Trendy food trucks and a laser wall

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  About 100 committee members and Phoenix Art Museum supporters gathered at Scottsdale Air Center on April 25 for a casual pre-pARTy for the museum’s fall soiree. The 7th annual pARTy is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2012.
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Great events: Celebrity Fight Night 2012

The March 24 black-tie gala at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa honored Arizona Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald, Starkey Labs CEO and founder Bill Austin, and Discount Tire founder Bruce Halle and his wife, Diane, with the 2012 Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night Awards.

Honorees Bruce and Diane Halle


America's Got Talent" sensation 11-year-old Jackie Evancho; Billy Crystal

There was no shortage of stargazing opportunities. GRAMMY® Award winning Reba McEntire returned for her seventh year as emcee of the event. To the surprise of the audience, a bald eagle was released into the room during the singing of the national anthem. That was followed by a performance from John Corbett.


Rita Wilson sings with Michael Johns

Previous fight Night honoree Bob Parsons, founder and executive chairman of Go Daddy, kicked off the evening with another surprise: a $1 million donation.


GRAMMY® award-winning musical director David Foster

Following the awards, David Foster directed musical performances by Rascal Flatts, Miley Cyrus, Rita Wilson, former American Idol finalist Michael Johns and 11-year-old America’s Got Talent contestant Jackie Evancho. Comedian Sinbad entertained with jokes and an impromptu performance. Lionel Richie closed the evening with hits including “Brick House", “All Night Long”, “Hello” and “Dancing on the Ceiling” in which Rascal Flatts joined him on stage.


Is that music coming out of the mouths of Fight Night founder
Jimmy Walker and actor Tom Hanks?


John Corbett; Jordin Sparks and Jason Derulo

The evening concluded with a special cake presentation from “Cake Boss” for Ali’s 70^th birthday.


Miley Cyrus on the red carpet

A live auction helped swell the coffers for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute and several other charities. Dinner at Reba McEntire’s Beverly Hills, Calif., home, with special guests Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, went for $1.8 million from three bidders who paid $600,000 each. A vacation in Tuscany and dinner with Andrea Bocelli sold for $1.4 million, raising the total for Celebrity Fight Night XVIII to $9.1 million.

Article and photographs courtesy of azredbook.com

How do more than 500 old bags support a good cause?

More than 500 old bags supporting a great cause. Read all about this fabulous event at: http://www.eventinterface.com/blog-article?id=15. Pictures and story courtesy of AZRedBook.com.

Drums anyone?

As planners we have pondered for hours on how to tell stories to our event attendees. How can we place our attendees in the shoes of the people an event benefits, while still offering our guests a fabulous time? The December 2011 Women & Philanthropy Holiday Luncheon in Scottsdale, AZ did a marvelous job doing just that.

The Dec. 13 Women & Philanthropy Holiday Luncheon featured the music therapy program in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts School of Music. The theme was Celebrate the Joy of Community. The reception featured student musicians playing original works, many of which are used in real-world music therapy settings.

Co-chair Sybil Francis welcomed members and guests, and co-chair Cindy Watts introduced the music therapy program. Barbara Crowe, director of the program for the past 30 years, shared some of its history at ASU, information about current brain research that supports the efficacy of music therapy and insights into the diverse education that music therapy students receive at ASU. Julie Murillo, a music therapist and graduate of ASU’s program, followed with two examples of how she used blues music in two recent clinical interventions. Robin Rio, director of the ASU Music Therapy Clinic, then gave a virtual tour of the clinic.

The capstone experience of the luncheon was a guided drum circle led by Barbara Crowe. Every guest at the luncheon stood up and selected an instrument. Barbara instructed guests to follow the mother drumbeat and make their own music. The room filled with the joyful sound of drums, tambourines, shakers and bells.

- C. Miller. 

Article and photograph courtesy of AZRedBook. Click here for more pictures of the luncheon.

For more stories, resources and info about Event Interface, visit EventInterface.com.

