Dubbed “A Night of Superheroes, Villains & Divas,” the 29th annual Oscar night charity gala comes to life Sunday at San Francisco’s Fort Mason.
Partygoers are encouraged to “dress the part” for the evening, which includes a live telecast of the 81st Academy Awards, food and wine from local behemoths, a silent auction, an Audi giveaway and a post-Oscar show that’s expected to “Burn the Floor” figuratively the cast of the popular San Francisco ballroom hit will perform. “We usually take a few moments to ponder a few ideas that have been presented amongst the [gala planning] committee, but the superhero concept was an idea that everyone embraced,” says Academy of Friends Executive Director Mike Horak. It’s not a bad idea, actually, considering that 2008 christened Robert Downey Jr. (“Iron Man”), Edward Norton (“The Incredible Hulk”) and soon-to-be President Barack Obama as new “superheroes.” Include the Academy of Friends in the mix. The nonprofit, heralded for its fundraising and volunteer efforts that benefit a diverse set of direct care and prevention education agencies locally, has doled out more than $7 million to 61 HIV/AIDS service organizations since 1980. “We’re still getting people to contribute, even if they’ve contributed to other organizations and causes last year, especially No on 8,” he adds. “For me, the most fascinating part of all this [is] realizing how many organizations &mdash how many people &mdash actually serve their communities and &hellip we want to acknowledge every superhero that has supported Academy of Friends since 1980.” IF YOU GO
A Night of Superheroes, Villians & Divas