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The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation – the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization – and prominent food writer David Hagedorn announce the return of Chefs for Equality on Monday, October 30, 2023, at the National Building Museum. Now in its 10th year, the evening of extraordinary food, drink, and entertainment, in addition to live and silent auctions, supports the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s nationwide educational work and its fight for full LGBTQ+ equality.
“At Chefs for Equality, over 150 of Washington D.C.’s greatest chefs, bakers and mixologists create spectacular food and drinks in the name of full LGBTQ+ equality. This year’s theme, Plate of Emergency, calls attention to the state of emergency that the Human Rights Campaign has officially declared because of intensified attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender and non-binary people. The chef community stands at the ready to turn up the heat and fight even harder to protect and promote equality,” said David Hagedorn.
“It is so exciting to have DC’s top culinary and mixology talents come together in support of HRC Foundation’s work,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson. “LGBTQ+ Americans are navigating a national state of emergency, facing an all out assault on our basic rights. From access to necessary health care to feeling safe and supported at work and in our communities, anti-LGBTQ+ extremists are working to limit our freedoms and push us back into the closet. We need to fight back with full force against these injustices and continue to support impactful initiatives that expand equity and equality for all.”
As they have since the event’s inception in 2012, Christopher Vazquez and Rick Davis of Amaryllis Floral + Event Design will transform the Chefs for Equality venue into a wonderland that will feature 40 savory tasting stations and 20 crafted cocktail bars headed by renowned chefs and mixologists from the Greater D.C. area. The jewels of the Chefs for Equality crown are the 13 personal chef tables — each decorated to the hilt with a unique theme and providing an opportunity to dine with celebrity chefs for a lavish five-course meal in the middle of the action. The DMV area’s top pastry chefs prepare stunning show-piece cakes that will adorn the museum, and guests can sample these delectable pastries towards the end of the evening before heading out with a curated limited-edition goody bag chock-full of culinary goodies. In addition to impressive fare, live and silent auctions are also held.
New additions this year:
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Speed Diner meets Drag Brunch – An interactive entertainment experience where guests can purchase a time slot for a seat at the diner where they’ll enjoy brunch-inspired bites, a specialty cocktail, and an exclusive drag performance curated by Crazy Aunt Helen’s.
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Queerlada Shop – A cafe in the middle of the action featuring Latin-inspired savory dishes, pastries and libations curated by the popular D.C.-based Colada Shop Cuban Cafe & Bar.
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Private Upper Tier Champagne & Caviar Lounge – This exclusive Chefs for Equality activation, on the second floor of the Building Museum, features select restaurant partners, Champagne, caviar, lounge seating and more.
All proceeds will benefit the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s nationwide educational work for LGBTQ+ equality. The HRC Foundation works to educate the public and provides training and model policies that alter the fundamental nature of the institutions governing the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.
Tickets for Chefs for Equality can be purchased at hrc.im/ChefsTickets. The full list of participating chefs, pastry chefs, bakers, and mixologists can be found at ChefsForEquality.org.
National Children’s Museum, the preeminent combined children’s museum and science center, will hold its Dreamers Soirée, an evening that celebrates and reflects the joys of childhood: imagination, play, and, of course, dreams!
Taking place on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023, the evening will bring together individuals and corporate supporters, public officials, and prominent figures in Washington’s business and cultural communities in support of the Museum’s mission of inspiring children to care about and change the world.
The evening will begin with an elegant seated dinner, held in honor of one of the Museum’s founding Trustees and former Board Chair, Dick Snowdon, a champion of the National Children’s Museum for nearly 50 years. Snowdon has been an integral part of the National Children’s Museum’s journey to provide children with the opportunity to experience the joy of play-based, STEAM learning in our nation’s capital, serving as a past Board Chair of the Capital Children’s Museum on H Street in northeast D.C. and an instrumental force behind the Museum establishing its current home in downtown D.C.
Following the dinner, the evening will progress into a celebratory soirée, featuring signature cocktails, culinary delights, dancing, music, and more.
“The Dreamers Soirée is an opportunity for us to come together as a community to celebrate the joy and impact being made at the National Children’s Museum,” said Crystal Bowyer, Museum CEO and President. “Without the generosity of our supporters, the work we are honored to do would not be possible, and we’re so thankful to be inspiring the next generation of leaders and changemakers inside the Museum every day.”
Hosted by Abby Phillip, Anchor of “CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip,” the Dreamers Soirée will include Honorary Chairs Senator Shelley Moore Capito and Senator Chris Van Hollen, who have provided tremendous support to the institution for years. Additional event chairs include Museum Board of Trustees member Heather Zimmerman and her husband, former Washington Nationals player Ryan Zimmerman, and John Legittino and Lauren Pratapas.
The event’s host committee includes Elizabeth and Paul Bonner, Brooke and Fritz Brogan, Ashley and Matt Bronczek, Kristin and John Cecchi, Andrea Dykes and Jeremy Fishelberg, Michelle Fields and Jamie Weinstein, Rae Ann and Jermaine Johnson, Traci and Robb Micek, Beth Newburger Schwartz, and S. Scott Stewart.