Fabulous parties in Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona has many world-class philanthropic and social events. The premier website for these community events features coverage of black-tie and social fundraising events, and is an amazing resource for ideas with stories and photographs.

Over the last 18 years, AZredbook.com has worked to support and promote the individuals and organizations that improve the quality of life in Phoenix and surrounding communities. 

Although the site wasn't intended to be a resource to planners, the coverage of black-tie and fundraising events is sure becoming a first-class source of ideas. Recent events covered were the Stars of the Season, and The Concert & The Encore.

Stars of the Season was a party to benefit the Pediatric Rehabilitation Center at Cardon Children's Medical Center set to a Brazilian beat with "A Night in Rio". The "living red carpet" pictured here greeted guests as they arrived. Read all about this event

The Concert & The Encore benefitted the Phoenix Symphony.  Aventura prepared the dinner, which was served at tables beautifully designed by Avant-Garde. Towering vases held three colors of orange roses, green hanging amaranthus and orange alstroemeria, pictured on the previous page. Read all about this event

To view more event coverage, an up-to-date calendar of community events, listings of nonprofit organizations, profiles of community leaders, wellness resources, a guide to cultural and leisure events, and the latest trends in fashion, beauty and design, visit, or even better, bookmark AZredbook.com.

Sources for this article: AZredbook.com.

- Al Wynant

Refurbished Herberger a Downtown Gem

A little more than a year after reopening, the newly refurbished Herberger Theater in Downtwon Phoenix, is both classy and current. With outdoor patios that can accommodate large numbers of people and inside/outside events, new signage and updated aesthetics, it is poised to become a game-changer for its surrounds.

Built in 1989, the 20-plus year-old downtown theater was a showpiece in downtown Phoenix, attracting about 175,000 patrons annually and an additional 30,000 school children. It was a beautiful building, but both its infrastructure and aesthetics were dated.

Funded by a $16 million bond from the 2006 election, two renovation phases have been completed. Phase 1 included heating, air conditioning and other improvements to make the center compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Phase 2 focused on the patron experience, bringing up-to-date the building and its aesthetics.

The Herberger Theater property is owned and maintained by the city of Phoenix. The refurbishing was funded by $16 million from the 2006 Citizen Bond Election. A long-range vision includes the addition of a retail component on the north side of the theater along Van Buren Street. The retail component would be run as a for-profit business, with the goal being to create an endowment for the theater.

The Herberger Theater offers a wide variety of spaces for events.

CENTER STAGEThis magnificent theater is the ideal space for a larger meeting or special event. Center Stage was built for intimacy with all of the plush, red seats located within 70 feet from the stage. The theater is equipped with state-of-the-art technology creating the highest quality theatrical performances, meetings and presentations.  

STAGE WEST
Stage West is designed for flexibility while maintaining intimacy. Stage West is equipped with state-of-the-art technology in lighting and sound, creating endless possibilities in theatrical entertainment and corporate presentations.

THE KAX STAGE
Enter into the heart of the theater and experience an intimate, adaptable space for your event. The Kax Stage is a blank canvas limited only by your imagination. This space is a model setting for performances, private dinners, holiday parties or wine tastings.  

ART GALLERY & BOB'S SPOT GALLERY LOUNGE

Bob's Spot is an ideal space for private parties, dinners and receptions complete with balcony. The Art Gallery is an open space great for holiday parties or wine tastings.

OUTDOOR SPACESThe newly enhanced patio and plaza are elegant choices for parties, dinners and large receptions.   

GREEN ROOM

A 450-square-foot Green Room is also available for cast and crew hospitality, speaker-ready staging or informal meetings.

Contact Ms. Shannon O'Hara at             602-254-7399       ext. 116 or click here to email Ms. O'Hara. Download the Herberger Facilites Brochure here.

Article courtesy of C. Miller at Arizona Red Book with additional information courtesy of the Herberger Theater website.

Photos by Courtney Sargent


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