McCord Gallery and Cultural Center are inviting people to Fall in Love with the Arts at the facility’s 13th annual fundraiser Friday. The event will begin with a 6:30 p.m. cocktail hour and dinner at 7:30 p.m. at the Palos Country Club, 131st St. and Southwest Highway in Orland Park.
It’s a “cocktail attire, black tie optional” event with a relaxed attitude, McCord marketing director Joshua Wood said. Guests don’t need to bring a thing to be part of the party.
“All the guests are going to get a complimentary mask — like at a masquerade — because the theme of this one is a masquerade,” Wood said. “Everything will be there at the venue. It’s tied in with fall and Halloween and our color scheme is gold and red.”
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Pop, jazz and American standards vocalist Peter Oprisko will perform a program called Artistry in Rhythm featuring selections from the American song book.
Alex Maragos, morning news co-anchor for NBC Chicago, will be the celebrity guest of honor.
Wood said both live and silent auctions will be part of the event.
The live auction includes golf for four at Midlothian Country Club, dinner for two at Italian Village and two mezzanine seats for the musical “Hamilton,” a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, tickets to the Joffrey Ballet Chicago’s Modern Masters and a French wine dinner at a private residence on the Riviera Beach in New Buffalo, Michigan.
Silent auction items include original artwork, restaurant and theater gift certificates, jewelry, wine and food baskets, tickets to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and tickets to the Shedd Aquarium, among other items.
Silent auction bidding can be done online at www.McCordfall.gesture.com until the evening of the event, Wood said.
Raffle ticket prizes include a $300 Amazon gift card, a $200 Drury Lane Theater gift card and a harvest basket.
Wood said this year’s event will include the popular pie table.
“It’s kind of a special thing we do,” Wood said. “We tried it one year and people loved it. People make pies and donate them and then we auction them off.”
Proceeds from the event will “expand our reach into the community,” Wood said.
“We are constantly trying to increase our class selection, but more importantly we want to grow our outreach program that focuses on students with special needs.”
The cost is $125 and includes dinner, open bar and entertainment. Tickets can be purchased at www.McCordfall.gesture.com.
Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.