The theme of the auction party that kicks off this year’s 38th Annual Lakewood Home Festival was unveiled at today’s Lakewood Fourth of July parade with a 1920s-themed float paying tribute to “The Great Gatsby” and “Pearls and Prohibition”. The moving Speakeasy made its way down the parade route as members of the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA (LECPTA) “drank champagne and danced on tables.” Their children delighted crowds by throwing pearl necklaces, 1920’s-era newspapers folded into fans, and Dubble-Bubble brand bubblegum, which originated in 1928.
This year’s Pearls and Prohibition Speakeasy will open its doors on November 14, 7 p.m., at the Belo Mansion in the downtown Dallas arts district, 2101 Ross Ave. The auction party sells out every year, so guests are encouraged to buy their tickets early. Doors will close at midnight.
“Our mission is to make people feel like they’re stepping back in time,” said LECPTA Party Co-Chair Melissa Carpenter. “Guests should dress to impress in costumes ranging from gangsters to Gatsby to HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.
The venue will be divided into a Speakeasy on one side, complete with casino, specialty drinks, piano player and lounge singer. The Gatsby side will feature a glamorous ballroom decorated in feathers and pearls with a live band performing 1920s music. After the live auction, the lead singer of the band will become a DJ, playing modern-day favorites in order to flood the dance floor and maintain a fun, energetic atmosphere for the remainder of the night. There are a number of surprises in store for guests throughout the evening.
The Lakewood Home Festival, which supports neighborhood schools, kicks off Nov. 14 with the Speakeasy auction party, followed by the annual tour of homes, market and café on Nov. 15, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Nov. 16, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For the first time this year, the candlelight tour will take place on Saturday evening, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., instead of Friday evening, so as not to conflict with preparations for the auction party. Tickets go on sale July 5 at lakewoodhomefestival.com. Online sales will be cut off at 4:30 p.m. on November 13.
The party ticket will be $100 before Nov. 7 and $125 afterward. At the door, tickets will be $150 if not already sold out. The party ticket includes an “all-weekend pass” with access to the home tour, candlelight tour, and Holiday Market & Café, hosted by Ebby Lakewood, on Saturday and Sunday. The annual auction party sells out every year and generates a significant portion of funds raised, in part through ticket sales, and also via silent and live auctions. Local businesses donate a staggering array of offerings to fit every budget. Additional funds are provided by Lakewood Home Festival underwriters Advocate Magazine, Comerica Bank® and Tom Thumb supermarket, an array of sponsors, including Dave Perry-Miller & Associates, the auction party title sponsor, plus home-tour ticket sales, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, the home tour title sponsor, and market vendors. Home-tour tickets range in price from $15 to $25 and include access to the Ebby Lakewood Holiday Market & Café. Patrons can access the market and café alone for $5 without a home-tour ticket.
Hosted by the LECPTA, the Lakewood Home Festival is a community-wide event that raises funds for Lakewood Elementary School, J.L. Long Middle School and Woodrow Wilson High School. The funds directly benefit students through the purchase of school materials, computers and enrichment programs. Attended by more than 4,000 patrons annually, the Lakewood Home Festival has raised more than $1 million for local schools since 1976. Last year’s home festival, alone, raised $150,000 for the three schools, setting a new record.
Whether or not they attend the auction party, visitors to the Lakewood Home Festival can tour a diverse selection of inspiring Lakewood homes throughout the weekend, shop items from local artists and vendors at the Holiday Market located inside Lakewood Elementary School, and get a bite to eat at the Café, also located at Lakewood Elementary.
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Founded in 1952, the LECPTA is an organization for parents with children from birth to six years, as well as expectant parents, living in Dallas communities east of I-75, south of Lovers Lane, west of Grand Avenue, and north of I-30. Its mission is to enrich the lives of neighborhood children by developing relationships among families and supporting local schools. In addition to fundraising, LECPTA holds several social events throughout the year for members and their families. For more information, please visit www.lecpta.org.