Gala Benefit
Celebrating 50 Years of the Ravinia Festival Women’s Board
Saturday, July 21, 2012
This year’s Gala Benefit will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the extraordinary Women’s Board of Ravinia Festival. Founded in 1962, this dynamic corps of volunteer women has dedicated itself to promoting Ravinia as one of Chicagoland’s premier cultural destinations. The Women’s Board is now the largest contributor to the Festival and through the years has contributed over $20 million, including $10 million in the last ten years.
This special evening is hosted by the Ravinia Women’s Board and is the only performance fundraiser benefiting the not-for-profit festival and its REACH*TEACH*PLAY education programs. The Gala enables Ravinia to continue its commitment to musical excellence and innovation while returning music to Chicago neighborhoods. Last year, the programs reached over 75,000 students, families and community members.
On July 21, the Gala will feature “Leading Ladies” Patti LuPone and Patricia Racette performing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by James Conlon.
The night will begin at 5 p.m. with cocktails and hors d’oeurves on the lawn before being escorted to the performance in the Pavilion at 7 p.m. Dinner on the north lawn under the Gala Marquee will begin immediately following the concert. The 2011 Gala Benefit Evening is being overseen by the Women’s Board committee headed by Gala Co-chairmen Elizabeth Bergmann and Judy Castellini. Jeanne M. Denison is the Women’s Board Chairman.
Tickets for the black-tie Women’s Board Gala, including priority seating for the concert, are available to individual benefactors for $750. Tables of 10 are sold at tiered prices from $7,500 to $50,000. For more information or to purchase tickets to the benefit dinner, please call 847-266-5045 or email gala@ravinia.org. Ravinia Festival is a not-for-profit organization.