SPENCER, IN – The recently restored Tivoli Theater in downtown Spencer was the site of Spencer Pride’s LGBT History Month event “A Night at the Tivoli.” This is the fourth year that Spencer Pride Inc. has held a film screening for Gay History month, but it was the first time that the event has been planned on such a grand scale and held at the Tivoli Theater.
The event was admission-free and open to the public. It took place on Wednesday, October 9th at 7:00 PM. Approximately 150 people were in attendance to show support for Spencer Pride Inc. and have some weeknight fun. Twenty volunteers from Spencer Pride Inc. were on hand to help the event run smoothly and ensure that everyone had a good time.
The doors opened at 6:00 PM for an invitation-only VIP reception for sponsors and community leaders. Several representatives from the community were present, including representatives from the town board, tourism bureau, and other civic organizations. The reception featured wine from the Owen County Winery, delicious hors d-oeuvres hand-made by dedicated volunteers of Spencer Pride, and live music by Dan Wyatt.
Throughout the evening there was also a Silent Auction featuring the artwork of local artisans. According to Judith Epp, volunteer and director of Spencer Pride, the silent auction was both popular and financially successful for the not-for-profit organization. Framed photographs, paintings, glass art, sculptures, and other types of art were auctioned. The Quarryland Men’s Chorus, a talented group who has performed at the Spencer Pride Festival for the past three years, entertained the crowd during intermission.
Owen Valley Winery, a recently announced member of the Indiana Uplands Wine Trail, had their tasting room open for special hours throughout the entire event to allow filmgoers to sample their wine. The winery’s tasting room is adjacent to the Tivoli. Anthony Leaderbrand, owner of Owen Valley Winery, showcased their recently released Zinfandel.
Organizers of the event were pleased at the turnout from the community. During the announcements, Spencer Pride, Inc.’s president Jonathan Balash expressed gratitude for those in attendance and to the event’s sponsors and underwriters such as Susan Bookout & Deandra Wallace and Jackie Hall & Lloyd Orr.
The featured movie for the evening was The Birdcage. Balash says that The Birdcage was chosen to ensure that the event would be a night filled with fun and laughter, while upholding the vision of Spencer Pride, Inc. (to make Spencer and surrounding communities a better place for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, & transgender community and its allies). The Birdcage is an Academy Award nominated comedy that features Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, and Dianne Wiest. According to Balash, the underlying theme of the movie is self-acceptance.
For more information regarding Spencer Pride Inc., please visitwww.SpencerPride.org or send questions to info@SpencerPride.org. You can also find us on Facebook (SpencerPride) & Twitter (@SpencerPrideInc). Please refer to these sources for future events. |
