The San Luis Obispo Symphony will present the 23rd Annual Symphony Ball, Auction and Honors Celebration on Saturday at the Embassy Suites Hotel in San Luis Obispo.

Marking the Symphony’s 50th anniversary, this year’s gala Symphony Ball will reflect the year 1961 — the year the Symphony was officially born — with décor, dress, drink, food and entertainment all in the unmistakable style of the early 1960s.

An elegant and entertaining event, the annual Ball and Auction is also a critical fundraiser for the Symphony, raising more than $50,000 each year in support of the Symphony’s extensive artistic and music education programs reaching more than 16,000 children and adults every year. 

The evening will include a sumptuous multi-course dinner, entertainment, dancing, and silent and live auctions. Reservations for the Ball and Honors celebration are $120 per person.

Tribute Ads honoring this year’s Symphony Honors Recipient Sandy Dunn may also be purchased and will be printed in the program booklet for the evening, then presented to her as a gift. All proceeds from tributes will support music education.

For more information, to place a tribute ad or to make reservations, please call the Symphony office at (805) 543-3533 or visit the Symphony website at www.slosymphony.com.

Auction Highlights

This year’s Live Auction will feature an array of valuable one-of-a-kind items including trips to Cabo San Lucas, Yosemite, New York City and New Orleans. Also available for sale will be a collection of exclusive Parties with a Purpose, donated by friends of the orchestra. 

These unique parties and events range from Brunch at the Chapman House in Shell Beach to a “1961-themed” dinner party, Jazz and Dim Sum at Mee Heng Low and an Old Town San Luis Obispo Progressive Dinner.

All of these events are listed on the Symphony website and some are even available for purchase now.

In addition to the Live Auction and the new Parties with a Purpose, the popular Wine Grotto Silent Auction will be back with a huge assortment of Central Coast wine available to the highest bidder.  The Symphony’s Celebrity Wine Raffle will also return this year, featuring the chance to win over 100 bottles of fine wine, donated and signed by local celebrities. 

Raffle tickets are $100 and only 100 tickets will be sold.  Tickets are available from Symphony board members and by calling the Symphony office at (805) 543-3533.  

Reservations for the Symphony Ball are $120 per person. For more information on all of the great auction items or to make your reservations, please call the Symphony office at (805) 543-3533 or visit the Symphony website at www.slosymphony.com.