After 27 years of following a successful formula, the organizers for this year’s Emerald Celebration have decided to shake things up, beginning with the name.
Formerly known as the “Emerald Ball,” this Feb. 27 fundraiser for the Dublin Foundation will serve as the inaugural event for Dublin’s bicentennial celebrations in 2010, according to event chairperson Margery Amorose and Dublin Foundation president Gayle Holton. As such, the community at large is welcome to attend.
“This is an historic event, and we want people to be a part of it,” says Amorose, who is also the executive director of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. “We want to make sure that everyone feels welcome. We’re trying to get our arms around the whole community with this celebration.”
Organizers hope the 2010 celebration theme – in conjunction with other changes – make the Emerald Celebration feel more inclusive. Some of these tweaks include making the dress code less formal (from evening wear to party and cocktail attire) and hiring a DJ instead of live entertainment. Organizers have also lowered the per-person ticket price to $100, Amorose says.
“All of the elements of the party are still there, just on a smaller scale,” Amorose says.
According to Holton, the Dublin Foundation hopes revamping the event will entice younger residents to the fundraiser, a necessary step as some supporters retire or move out of the area.
“We especially want to attract the younger members of the community and get them engaged in this event,” Holton says.
This year’s entertainment doesn’t stop with the DJ. Guests can also shop a marketplace populated with Dublin-area retailers, which will replace the silent auction from years past. Also throughout the evening, which includes a sit-down dinner, guests will be treated to short theatrical vignettes in which community members will act out important scenes from Dublin’s history, Amorose says.
While the primary goal is to celebrate the bicentennial and enjoy a fun evening out, Amorose and Holton also emphasize the importance of the event as a fundraiser for the Dublin Foundation.
“One hundred percent of what is raised (at the event) goes back to the community through the Dublin Foundation,” Amorose says. “The foundation funds things like the historical society, the Dublin Arts Council and more. It reaches very broadly.”
The 28th annual Emerald Celebration, honoring the City of Dublin, begins with a cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Columbus Marriott Northwest Hotel, 5605 Blazer Pkwy. Tickets cost $100 each and are available by calling the Dublin Chamber of Commerce at 614-889-2001 or e-mailing Amorose at mamorose@netwalk.com. Tables and corporate sponsorships are also available. For more information about the Dublin Foundation, visit www.dublinfoundation.org.
Kate Seegraves is editor of Dublin Life.
BONUS: To learn more about other bicentennial events in Dublin, visit www.dublin.oh.us/200.