With the official start of summer here, BizBash is looking back at some annual spring benefits that were on New York City’s social calendar this year—The Museum of Modern Art’s Party in the Garden, the Moth Ball, and the New York Botanical Garden's Conservatory Ball.
Each of these fundraising events featured a floral theme, but with its own fresh interpretation of the tried-and-true trope that would win over Miranda Priestly herself. (Florals for spring? Groundbreaking.)
Keep scrolling to see more from these spring benefits…
The Museum of Modern Art’s Party in the Garden
The Museum of Modern Art’s Party in the Garden, which took place June 6 in The Agnes Gund Garden Lobby and The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden of the museum, honored artists Ed Ruscha and Barbara Chase-Riboud—both of whom are subjects of exhibitions on view at MoMA this fall—philanthropist and MoMA trustee Marlene Hess, and civic and philanthropic leader Darren Walker.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Museum of Modern Art
This year, the museum’s special events team introduced a floral-printed tablecloth with compositions of varying sized glass vases filled with orange poppies, cornflower, lilac sweet peas, yellow butterfly ranunculus, lavender lisianthus, and tulips. Three-dimensional printed lamps were placed on the tables, along with the flowers. CONCEPT Event Group handled the florals and decor; Flemington Event Carpet provided the carpeting; and Party Rental Ltd. and Taylor Creative Inc. handled the rentals. Other vendors included production: DreamVisible; tenting: Arena Americas; photo: Hypno; and scenic: SBI.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Museum of Modern Art
The floral motif ran across the menu, program, graphic printed scrim, custom printed china, and room projections. Jupiter Sound was tasked with audio and Bentley Meeker, lighting.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Museum of Modern Art
Party in the Garden benefits MoMA’s general operating fund; supports its learning and engagement programs; and funds the care, study, and exhibition of its collection.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Museum of Modern Art
The menu included seared tuna with spring peas, pickled vegetables, black garlic mustard, and horseradish creme fraiche; grilled branzino with salsa verde; pan-roasted chicken with morel cream sauce; charred heirloom carrots with romesco sauce; grilled romaine hearts with Caesar dressing; and spring pea risotto. For dessert, guests dined on strawberry shortcake with buttermilk biscuit crumble, creme fraiche, and a strawberry cream puff. Olivier Cheng Catering provided the catering.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Museum of Modern Art
The after-party featured a performance by MUNA and DJ sets by Coco & Breezy and Romy.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Museum of Modern Art
FULL BLOOM: The Moth Ball 2023
Over 500 guests from the worlds of art, business, entertainment, fashion, literature, media, and philanthropy attended the storytelling nonprofit’s annual fundraising event on May 23 at Pier Sixty in New York City.
Photo: Peter Cooper for The Moth
Guests were encouraged to dress in festive garb tied to the playful floral theme.
Photo: Peter Cooper for The Moth
The evening included a cocktail party, a seated dinner, and, in The Moth tradition, a show featuring four full-length stories, plus a compilation video of one-minute versions of some all-time favorite SLAM tales.
Photo: Peter Cooper for The Moth
Floral strands hung from the ceiling above the dance floor.
Photo: Peter Cooper for The Moth
The program also included a tribute to the organization’s artistic director, Catherine Burns. Padma Lakshmi (pictured) accepted the Storyteller of the Year Award on behalf of Hasan Minhaj, with the help of his wife, Beena Patel.
Photo: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for The Moth
The New York Botanical Garden’s Conservatory Ball
On June 1, NYBG celebrated its summer exhibition, “...things come to thrive...in the shedding...in the molting…” by contemporary artist Ebony G. Patterson at its annual Conservatory Ball. The evening, supported by The Bancorp, Bartlett Tree Experts, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Hearst, Perrier-Jouët, and French Bloom, helped fund the institution’s botanical research, horticulture, and children’s education programs.
Photo: Courtesy of BFA
The black-tie affair kicked off with a cocktail hour as guests experienced Patterson’s immersive exhibition spread across NYBG’s 250-acre landscape. Following cocktails, guests were ushered into the conservatory tent for a sit-down dinner and dancing, with music by DJ Runna. A lush floral installation hung from the ceiling of the tent. Event production and design: Buckley Hall Events, Frost Productions, and Fleurish by Marc Eliot
Photo: Courtesy of BFA
Patterson's work explores the entanglements of race, gender, and colonialism while inviting viewers to contemplate their own relationships with gardens and the natural world.
Photo: Courtesy of BFA
