Mall Gala

What happens when you mix a night of elegance with the shrines, moon and stars? The Fourth Annual Ball on the Mall, of course. This year’s fundraising gala will convene on Saturday, May 5, from 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm.

Replete with dancing, an open bar and buffets, this popular black-tie event sponsored by the L’Enfant Society and The Trust for the National Mall raises critical funds to help restore the National Mall, fondly dubbed “America’s Front Yard.”

VIP tickets, entitling recipients to a reception and formal seated dinner two hours prior to the gala, have sold out. Tickets for $175 are still available. The ball will take place in a tent at Madison Drive and 13th Street. No need to fret about parking—complimentary valet parking will be offered.

Former First Lady Barbara Bush and daughter Jenna Bush Hager are this year’s honorary co-chairs. Hats off to the L’Enfant Society, the young professionals group which raises money and awareness to support the underfunded and overused Mall, which receives 25 million visitors a year.

Downtown property owner Chip Akridge, chairman of Akridge (601 13th Street), launched the Trust for the National Mall in 2007 and is its chairman and major benefactor. The Trust is the National Park Service’s (NPS) official non-profit partner and has raised millions of dollars in private funds to assist with Mall improvements, some now underway.