Gala a night to remember: organizers

By Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on November 20, 2009

With music spanning the last 90 years and a menu filled with a wide selection of meats, pastas and salads, organizers are confident the 250th Anniversary Gala will be Amherst's party of the century.

The black-tie optional gala will be held Dec. 5 from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Campus Center Auditorium at the University of Massachusetts.

Maureen Raab, chairwoman of the organizing committee, said she sees the gala as a way of Amherst welcoming another century while celebrating the town's past and its diversity. It will include the full array of what people expect from an evening out, with an emphasis on music and "dancing through the decades."

"You get to dance and enjoy the company of your neighbors and your friends," Raab said.

The gala is the closing event in a year that has included the anniversary parade, a series of lectures, performances and exhibits and the publication of an "Amherst A to Z" history book.

Appetizers will be served for the first hour, with the main course options coming from salad, and carving and pasta stations. The meal is completed with coffee and desserts.

The music is expected to include popular tunes from the 1920s to present, everything from Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" and Glenn Miller's "In the Mood," to contemporary songs by the Dixie Chicks, Pink and Christina Aguilera.

During the dinner hours, live music will be performed by the local band Paris, and at 10 p.m. disc jockey John Benedict will begin spinning tunes.

After the meal, people will be encouraged to dance and mingle for the remainder of the night.

Cinda Jones, co-chairwoman of the event, said she and Raab hope to dance with many people, but want to make a point of getting nonogenarian Steve Puffer, who was one of the grand marshals of the anniversary parade, on the dance floor. "We are especially excited to Charleston with Mr. Puffer, if he'll let us," Jones said.

For those less comfortable with dancing, the gala will have what Jones is calling motivational dancers Alison Ozer and daughter Mariel Adams, to show people the moves for dances like the Charleston and Lindy Hop.

Raab said the auditorium will be transformed using an orange and purple color scheme. Using her expertise in event design, Raab said the walls will be washed with color. Much of the appearance will remain a surprise to the more than 250 people expected at the gala.

During the dinner, Amherst Community Television will show selection of videos from this year's events, and another screen will feature a "pictage" of these celebrations.

A professional photographer will take photographs and have these available for viewing and purchase after the gala.

Tickets, which are $50 until Thanksgiving, are available at Hastings on South Pleasant Street, the Leisure Services office at the Bangs Community Center and online at www.amherst250.org. Tickets will increase in price to $60 after Nov. 26.