Check out this latest feature by the Arizona Republic. This Friday Night, Moonlight Masquerade at the Desert Botanical Gardens, with opening music by DJ Seduce!
The Desert Botanical Garden will become even more magical for the first ever Moonlight Masquerade on Friday.
MOONLIGHT MASQUERADE
What: A special event in honor of "David Rogers' Big Bugs" exhibit, inviting guests to don masks and walk the garden enjoying food, drinks and glowing décor.
When: 6-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30.
Where: Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix.
Admission: $55-$60.
Details: 480-481-8188 , dbg.org.
The soiree invites guests to don their best bug- or butterfly-inspired masks and walk the garden, enjoying the glowing décor, live music, gourmet food and cocktails served in glowing glasses.
The event celebrates David Rogers' Big Bugs exhibit, a collection of 11 giant sculptures of bugs made from fallen or found wood.
"We've always wanted to do a masquerade, and the garden lends itself so well to this type of event," said special events manager Laura Hill. "With big exhibits like 'Big Bugs' and the Chihuly exhibit, we plan theme events around the exhibit. And we love bringing guests to the garden at night because there is a completely different look and feeling."
Upon arrival, guests receive a welcome Masquerade Cocktail, a peach vodka concoction served in a souvenir glowing highball glass. Throughout the evening, musicians and performers will provide entertainment including DJ Seduce, who blends bossa nova and jazz into upbeat mixes at the donor wall, Big Nick & the Gila Monsters, a Phoenix-based blues band and garden regular, at Wildflower Pavilion, and future-pop group Super Stereo in Boppart Courtyard.
"We were looking for variety, and wanted everything to be very fun and upbeat," Hill said. "Super Stereo will attach glowing décor to their audience, and they will bring in a younger, hipper audience. We invited Big Nick because our member base loves them and loves to dance to their music."
All night long, burlesque and cabaret performance group Scandalesque will entertain at the Ullman Terrace with 12 dancers doing everything from feather fan and French mime routines to live vocal performances can-can, said co-founder Christy Zandlo.
"One of the new artists is a stilt walker and fire dancer, and we are going to do him all up in silver, so his performance is pretty magical," Zandlo said. "Another new performer does acro-fire, which is a mix of acrobatics and the use of various fire tools. He uses a fire staff, which is a long stick lit on both ends, and it's really impressive and beautiful."
The Sensational Bendy Girl will also debut her contortionist act, dressed all in green to look like a mysterious creature of the night.
Besides coordinating the show, Zandlo will join the can-can, adding a new twist to the classic dance with brightly colored wigs and matching skirts.
"One of the dancers stands on her hands for quite a while, and the crowd goes insane," Zandlo said. "Her skirt is obviously going the other way with her sparkly bottoms showing, and she's kicking her legs around, walking on her hands. It's really funny."
The bug sculptures will be lit for the evening, but everyone is likely to go home talking about the "Do You Dare" station, where guests will be invited to snack on gourmet bug treats. Gourmet cuisine from Fabulous Food Fine Catering and Events is included in the ticket price, and food stations will be set up throughout the garden. Guests will enjoy dishes including the Ultimate Mac-N-Cheese with chicken, truffle oil and bacon, braised short ribs topped with green chili mashed potatoes and miniature gourmet cupcakes.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/events/articles/2011/09/26/20110926moonlight-masquerade-desert-botanical-garden-big-bugs.html#ixzz1ZGCyp4kW
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