Sparklefest the Second!

[ellejayvee]

I know I already have a meet-up post running (on the Facebook group, the wig party,) but Crystal just reminded me that I needed to start planning Sparklefest the Second. This year I want it to be a completely different event than last year.

1. It will not be in any way related to my birthday.
2. Instead of at a bar, it will be a formal ball at a banquet in Elmwood Park, IL on Grand Ave, Elmcrest Banquets by Biancalana. My family is friends with the owners, and it is a lovely, affordable venue with excellent staff and food.
3. This would not be any ball, it would be a charity ball. Tickets would be sold to cover the cost of the banquet services, but during the banquet, there would be a silent auction, the proceeds of which would go to a charity of our choice.
4. Besides the silent auction, anyone who would want to donate any denomination of money could do so during the event.
5. There would be dinner and dancing. You would not have to be 21 to attend the event, but people 21 and over could buy drinks at the bar. (They card.)
6. I also think it would be great to showcase our local designers with a small fashion show. All of the entries would be strictly limited to items made by local designers. (One could include accessories/shoes/whatnot by major brands, but the focus of each piece must be from an independent brand/seamstress.)
7. This would be scheduled for late Summer/early Fall; I’m thinking August or September for purposes of planning time and agreeable weather.
8. Let’s extend the invention to other groups with Japan-oriented interests.
9. There will be a dress code. Dresses must be at least knee-length, and necklines must be modest. If you are wearing lady-type shoes, heels are encouraged, but flats are acceptable if they are formal. If you want to wear a suit or tuxedo, of course you may. Ties and bow ties are encouraged. For gentleman-type shoes, they should be dress shoes. So, obviously, this is a formal event, but it does not need to be black tie since I know not everyone who would wear suits can afford a tuxedo. I don’t care what gender wears whichever type of clothing---just make it fancy!
10. Because it is Sparklefest, the theme of course will be sparkles. Sparkles and frills and fancy nights outs.

That said, here is what I need to know from you:

1. Would you be interested in attending Sparklefest the Second?
2. If so, what is your budget for a ticket price? There are different pricing options that I need to discuss with Biancalana, but in my experience with these kinds of events, (I am a banquet veteran, lol,) I am guessing it could be anywhere between $30-$60 a ticket.  We would not need a DJ (just a basic sound set-up), I don’t think anyone is willing to pay extra for an open bar so we would have a cash bar, and the dinner would not need to be overly extravagant. We could also do all of our own decorating.
3. Who would be interested in joining a decoration team?
4. Who would want to enter the fashion show as a designer?
5. Who would want to enter the fashion show as a model?
6. Who would like to volunteer their time as a photographer and/or videographer?
7. Who would like to donate items to the silent auction? Do you know of any businesses that could donate items?
8. Do you know of any businesses that would like to donate to the charity we choose?
9. Which charities do you like? (Let’s brainstorm. We will have a vote later.)
10. Which month is better for you---August or September? Are there any dates in particular that you know you are for-sure busy?

Mostly importantly, I need an estimate of an amount of people (+1s WELCOME!) as soon as possible so that I could give you all an exact amount of the cost of and when payment will be due. (The due date for this would be strict, and I would need you to do this via PayPal for convenience and the safety of all parties. If you do not have a PayPal account, you can team up with a friend who does.)

Thanks for reading! I hope people are game!