The annual Indigo Ball and its popular afterparty that premiered last year will return next month in newer, larger locales.
The ball, William Way LGBT Community Center’s biggest fundraiser of the year, will be held Oct. 5 at the Franklin Institute, followed immediately by the IndiGoGo Party, taking place this year at Voyeur.
Last year the ball was held at the Arts Bank, while the first IndiGoGo was hosted by Trocadero Theatre.
Center development director Michael Pomante said the uniqueness of the Franklin Institute appealed to organizers.
“It’s just a great space,” he said. “We consider it one of the premiere spaces in Philadelphia and truly a symbol of freedom.”
Three of the Institute’s exhibits — the Giant Heart, Changing Earth and Electricity — will be open for guests to explore.
“We wanted it to be more than a sit-down dinner,” Pomante said. “Guests can visit the exhibits and really be kids at heart that night. It’s a venue that’s really interactive.”
The IndiGoGo venue change was also meant to enhance the guest experience.
Center executive assistant Paul Blore said Voyeur’s expansive space can cater to guests of all musical interests.
“Voyeur has a lot of different spaces so we can have different feels that will appeal to the tastes of all the people who are there,” he said. “We have great DJs lined up who will appeal to a really broad spectrum of people.”
The docket includes DJs Jovi Baby and Kash from the Stimulus parties, DJ Robert Drake and DJ Nastty Sinatra, a protégé of DJ Deejay.
Last year’s party drew 600 guests, and Blore said organizers expect more than 1,000 at this year’s event.
Attendance at the ball is also expected to be up from last year’s 250 to between 300-350.
New to the ball will be awards to community members and organizations who have had an impact on the center.
“We have some incredibly special people in our community who have helped to make the center what it is and also truly impacted our community for decades, and we wanted to recognize them this year,” Pomante said.
The center will present its Humanitarian Award to Al Besse, Lifetime Achievement Award to Deb Francesco and Community Partner of the Year Award to Optimal Sport Health Club.
The ball will feature a cocktail hour with a performance by the Philadelphia Freedom Band, as well as the sit-down dinner.
The larger event will include a pricetag of about $30,000 extra this year, but Pomante said organizers are looking to net about $90,000 in fundraising.
The ball will run from 6-10 p.m., and IndiGoGo will kick off at 10:30 p.m.
Tickets to the ball are $225 per person, and each ticketholder gets free access to the afterparty. IndiGoGo tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.waygay.org.
