A little party never killed nobody — especially if that party is the South Fork Natural History Museum’s 26th Annual Summer Gala. That party, “SoFo Celebrates The East End,” benefits the museum’s educational and environmental programming and honors local visionaries. It is no surprise, then, that among those being honored this year is Edible’s own Brian Halweil.
Chaired by Top Chef Kerry Heffernan, Susan Rockefeller and Hamptons Magazine editor-in-chief Samantha Yanks, SoFo Celebrates the East End will return Saturday, July 11, and will run from 7-9:30 p.m. The event will honor the internationally acclaimed artist April Gornik, star of Entourage Adrian Grenier and conservationist Willi Salm.
For attendees with VIP tickets (starting at $1,250), the night will begin at 6 p.m., with a pre-gala VIP cocktail reception that will feature an honoree presentation and a tribute & special tasting menu by chefs Colin Ambrose (Estia’s Little Kitchen), Todd Jacobs (Fresh Hamptons), Kyle Koenig (Topping Rose House), Sam McClelland (The Bell & Anchor), Andrew Schor (East Hampton Grill), Joe Tremblay (BayBurger), and Jason Weiner (Almond). There will also presentations by — and tributes to — Nick & Toni’s Joel Realmuto, Hayground School’s Jon Snow, Peconic Pearl’s Karen Rivera, and (our personal favorite) Edible East End‘s Brian Halweil.
The gala itself will begin an hour later, at 7 p.m., and will feature farm-to-table and sustainable seafood hors d’oeuvres catered by Peter Ambrose, a silent auction, dancing and environmental videos. Nancy Atlas will provide the tunes.
“Our 26th Annual Summer Gala Benefit is our most important fundraiser of the year, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Sofo,” says Diana Aceti, SoFo’s director of development. “The museum is a very important resource that educates and inspires children and adults to become engaged and responsible caretakers of our planet now and for decades to come. The museum’s exhibits, programs, nature talks and trails, and outdoor experiences are essential to SoFo’s mission of conserving and preserving the natural resources of eastern Long Island.”
Individual tickets to SoFo Celebrates The East End start at $375 (or $250 for Young Professionals, 30 & younger). VIP tickets are $1,250. Tables start at $10,000. Buy tickets here.
SoFo Celebrates the East End returns to the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center on Saturday, July 11. VIP Cocktail Reception begins at 6 p.m.; the gala itself kicks off at 7 p.m. (and will run to 9:30). For more information, you can visit SoFo’s website directly.
