New York
#1 Benefit
About 4,000 people gathered at the Jacob K. Javits Center to help raise $61.2 million, making it the city’s largest single-night fund-raiser. The foundation, which fights poverty in New York, announced an initiative for research in brain science intended to make the city an “Early Learning Metropolis.” Board member Katie Couric hosted the evening, which included performances by Usher, the Zac Brown Band, and comedian Jim Gaffigan. During the event, the Empire State building, the Bloomberg building, the Nasdaq billboard in Times Square, and Madison Square Garden were lighted in the foundation’s signature green hue. Other events taking place the same day as the gala included a Nasdaq opening bell ceremony with the Children's Aid Society; PesiCo’s giveaway of tickets to a Yankees game to 10,000 people served by Robin Hood-funded organizations; and BlackRock-sponsored concerts at Terminal 5 and Irving Plaza that drew younger donors. Next: May 2017
National
#2 Benefit
Whoopi Goldberg hosted the New York edition of the gala series, which raised $1.2 million for the AIDS research charity. Produced by Josh Wood Productions and held at Skylight at Moynihan Station, the gala drew 1,100 guests including Leonardo DiCaprio, Zayn Malik, Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union, Zac Posen, and Kelly Osbourne. Naomi Campbell and Louis Vuitton men’s style director Kim Jones received the Award of Inspiration, while Jason Derulo performed. The evening’s live auction, conducted by Andrea Fiuczynski of Sotheby's, included a private portrait-sitting with photographer Steven Klein, a surprise package to attend the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation’s annual gala in St. Tropez, and exclusive Louis Vuitton scarves. Other editions of the Inspiration series in 2016 take place in São Paulo and Los Angeles. Next: October 27, 2016, Los Angeles
New York
#3 Benefit
The gala benefits the museum’s annual fund, as well as the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden where the fund-raiser is held. This year’s event honored collection artists Huma Bhabha, Mark Bradford, and Brice Marden, as well as philanthropists Amanda and Glenn Fuhrman and Sally and Wynn Kramarsky. Following cocktails and dinner, pop singer Robyn and artist/DJ Matthew Dear entertained guests. About 630 attended the event’s dinner, and 1,200 came to the after-party. The event raised $4 million. Next: June 2017
Los Angeles
#4 Benefit
The gala honored artist Ed Ruscha and included a special viewing of “Don’t Look Back: The 1990s at MOCA,” which consisted of works from the museum’s permanent collection. The event featured catering from Wolfgang Puck in an adjacent tent built for the occasion and actor Balthazar Getty spinning tunes as a DJ. Some 770 guests helped raise $3 million for the museum. Next: May 2017
St. Paul, Minnesota
#5 Benefit (up from #7)
Benefiting the Starkey Hearing Foundation, the gala is on a hot fund-raising streak, increasing its tally from $8.7 million in 2014 to $9 million in 2015 to $9.5 million in 2016, which will help open the Starkey Hearing Institute in Zambia, Africa. About 1,500 people attended the event at St. Paul RiverCentre in Minnesota. Gala honorees included actress Jennifer Garner, Pacer executive director and co-founder Paula F. Goldberg, and former United Kingdom prime minister Tony Blair. Entertainers who performed at the gala included Jay Leno, John Mellencamp, country duo Maddie & Tae, American Idol winner Trent Harmon, and rock band Hollywood Vampires, whose members include Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry. Next: July 2017
Naples, Florida
#6 Benefit
With a theme of “Great Expectations,” the benefit raised $11.1 million thanks to its impressive live auction, which included a top single bid of $750,000 for a bespoke 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn, designed for the festival, making the winning bidder the first person in the world to receive this vehicle. Other auction highlights included a $650,000 winning bid for a customized Ferrari 488 Spider, as well as $400,000 to attend a private cooking class with Glenn Close taught by chef Mario Batali. Next: January 27-29, 2017
Dallas
#7 Benefit (new to the list)
The 17th annual benefit dinner and contemporary art auction raised $8.6 million with just 500 people in attendance at the black-tie event. The event is hosted annually by Cindy and Howard Rachofsky at their Richard Meier-designed home, the Rachofsky House, in Dallas. Notable art that sold during the auction in 2015 included a piece from artist Ellsworth Kelly that fetched $2.3 million. Presenting sponsors of the event were Harry Winston and Audi of America. Next: October 22, 2016
San Francisco
#8 Benefit
The grant-making organization that aims to fight poverty in the San Francisco Bay Area has a more casual fund-raiser than comparable events that raise millions of dollars. For this year’s edition, there was a “Bay Area Block Party” at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Alabama Shakes headlined the show, which had about 7,000 people in attendance. In 2016, the event raised $13.3 million. Next: May 2017
Washington
#10 Benefit
Held at the Washington Hilton’s Columbia Ballroom, the boxing-themed benefit raises money for early childhood education in the metropolitan areas of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. Last year’s benefit, attended by about 1,900 people, raised a record $5 million and included a tribute to Muhammad Ali, as well as appearances from Creed star Michael B. Jordan and director Ryan Coogler. New in 2016, the Fight Night Party Deck will have a reception, interactive elements, tickets to the main event, access to the after-party, and a designated area with full bar and a buffet-style dinner. Next: November 10, 2016
