Ballet Austin’s Fête And fête*ish Features Dazzling Crowd
By Rob Giardinelli
Photography by John Pesina
The W Hotel in Austin was the recent setting of one of the Capital City’s most anticipated annual social events. Over 500 sociables, philanthropists, and VIPs who were on hand to support Ballet Austin’s Fête gala and fête*ish after party were treated to a dazzling evening of both fun and fundraising.
THE STYLE: The black tie crowd’s evening began in the ballroom foyer with a splashy cocktail hour in honor of the evening’s theme, Swan Lake. Guests sipped spirits while brimming with anticipation of the fun to come as the festivities then moved into the ballroom for the main program.
As the attendees dined on a delectable multi-course meal, they were treated to words from event leaders and Austin’s Mayor Steve Adler, followed by tributes and testimonials on how much Ballet Austin has positively impacted the community. The Fête festivities were capped off with a live auction featuring a custom kitchen package that garnered over $100,000.
After the live auction, the patrons poured back into the ballroom foyer of the W, where the bustling fête*ish after party was taking place. One of Austin’s most popular and well-attended after parties, the guests had the opportunity to take advantage of several unique experiential areas set up throughout the entire ballroom level of the W to revel in the fun. One could be seen dancing the night away to the tunes of DJ Max or tucked away into a smaller room on the ballroom floor posing for caricatures. Others enjoyed a nightcap with friends on the W Terrace, capping off a fabulous evening on a beautiful spring night.
THE PURPOSE: While there were no designated chairs for Fête, Mallory Miller and Stephanie Gossen co-chaired the fete*ish event. The event raised over $500,000 for Ballet Austin. Proceeds from this year’s Fête and fête*ish will support Ballet Austin’s mission of providing exceptional arts education and artistic programming to the Central Texas community.