Event sponsors include the Embassy of the State of Qatar, Mrs. Jacquline Mars, Geico, PNC, American Airlines, American Beverage Association, Capitol Seniors Housing, VPC Inc., as well as Andrea Dykes and Jeremy Fishelberg, Elizabeth and Paul Bonner, Brooke and Fritz Brogan, Ashley and Matt Bronczek, S. Ross Hechinger, Stephanie Beyer Kirby and Trey Kirby, Traci and Robb Micek, Beth Newburger Schwartz, and Joseph Wright.
Limited tickets are still available for $500 for both the dinner and soirée, or just the soirée for $200 ($150 for Museum members). Additional event details, tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.nationalchildrensmuseum.org/dreamers-soiree-2023/.
Dinner
6 pm reception
7 pm dinner
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
Soirée
8 to 11 pm
National Children’s Museum
Creative cocktail attire
Capital Food Fight returns to The Anthem on Thursday, November 9th for the 19th installment of DC Central Kitchen’s raucous night of fighting hunger. Tickets to this year’s event, presented by Instacart, at capitalfoodfight.org.
First hosted in 2004 by DC Central Kitchen’s long-time volunteer and Board Chair Emeritus José Andrés, Capital Food Fight has long been the must-attend event of food lovers, TV stars, and philanthropists alike. Executive Chef & Co-Owner of Money Muscle BBQ/All Set/Fryer’s Roadside Ed Reavis, Chef Rachel Bindel of 101 Hospitality Group (Michele’s, Gravitas, Bakers Daughter), Executive Chef of dLeña Carlos Camacho, and Estuary’s Chef de Cuisine Ria Montes join a storied list of notable chefs who have faced off in head-to-head culinary challenge on the main stage featuring a spotlighted ingredient. Each dish will be judged by a panel of culinary icons, including Top Chef’s lead judge, restaurateur, and James Beard award-winning chef Tom Colicchio; restaurateur, Iron Chef America champion, and star of truTV’s Fast Foodies Justin Sutherland, retired Washington Nationals All-Star Ryan Zimmerman, and more!
Celebrity chef and DC-based restaurateur, Spike Mendelsohn, Chef Andrés, and local media personality Tommy McFly return as the evening’s hosts and emcee, respectively, to keep things rocking from the main stage with one of DC’s most in-demand performers, DJ Neekola, on the decks all night long as attendees feast on delicious bites from more than 80 of the DMV’s best restaurants.
Tickets are available for purchase at www.capitalfoodfight.org General admission tickets are $325, with VIP access going for $550. VIP ticket holders will have exclusive access to the second floor with balcony seating and full open bar. All proceeds from the event, including donations and silent auction, go to support DC Central Kitchen’s award-winning solutions to hunger and poverty in Washington, DC, from providing culinary job training to serving scratch-cooked school meals to delivering fresh fruits and vegetables at deep discounts to small corner stores across city.
Special thanks to the 2023 Capital Food Fight Presenting Sponsor, Instacart, along with Showcase Sponsors CoBank, Lineage Logistics, and Wegmans, which will also be stocking this year’s on-stage pantry. The battling chefs will be highlighting special ingredients provided by Wegmans, Keany Produce, and AUI Fine Foods. Further appreciation goes to our Executive Chef Sponsors Bloomberg Philanthropies, Clark Construction, RTX, Wells Fargo, Vox Media, and Appliances A Better Way (ABW), and Sous Chef Sponsors Bank of America, DoorDash and Geico. For a full list of 2023 sponsors and information on remaining availability, please visit capitalfoodfight.org/sponsors.
Capital Food Fight is a 21 and older event. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.capitalfoodfight.org
Whitman-Walker 50th Anniversary Gala
Thursday, November 9
6:00-10:00 pm
Salamander Washington DC
1330 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024
Whitman-Walker, a leader in LGBTQ health, research, education and policy with special expertise in HIV care, will host its 50 th Anniversary Gala on Thursday, November 9 th at the Salamander Washington, DC. The “Fabulous Cocktail” Event will run from 6:00-10:00 pm, and feature special guests: Tim Gunn (Author, Critic and TV Personality) and DJ Tryfe (Celebrity DJ).
As of 2023, Whitman-Walker has been part of the fabric of Washington DC and nationally for 50 years – as a first responder and care-provider for those living with HIV; a leader in LGBTQ care and advocacy; a research center working to discover breakthroughs in HIV treatment; and one of DC’s most trusted partners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whitman-Walker envisions a society where all people are seen for who they are, treated with dignity and respect, and afforded equal opportunity to health and
wellbeing.
