Glen Echo’s Gala in the Park: Dancing into the Future
By June 14, 2023 0 1642
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Hundreds of patrons of the arts made their way to Glen Echo Park for its annual gala celebrating the historic Spanish Ballroom’s 90th anniversary. The event also raised funds for the nonprofit’s arts programming and educational offerings. There were also silent auction items during cocktail hour in the Bumper Car Pavilion, vaudeville entertainers and more.
Dinner followed in the Ballroom with WUSA-9’s Lesli Foster as emcee for the evening. The Honorable Marc Elrich, Montgomery County executive, and Founder and Executive Director of the After School Dance Fund Ricardo Loaiza were honored with the Advocacy and Innovation Awards. To begin the evening, a toast was given via video by Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) was a special guest.
- From left: Tazeen Ahmad, CFO, Capitol Hill Consulting Group, Montgomery County Board of Education President Brenda Wolff, Marjorie Goldman, Gala Chair Bonnie Casper, Congressman (D-Md.) Jamie Raskin, and Maryland Secretary of State Susan Lee.
- High school dancers from the award-winning After School Dance Fund celebrate their Executive Director, Ricardo Loaiza, recipient of the Friend of Glen Echo Park Innovation Award.
- Gala in the Park guests enjoy a night-time ride on the 102-year-old Denzel carousel in Glen Echo Park. (Foreground, left to right: Jayne Sandman, John Mathewson, Lesli Foster, Barbara Martin, Mary-Frances Wain, Andrea Rinaldi, Erin McCahill.)