Graycliff, the summer home of Isabelle and Darwin D. Martin – designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1926 and built between 1927 and 1931 – is preparing for its annual fundraising dinner. Like everything else during COVID, this dinner will be held virtually, but that doesn’t mean that it will be any less sensational. That’s because the organizers are getting “extra creative” with the way that they are handling the fundraiser.
Instead of hosting a sit down dinner affair, this year’s patrons will be treated to special one-hour Zoom (virtual) program, while ordering take-out dinners from The Roycroft Inn in East Aurora and 100 Acres: The Kitchens at Hotel Henry in Buffalo.
Anyone who purchases dinner tickets, “wine pull” tickets, merchandise, or makes a general donation will be able to view the virtual program that will highlight “a mixture of pre-filmed and live footage featuring an exciting private concert of a trio of musicians from Buffalo’s Historic Colored Musicians Club performing original music on Graycliff’s esplanade.”
Graycliff’s Executive Director, Anna Kaplan, explains, “Though, of course, we’d love to be able to gather in person, we are thrilled to host a virtual event with the potential to engage more people than we ever have through past in-person events. We’re very excited to share with you, not only the wonderful performance of the musicians from The Colored Musicians Club, but be able to highlight The Club’s history—an important history which is contemporaneous with Graycliff’s history. Celebrate Graycliff is an exciting opportunity to support and recognize Graycliff during what has been an extraordinary season in more ways than one. Our organization, like countless others, has had to significantly adjust operations and strategy in order to mitigate the enormous impact of the loss of budgeted revenue due to the pandemic. The result of which is creative and fun events like Celebrate Graycliff where you can enjoy a delicious meal, watch an interesting and entertaining program, and have the opportunity to bid on a host of quality silent auction items and experiences, from the comfort and safety of your own home— and all to strengthen Graycliff’s mission to protect, restore, and promote this incredibly special place.”
Additionally, there will be a silent auction (opens on October 17th and closes on the 22nd at 7:30pm), where bidders will get chances to win a number of fantastic items and “experiential lots” including a private reception at the privately-owned, Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Walter V. Davidson House in Buffalo, and Oxford Pennant-designed merchandise.
The Zoom event will begin at 6pm on October 22nd – Click here for details and tickets. The last day to purchase dinner tickets is October 15th.
The one-hour event program will begin via pre-order, heat-and-eat meal packages for one to four diners will be available for pick-up from both The Roycroft Inn in East Aurora and 100 Acres: The Kitchens at Hotel Henry in Buffalo on that Thursday afternoon between 3:30 and 5:30pm.
Support for this event has been provided by The Hooper Family Foundation, The Baird Foundation, FreedMaxick, HHL Architects & SITU, Diane Chrisman, Judith Fisher and numerous in-kind sponsors including Buffalo Spree, FARM, Red Disk, The RTA Store, Hotel Henry, The Darwin D. Martin House, The Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, Buffalo Homes, Genesee Country Village & Museum, WNY Book Arts Center, Explore Buffalo, Tiger Mountain Jewelry, and many more. If you are interested in sponsoring this initiative or donating an item or experience to the silent auction, please contact Ryan Gravell at rgravell@graycliffestate.org or, by phone, at (716) 947-9217.
Graycliff is located at 6472 Old Lakeshore Rd., Derby, N.Y., 14047
Lead image by Matthew Digati of Buffalo Homes