Silver & Turquoise Ball

03May2014

64th Annual Silver & Turquoise Ball

From 6:00 p.m.

At Arizona Inn

2200 East Elm St., Tucson, Ariz.

One of Tucson’s most historic events, the Silver & Turquoise Ball is an elegant, black tie affair that features a gourmet dinner and dancing under the stars at the storied Arizona Inn. Tickets to the Silver & Turquoise Ball, now in its 64th year, are $300 person or $600 per couple. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Amy Bhola, at (520) 577-5139. The ball is held each year by the Silver & Turquoise Board of Hostesses, whose mission is to promote, support and encourage the preservation of Tucson’s historic traditions and diverse cultural heritage. The Board of Hostesses currently supports the restoration of Mission San Xavier del Bac and is proud to be one of its prime benefactors. “For more than half a century, the Silver & Turquoise Board of Hostesses has encompassed some of the region’s most dynamic women who are truly devoted to preserving the history and beautiful treasures of Tucson,” said Jennifer Harris, chairwoman of the 2014 ball. “We all feel that it is an honor to serve in this organization and help celebrate what makes our city unique.” The first Silver & Turquoise Ball was held in 1950 by a group of prominent Tucson women: including Aurora Patania (jewelry designer and wife of Frank Patania, known for his silver and turquoise jewelry); Audrey Baird, Peggy Steinfeld (wife of Harold Steinfeld of Steinfeld’s Department Store and the Pioneer Hotel founding family) and Isabella Greenway (the first U.S. congresswoman in Arizona history and founder of the Arizona Inn.) They gathered for an impromptu potluck “thank you” party for the hard work completed by the Tucson Festival Society’s volunteers. What began as an intimate gathering at Greenway’s home soon moved to the Arizona Inn and would become an annual event. The ball was traditionally the last event of Tucson’s social season and originally, the proceeds were raised for the Tucson Festival Society, as well as, for Pioneer Days, La Parada de los Ninos and the Children’s Writing Festival.  In 1993, the Silver & Turquoise Board of Hostesses formed a non-profit organization to distinguish itself from the Tucson Festival Society and decided to give the proceeds from that year’s ball to the restoration efforts at Mission San Xavier del Bac.

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