Prestwick Chase Presents ‘The Friends of the Canfield Casino Gala’ on Travers Eve
SARATOGA SPRINGS – It’s no stretch to say that you don’t see stuff like this everyday…
Photographers: Anna Jastrzab / Arthur Gonick
But on this day – Travers Eve, August 24 – it was no stretch to say that you saw plenty of mind-blowing spectacle. Contortionists and magicians, blending with fine cuisine and beverage; side-by-side with tarot card readers and a big band (Georgie Wonders Orchestra) at times playing big band versions of completely not big band songs; swanky dealers enticing one and all to try their luck at several classic games of chance; performers cracking whips perilously close to fair maidens with flowers in their teeth. All this, and more…
To sum up, you didn’t know what to turn to first, as the spirit of the historic Canfield Casino was revived on Travers Eve. Revived in such a way that calling it ‘unique’ is damning with faint praise. Try mind-blowing for starters. So much to choose from…
And, to be sure, if you came to this gala just wanting a conventional dinner/dance type event, you could certainly have it – but you would be missing a large portion of the fun.
Prestwick Chase evidently hand-selected many accent points, including reaching down to NYC for the services of iNJOY Entertainment representing The Acrobats of Cirque-tacular. We got the chance to hang a bit with CEO/Producer Cindy Sibilsky as she meandered through the grand rooms, orchestrating (without letting you see her baton,) and finding plenty of time to socialize and receive well-deserved kudos on behalf of her performers.
Hopefully, Cindy had time for gelato – for this was Anna’s hit of the night. Amorino Gelato, that is – also HQ’d in New York City. Anna made a ‘swoon face’ to me as she clearly enjoyed her hazelnut. Smooth and chunky and devine, I had to agree,
This was an eye-opener, on several levels, to say the least. It is no stretch to say that Prestwick Chase knows how to throw a party! Enjoy the gallery.
GALLERY: Casino Royale
Arthur Gonick
August 31, 2018
