1. Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner
This year, 1,000 guests will gather at the New York Hilton Downtown for the 75th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, a tentpole event that gives the country’s political leaders a forum to come together from either side of the aisle to exchange jokes and find common ground. General James Mattis served as the keynote speaker at last year’s dinner, which was hosted by Martin Short and raised $5.2 million, the largest amount generated in a non-presidential election year since the event was founded. Named for the country’s first Roman Catholic presidential candidate from a major political party, the 2020 dinner will likely include a tribute to Smith’s great-grandson, Alfred E. Smith IV, who passed away in November. Next: October 1, 2020
Photo: Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation