The stunning grounds of the New Orleans Botanical Garden in City Park dazzled visitors even more than usual on Friday, October 19, as the lush bushes and elegant oak trees sparkled with celestial blue and white lights in honor of “Magic in the Moonlight.” The third annual fundraiser for the Botanical Garden was a sold-out affair, raising over $120,000 for the construction of a new entrance to the Botanical Garden and Storyland.
Renowned New Orleans jazz trumpeter and singer Jeremy Davenport provided entertainment for the evening, served alongside a four-course al fresco dinner prepared by Emeril’s chef Chris Wilson and chefs de cuisine from Emeril’s, NOLA and Emeril’s Delmonico.
Event chairwomen Carla Adams, Rebecca Schultz and Liz Sloss honored Paul Soniat, Director of the New Orleans Botanical Garden for 30 years, and Gen Trimble, head of the New Orleans Botanical Garden Advisory Committee since 1983. Soniat surprised everyone by singing a self-composed personal tribute song to Trimble.
Opened in 1936 in conjunction with the Great Depression’s Works Progress Administration, New Orleans’ first public classical garden was revitalized as the New Orleans Botanical Garden in the early 1980s. The grounds feature over 2,000 varieties of international plants and showcase the craftsmanship of architect Richard Koch, landscape architect William Wiedorn and artist Enrique Alferez.
Event at a Glance
What: 3rd annual “Magic in the Moonlight,” benefiting the New Orleans Botanical Garden
When: Friday, October 19
Where: New Orleans Botanical Garden
