Ringing in the New

THE PARTY To kick off the Ragdale Foundation’s summer Spotlight Series at its new Ragdale Ring outdoor performance venue, more than 160 guests attended the opening gala, A Party With Pizzazz. THE HIGHLIGHTS The evening certainly lived up to its title, with supporters decked out in their most colorful (and even theatrical) garden attire. The Ragdale Ring is a striking sculpture installment that pays homage to and reinterprets architect Howard Van Doren Shaw’s 1912 open-air garden theater. Guests enjoyed impromptu performances during the outdoor cocktail hour by Chicago’s performance community. A staged presentation followed, which featured Ragdale alumni, including acclaimed jazz musicians, contemporary dancers, actors and artists. THE BOTTOM LINE The event raised more than $60,000 to support the renowned, nonprofit artist residency that provides time and space for 150 artists each year to pursue their creative work in its beautiful, serene and historic Lake Forest country estate. Photography by Dennis Tuskan