Within the nation’s capital area, Whitman-Walker provides stigma-free care to anyone who walks through their doors. Just last month, they opened the Max Robinson Center in Southeast Washington DC, a brand-new state-of-the-art building on the campus of Saint Elizabeths East in the Congress Heights neighborhood, transforming healthcare and community research in the District of Columbia. This year’s event fundraising goal is to raise $550,000 in which funds will support Whitman-Walker’s care and research programming. Gala Details: Special guests Tim Gunn (Author, Critic and TV Personality) and DJ Tryfe (Celebrity DJ), along with cocktails, great food, surprises, storytelling, live auction and music. Gilead Science, Inc. will also be recognized for their $2 million commitment to the new Max Robinson Center with a special Community Philanthropy Award. LINK
Symposium: Transformation with Patients Leading in Healthcare – 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
EmPOWER Ball: 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
November 11, 2023
International nonprofit organization Tigerlily Foundation, known for its advocacy to empower women diagnosed with breast cancer between ages of 15-45 announces a two-part event to celebrate and gather patients, providers, and supporters for a day of awareness, education and to raise funds. The Tigerlily BEACON Symposium will discuss equity and improvements in the healthcare industry and highlight what nirvana looks like for patient-centric care in the real world by bringing patient advocates, health systems, providers and science together to co-create better solutions today. To commence the day of discussion, the Tigerlily’s annual EmPOWER Ball returns for the first time since the pandemic. The evening ceremony will be emceed by News 4 Anchor, Shawn Yancy and following a number of evening activities fundraising, entertainment and other recognitions for award recipients.
The USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation Centennial Gala
This black-tie affair will celebrate 100 years of promoting and developing the growth of tennis in the Mid-Atlantic, the barriers broken by visionaries rooted and cultivated in the region and will raise funds to bring the benefits of the lifelong sport of tennis to EVERY community in the region shaping the next generation of the sport.
The Gala will include a silent and live auction, as well as a paddle raise donation segment, the induction of the USTA Mid-Atlantic Centennial Hall of Fame and music and dancing from The Moonlighter’s, DC’s own renowned Motown dance band.
Where: National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th & G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20001
When: December 1, 2023
6 – 11 p.m.
Who: Pam Shriver, former professional tennis player and current tennis broadcaster, will serve as Emcee for the evening.
The USTA Mid-Atlantic 2023 Hall of Fame Class – Eight outstanding individuals,
Including professional tennis superstar Frances Tiafoe, who have made a significant
Impact growing the game of tennis in the Mid-Atlantic.
About USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation:
USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to promoting tennis and its physical, social, and emotional health benefits. Learn about USTA’s impact in the Mid-Atlantic and how USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation creates community, character, and well-being.
The Krewe of Pyros presents the 8th Annual Mardi Gras Ball on Saturday, January 27, 2024 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The 2024 entertainment line-up is FIYAH featuring Carl Thomas, DJ Mannie Fresh, Be’la Dona Band and DJ Polo 504.
The Events DC Super Lounge will feature four-time GRAMMY nominated recording artist Raheem DeVaughn.
This event supports the Krewe of Pyros Foundation’s Pipeline Scholarship Program.
Formal attire required for entry: Tuxedo and Floor Length Gowns
This is a 3-day event and your ticket purchase includes:
- The Captain’s Welcome Party – Friday, January 26th at Throw Social
- The 8th Annual Mardi Gras Ball – Saturday, January 27th
- The President’s Thank You Party – Sunday, January 28th at Zebbie’s Garden
At the Ball you will enjoy an open bar, live entertainment, and a delicious three-course meal! NOTE: When purchasing your tickets, you will be required to select your choice of entrée. You will also have an opportunity to enter any food allergies. The Menu:
- Entrée Choice 1: Roasted Chicken and Shrimp, with Tomato Etouffee, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Winter Squash, and Baby CarrotsEntrée Choice 2: Braised Beef Short Rib, with Dauphinoise Potatoes and Collard Greens
- Entrée Choice 3: (Vegan) Chickpea Cake, with Warm Salad of Brussels, Broccoli, and Peas with Harissa and Mint Chutney
On Saturday, February 24, 2024, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic will host its annual Wish Ball at the elegantly restored Waldorf Astoria, Washington, D.C. This annual event, which attracts more than 650 guests each year, raises awareness & funds for life-changing wishes for local children in the Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Maryland region who are battling critical illnesses. Founded in 1983, the Mid-Atlantic chapter has granted over 11,000 since its inception. Wish kids face any number of critical illnesses such as cancer, pediatric AIDS, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Duchene’s muscular dystrophy, kidney and heart disease. Every year, 450 local children are expected to receive a diagnosis that makes them eligible for a wish, and no child is turned away. For every wish granted, at least one more local child is waiting.
Join for a fun and inspirational night of great food and wine, entertainment by Lucy Black Gold, live & silent auctions, and inspirational wish stories. Tickets are priced at $500 per person with sponsorship packages ranging in price from $5,000 to $50,000. Tickets & sponsorship packages are available for purchase at About Wish Ball (wishballmidatlantic.org)
WHEN: Saturday, February 24, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 12 Midnight.
WHERE: The Waldorf Astoria, Washington, D.C. is located at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004. Room reservations for Wish Ball attendees can be made here.
WHO: Co-Chairs for 2024 Wish Ball: Katherine & Benjamin Berman and Sophie & Stephen LaMontagne, Georgetown Cupcake and Laura Szlavin Niamien & Joel Niamien, Wish Parents, Szinc Consulting LLC | Walton Enterprises
