As the longest continuously running gala in Palm Beach, the American Heart Association’s Palm Beach Heart Ball (561-697-6621) has experienced its share of glamorous moments. The first Heart Ball took place February 14, 1956 and raised $30,840—a feat when factoring in inflation. In the 60 years since, the ball has welcomed many celebrity attendees, including Zsa Zsa Gabor, Frank Sinatra, and Ed Sullivan, and contributed millions of dollars to support the fight against heart disease and stroke, the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in America, respectively. The ante has been upped for the sixty-first Heart Ball, taking place at The Breakers on February 14. Whether you’re a regular attendee or a Heart Ball newbie, here are three reasons to attend this year’s event.
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2016 Palm Beach Heart Ball junior chairman Chris Leavitt, chairman Judi Richards, and honoree Annie Falk Photo by CAPEHART |
- Florist extraordinaire Michael Ereshena will transform The Breakers’ Venetian Ballroom into a beautiful park complete with floating hot-air balloons.
- The evening will feature a live auction with many fantastic lots, including the chance to attend the Roberto Cavalli fashion show in Milan.
- Attendees will receive a sneak peek of a new film—coproduced by Annie Falk and award-winning filmmaker Dawn Scibilia—that highlights AHA’s Teaching Gardens initiative, which aims to counteract childhood obesity by showing elementary students how to grow and harvest produce.
Joe DiMaggio at an AHA event honoring Mrs. Horace E. Dodge, chairman of the 1957 Heart Ball
Photo courtesy of American Heart Association
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