles on the ceiling—to design the lighting for the event. The colours changed from purples, blues, and greens to pinks, oranges, and yellows. DJ Piers Baker of Third From the Sun spun tunes for guests throughout the evening.
Parallel Production Services, which handled the event production, used black draping to create a hallway at the entrance to the venue that led guests into the reception area, filled with silver and black furnishings. Rotating mirrored balls topped cocktail tables, and a square black bar sat in the centre of the space. At 7 p.m., the curtain dividing the reception area and the dining room rose to reveal the main event space.
Auxiliary director Lisa Colt said the organization moved the event from the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, the site of last year's gala, due to the size of the band. "This is a big band, 35 pieces. We needed a big venue. The Royal York couldn't have accommodated us," she said, adding that the entertainment is an "integral" part of the annual fund-raiser. "Part of the brand is to have A-list entertainment," she said. Past performers have included Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Michael Bublé, and Jerry Seinfeld.
Longtime CTV anchor Ken Shaw hosted the event, which included a live auction with the chance to win a trip to New York City. Event sponsors included CIBC, RioCan, ING Direct, RBC, CTV, The Globe & Mail, Mercedes-Benz, and Tiffany & Co.
