GREAT GATSBY GALA

Children’s Museum Houston Roarin’ 20s-inspired fete raises nearly a million for Houston’s children

Chaired by Devorah and David Krieger and Ashley and Jonathan Sloan

Underwriting Co-Chaired by Kelli and Chris Calderwood and Rishma and Akbar Mohamed

HOUSTON (Oct. 18, 2021) – The glitz!  The glam!  The elegance! It all converged into one of the most anticipated nights of the year –Children’s Museum Houston’s “Great Gatsby Gala” presented by Phillips 66 on Oct.16, 2021 at The Corinthian.  Event co-chairs Devorah and David Krieger and Ashley and Jonathan Sloan hosted a hotsy-totsy wingding which raised $961,000 to provide innovative child-centered learning to Houston’s children and their families.  

It was the bee’s knees!  Nearly 450 of the city’s finest shimmied and shined donning flapper-inspired headbands, outfits and Prohibition era outfits as The Corinthian was transformed by Bergner& Johnson Design into an underground Cotton Club, complete with jazz musicians and ostrich-feathered dancers who delighted crowds with their Charleston moves.  

A Fare Extraordinaire excited guests’ palettes with a scrumptious menu which included a delectable variety of hors d’oeuvres like chives and caviar, smoked salmon crostinis, lamb meatballs and more, followed by an indulging three-course dinner which included boneless beef short rib in rich demi-glace.  Pineapple chiffon cake with caramelized white chocolate mousse topped with maraschino cherries was the mouthwatering desserts that was served.  Guests enjoyed miniature boozy coffee milkshakes and ham and cheddar biscuit sandwiches for late night bites and danced the night away to Love and Happiness band’s tunes.

Auction chairs Lexi Sakowitz Marek and Natalie Steen, lead some of the hottest live and big board auctions items!  A weekend with an Aston Martin DBX raffle was won by Bob Perkins.  An Astros suite with autographed Michael Brantley jersey and ball signed by entire Astros 2021roster sold for $14,000.  Prairie Dunes Country Club golf weekend sold for $9,000.  A Night at Children’s Museum Houston sold twice raising $18,000.  

There were more than 100-items up for grabs, including cocktails with Christie Brinkley, Diamond Club Astros tickets, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon tickets, David Peck custom gown experience, a shopping spree at Tootsie’s, and exotic travel packages to Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Mexico and Canada.

For the last 29 years, the annual gala has made it possible for the Museum to prepare children to be successful in school and to instill confidence in lifelong learning. With your generosity and support, we hope to continue to fulfill the Museum’s mission of transforming communities through innovative child-centered learning.