Beaux Art Ball

Fancy dressed, costumed revelers roamed from the Med Restaurant where Jay LaFlamme and Denis Letourneau had opened the evening with classical and opera compositions. Under Okanagan sunshine but harkening back to Paris in the heyday of the Moulin Rouge, the Vernon iteration of a Beaux Arts Ball had kicked off. The performers, business participants and guests had each donated to the capital campaign for the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre (future home of the Vernon Public Art Gallery and The Museum and Archives of Vernon) and with grass roots flare, all celebrated the upcoming public initiative.

Cheek to Cheek Dance Studio hosted with a Speak Easy. Large wall murals painted by Molly March, depicting the flapper era bar scene was the backdrop as Molly tended bar in a white sequin-encrusted tailcoat and top hat. Cheek to Cheek’s Lorna Robb treated the attendees to a martini as they watched Iana Kyrnychna (Ukrainian) and Aleksandr Chigarev (Russian) dispel any doubts as to how the countries could relate as the couple danced several hot tangos. The streets of Vernon then brightened again as the company moved to Ratio Coffee and Pastry to hear Tanya Lipscomb in candy-colored curls perform her original songs.

The firm who has designed the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre, Revery Architecture, graced the Ball with the attendance of Stani and Venelin Kokalova who won the hearts of the crowd as they, in turn, picked up good vibrations during their two-day visit as they toured sites of cultural significance and met many enthusiasts.

Northwest of the new GVCC building site is the Elks Lodge, built in 1920. The use of the hall was given to the GVCC task force for an evening of ‘fun raising’ as a hand shake to their future neighbors – along with a 16-piece swing band, The Okanagan Big Band! The Elks Lodge, decorated with art works, disco balls and party lights twinkling, was an energized venue where the supporters of the arts danced as the horn section raised the roof.  BEACH Radio’s Brian Martin as Dr. Frank N Furter – Apple Productions’ 10 year’s revisit to the Rocky Horror Show runs June 12 to 28 – in fishnets and heels was the ever-witty, provocatively-cheeky MC.

 And, yes, funds were raised without a penny spent in the process. With the hall maxed at 120 guests, over $9000 came in during the evening! That’s the power of community.

The Together4Culture campaign thanks this inspiring energetic group for putting on this event to benefit the new Cultural Centre! If your group would like to host a fund-raising event, contact us and Let’s Get Started!