Saturday evening (7/26), one of Chicago’s summer social season’s most anticipated event, Shedd BLU at the Shedd Aquarium, not only drew nearly 800 guests it also raised $318,000 towards the aquarium’s education and conservation initiatives.
The event co-chaired by Laura Micheli, Jon Pfeffer and Julie Canna began at 6pm with cocktail hour and stingray petting and went into the night at the afterparty at Filini at the Radisson Blu Aqua.
Related: Shedd Blu 2014 Co-Chairs Talk Philanthropy & Sneak Peek
For the first time at BLU, guests were treated to an aquatic show with dolphins (Pacific white-sided ) and beluga wales.
Following the show, Shedd’s Executive Vice President of Animal Care and Training Ken Ramirez introduced us to Cruz one of the rescued California sea lions at the aquarium and Bruce one of Shedd’s rescued dogs, before leading the paddle raise to support Shedd’s community access program for school children, first-responders, military personnel and veterans, teachers. Starting at $5,000 and all the way to $50, paddles went up and down, numbers were called and those that donated were given wrist bands that lit up.
Donning traditional Brazilian samba outfits, dancers led guests to the Oceanarium upstairs to the galleries to check out the Amazon Rising exhibit and for food & drinks after the show, some sour faces were spotted when told the bar was closed for the show, ha!
Guests sampled tastings from more than 30 Chicago restaurants, including Adobo braised pork belly from Sunda; McCormick and Schmick’s jumbo lump crab cakes topped with fire-roasted corn salsa(yum); and BBQ pulled pork sliders from Theory(also delicious). Hawaiian-style roasted pork sliders with cole slaw and taro mayo from Jellyfish(fave of the night); and oysters on the half shell from Shaw’s Crab House.
What’s a fundraiser without auction items? No writing down bids here, the Auctions by Cellular teams were on hand to help guests use their smartphones to electronically bid on a variety of silent auction items such as a private yacht cruise on Lake Michigan, Wrigley Field skybox tickets and a luxury Las Vegas vacation.
The party continued outside Sick Family Lakeside Terrace to the best view of the city overlooking the lake and the skyline as well as the navy pier fireworks show.
Never have I attended an event where More cupcakes provided desserts and had only 1 and this was no exception. The red velvet cupcake is always a favorite and they also had Garrett’s Popcorn, dessert from Seasons 52 and macaroons from Vanille Patisserie. The party bus then took guests who could still walk in their 4″+ stilettos and suits to Radisson Aqua BLU Chicago for more dancing and fun. Oh what a night!
Our ‘Best Dressed on The Scene‘ includes a few #Sheddblu attendees, be sure to VOTE for your favorite HERE
Photo gallery of the night below, if you didn’t make it this year, plan to make the scene next year it’s a can’t miss event.
*images courtesy: Shedd Aquarium/Heidi Zeiger/Brenna Hernandez
[new_royalslider id=”25″]
