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Start with one part fundraiser. Add a celeb-packed guest list. Throw in some live music from Stevie Wonder, food from Thomas Keller and Charlie Palmer, or a silent auction with Louis Vuitton goodies or tennis lesson from Andre Agassi. Season to taste with black ties and cocktails. You’ve just whipped up one of Night+Day’s Best Annual Charity Events, some of the hottest parties on the social calendar.
Best Annual Charity Events in....
Best Annual Charity Events
San Francisco
Black & White Ball 201 Van Ness Ave., May, 415-864-6000 symphony.org/ball
The Draw: All the city’s cultural luminaries show up for this benefit for the San Francisco Symphony’s Adventures in Music program, which brings music education to SF public elementary schools. The Scene: There are five separate venues for dancing to various kinds of music, and wine, cocktails, and heavy hors d’oeuvres are served at each. Most attendees don traditional formal attire, but some go designer-wacky (think Bjork as a swan). Hot Tip: “Harlequin-level” ticket-holders get a private reception with the evening’s performers. Tony Bennett and K.D. Lang are slated for 2010.
The Crystal Ball 405 Geary St., April, 415-749-2228 act-sf.org
The Draw: Proceeds from the American Conservatory Theater’s season gala
benefit ACT’s 2,500 young, aspiring actors, many of whom go on to Broadway and film roles. The Scene: The star-studded evening features Tony Award-winning performers (Anika Noni Rose in 2010), and is held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, preceded by a black tie dinner. Hot Tip: No matter who the headliners are, the students themselves manage to steal the show with surprise performances created especially for the event.
The Draw: Internationally recognized artists in various media are commissioned to craft heart-shaped sculpture, and beyond the shape of the artwork, there are no boundaries on medium or style. Proceeds benefit the San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) Foundation. The Scene: A corollary to the heart sculptures, which remain on display throughout the city, is the selection by committee of local “heroes” that embody the mission of the SFGH Foundation. These awards are presented at a gala luncheon in Union Square. “Hearts after Dark” is the evening component of the event, with live music and a VIP lounge. Hot Tip: The hearts go on sale after the events, and bids have been as high as $25,000.
