San Francisco Parks Alliance Holds 10th Annual Party for the Parks
600 park supporters will enjoy cocktails, live music and dancing as they gather at the historic Palace of Fine Arts for the 10th Party for the Parks on Saturday, September 19. This year’s event is part of the yearlong centennial celebration of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition at the Palace of Fine Arts, while supporting San Francisco’s renowned parks and playgrounds.
The Party for the Parks raises significant funds each year to support the Parks Alliance, and the Recreation and Park Department. This year, funds will also benefit efforts to rebuild and restore playgrounds across San Francisco. Event chairs Christine Gardner and Carolyn Feinstein Edwards sought to “bring the parks to the party,” so they engaged sponsor Curated State to create a pop-up photography exhibition and silent auction. The exhibit features seven stunning galleries of 150 works by talented Bay Area artists, to celebrate our beautiful San Francisco parks. Recreatio, a gallery of work by photographer Denise Tarantino, was specially commissioned for the event and features the City’s playgrounds. Sales of the artwork will benefit these local artists and the parks.
“A growing city demands more from its parks, so it’s more important than ever to make sure our park system has the resources it needs to serve as the City’s backyard,” said Matt O’Grady, Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Parks Alliance. “Our event committee has done a smashing job to make this event an incredibly fun way to support important work.”
The first Party for the Parks was in 2005. Since then, thanks to these annual events held in parks across the City, recreation centers have been furnished with equipment, furniture and amenities. Trails have been restored, groomed and reopened. Children have received scholarships to attend summer camps and participate in sports. Gardeners and arborists have been supplied with tools to care for plants and trees.
“Party for the Parks funds crucial needs in our parks, from playgrounds to infrastructure to active recreation,“ said Phil Ginsburg, General Manager of the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department. “We are incredibly grateful to the Parks Alliance, corporate sponsors and donors to the event for their stalwart support.”
Event sponsors include Sports Basement, CMG Landscape Architecture, United Airlines, Union Bank, Morrison & Foerster, Bauman Landscape Construction, Miracle Play Systems, Zynga.org and Architectural Resources Group. A full list of event sponsors appears at partyfortheparks.org.
As they arrive at the event, guests will enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres and cocktails sponsored by Group Campari and Speakeasy, while listening to live jazz from the Brad Bivens Jazz Quartet. VIPs will enjoy a caviar reception hosted by California Caviar and a special guided tour of the City Rising exhibition by the California Historical Society. After cocktails, the action moves inside the tent, appointed by event designer Nicole Villa Krassner to show off the spectacular rotunda at the Palace. There, guests will enjoy a buffet supper by Taste Catering and music by DJ Aaron Axelsen. Complimentary valet parking will be provided by California Parking.
Learn more about Party for the Parks.