The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus is preparing for its third annual Fall Ball masquerade fundraiser.
Miss Richfield 1981 will host the black-tie-optional event at 8 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Liberty Ballroom of the Marriott, 1201 Market St.
The soirée will include live and silent auctions, an open bar, butlered hors d’oeuvres, desserts, performances by PGMC’s select ensemble, Brotherly Love, dancing and more.
Paul Fontaine, vice president of PGMC and co-chair of the Fall Ball, said this year’s auction items are particularly exciting.
“This year is great. We have a couple amazing vacation packages — a trip to Bali and an African safari adventure for four,” he said.
Daniel Palmieri, PGMC marketing chair, said the event is a great way to kick off your fall festivities.
“This year the ball is the weekend before Halloween. What better way to start your celebration than with a masquerade party, surrounded by amazing auction items and great entertainment?”
The Fall Ball is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year.
“We raise the majority of our funding each year from this event,” Fontaine said. “People don’t realize how expensive it is to run the chorus. Renting space and equipment is extremely expensive, and we put on a lot of performances. Renting the risers we stand on costs thousands of dollars. But more importantly the money enables us to continue and expand our outreach programs in the community.”
PGMC also plans to use the funding to create original music this year.
“We are really looking forward to commissioning new music for us to sing. Andrea Clearfield is going to be creating a piece about gay families. We will then take that piece and others we have like it — ones that have a really positive, inspiring message — to high school and college students,” Palmieri said.
According to Fontaine, youth outreach is a big focus of the chorus right now.
“We hope that these young people come to our concerts and see 110 openly gay men up on stage — out and unafraid — and feel like it’s OK for them to be gay and open,” he said. “We’ve reached thousands so far, but we want to reach more.”
The chorus practices Wednesday evenings on non-concert weeks and has two rehearsals the week of a concert. Also, each section within the chorus has additional rehearsals during a concert week.
PGMC follows up the Fall Ball with the “It Gets Better” production at Kimmel Center in November, a performance in the Thanksgiving Day Parade and holiday concerts before its ever-popular bachelor auction fundraiser in February.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the Fall Ball, visit www.pgmc.org.