17 Bright Ideas From Winter Benefits

Nearly 400 people attended the museum’s annual benefit and after-party in West Palm Beach, Florida, in February, which honored trustee Gilbert Maurer for spearheading the New Norton, the expansion project that’s in its final year of construction. The evening raised more than $1 million to support the museum’s programs and exhibitions.

For the Francis W. Parker gala, held in March at the Geraghty in downtown Chicago, Kehoe Designs created whimsical Alice in Wonderland-inspired chandeliers for the independent school's event theme: “Through The Looking Glass.”

In February, the Great Plains Regional Office of Unicef USA hosted the inaugural Unicef Gala Dallas at the city's Ritz-Carlton. The event honored Rob and Sheryl Lowe with the Global Philanthropist Award for their work in raising awareness for women, education, and children’s rights. More than 370 guests attended the event, which raised over $1.3 million in support of the organization’s mission.

In February, the Boston Ballet hosted its annual gala at the Castle at Park Plaza. This year’s event, titled “Juliet's Ball,” featured decor inspired by the Ballet’s spring show, Romeo & Juliet. The event raised $1.7 million, with more than 500 guests in attendance.

In January at the Bomb Factory in Dallas, the Birthday Party Project, which hosts monthly birthday parties at homeless and transitional living facilities across the country, celebrated its own birthday with help from Gifts for the Good Life. The design duo created the Joy Store, in collaboration with Emily Clarke Events, for the event, a pop-up fund-raising station that featured goods, including watches, hoodies, hats, and superhero costumes, for kids and adults with low price points, allowing all guests to participate.

The Canadian Film Centre kicked off its 30th anniversary celebrations in February with its annual gala and auction at the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto. In honor of the anniversary milestone, the decor featured a navy blue and silver color scheme with large crystal candelabras as table centerpieces.

Held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington in February, the 800-guest gala, which was produced by Events by André Wells, featured a tropical decor theme with lush palm centerpieces. The 19th annual gala raised more than $900,000.

Presented by the Illinois Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Grand Chefs Experience brought together Chicago chefs, pastry chefs, and mixologists who prepared signature dishes and drinks for some 900 attendees. Held at the Field Museum in February, the event raised money to support the foundation. Kehoe Designs provided the decor for the event.

The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami hosted nearly 900 guests at its fund-raiser, the Big Bang: Sonic Odyssey, in January. At the end of the evening, the dance floor lit up with a performance by DJ Irie and LED robots provided by Light Up The Night.

In January, the National YoungArts Foundation in Miami held its largest annual fund-raiser, the Backyard Ball. The evening honored Academy Award-winning playwright and YoungArts master teacher Tarell Alvin McCraney with the 2018 Arison Alumni Award and featured a cocktail reception and seated dinner catered by Starr Catering Group. The benefit raised more than $1.5 million to support aspiring and emerging artists.

At the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools’ Connections gala, held in March at the Geraghty, Kehoe Designs created clever sports decor using sporting equipment such a golf balls, tennis rackets, and baseball bats. Plus, guests were given donation “leaves” on necklaces where they could indicate their donation amount and add it to a large “giving tree.”

Steven Tyler and Live Nation joined forces for the inaugural Janie’s Fund gala and Grammy Awards viewing party at Red Studios Hollywood in January. The evening featured a live viewing of the awards telecast, along with a multi-course dinner designed by Trisha Yearwood, plus performances. Proceeds from the event benefited Janie’s Fund, an initiative created by Tyler in partnership with Youth Villages to help young women who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect. The benefit raised more than $2.4 million.

Held in January at Capitale in New York, this year’s Louis Armstrong House Museum gala raised over $230,000 to benefit the construction of the museum's new, 14,000-square-foot Louis Armstrong House Museum Education Center, which will include an exhibition gallery, a 68-seat jazz club, museum store, and the Louis Armstrong archives. At the event, guests celebrated the 50th anniversary of the release of "What A Wonderful World" with a special performance by Wycliffe Gordon and the InterSchool Orchestras of the New York Wind Symphony.

Housing Works hosted its fund-raising event, Design on a Dime Miami, in February at the Moore Building. For the third year in a row, participating interior designers created one-of-a-kind room vignettes with new furniture, art, and home decor merchandise. The two-day benefit raised more than $400,000 in support of Housing Works’ mission to end AIDS. The “Chairman’s Dinner” honored the chair of Faena Art and executive creative director and partner at the Faena Group Ximena Caminos, chief creative officer of Design Miami Rodman Primack, and design entrepreneur Rudy Weissenberg (pictured).

The nonprofit hosted its 11th annual celebration in January at the Barker Hangar in Los Angeles. The evening, which is traditionally held the night before the Golden Globes, featured event production by Event Eleven and honored John Legend. Hospitality and catering firm Schaffer handled food for the evening, which was inspired by the themes of “Love, Light, and Laughter,” including LED trays to illuminate monochromatic hors d’oeuvres with saturated color.

The Voices For Children Foundation held its “Moments Of Brilliance” Be A Voice gala at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami on Brickell Key in January. Presented by Harry Winston, the gala raised more than $740,000 to support children in foster care in Dade County.