A tour of the Mackinac Bridge with an opportunity to take an elevator to the top of the span will be among the silent auction items at The Information Center’s 15th annual Gala Celebration Oct. 8 at Crystal Gardens Banquet Center, 16705 Fort St., Southgate.
The event will begin at 6:15 p.m. with a welcome reception and the auction. Dinner and a program will follow with Deborah Dingell as master of ceremonies.
Entertainment will be provided by Il Segreto String Quartet, Detroit’s classical punk rock combo. Members of the group started the quartet in 2002 as friends in music classes at Wayne State University.
Additional auction prizes will include a football signed by Michigan State University head football coach Mark Dantonio, a baseball autographed by Detroit Tiger Rick Porcello, a recliner, and a week at an Orlando condominium.
For tickets, $75, and more information, call (734) 282-7171. Dressy/casual or business attire is suggested.
A referral agency, the center has served the Downriver and surrounding areas since 1975.
Child abuse is target of event
Child’s Hope and Neiman Marcus will host “Hopes & Dreams, a Girls’ Night Out” at 5 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Ford Motor Company Conference & Event Center, 1151 Village Road, Dearborn. The fifth annual event is a benefit for child abuse prevention programs in Wayne County.
The evening will begin with a reception of hors d’oeuvres, wine and shopping at an artisan boutique. Dinner at 7 p.m. will be followed by a Neiman Marcus fashion show and raffle.
Shawn Levitt of Children Hospital of Michigan is honorary chair; Linda Freitag, event chair; and Anne Doyle, mistress of ceremonies.
Tickets, $100, and more information are available at (313) 583-6401 or [email protected].
Nearly 300 women attended the 2008 Hopes & Dreams benefit, raising $74,000.
Hotel extends concert series
The Ritz-Carlton has extended its outdoor concert series to Oct. 1, when Rick Leider and the Countrymen will perform from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at a “Hoe Down in the Courtyard.”
Admission and parking are free, and food and beverages will be available for purchase. Call (313) 441-2100 for more information.
Save the date . . .
Oct. 1 —“Shoot for a Cure,” Art Van Furniture’s 50 anniversary gala benefit for the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center and Neuroscience Institute; 6 p.m. at the Art Van Warren showroom, 6500 E. 14 Mile Road; strolling supper by Andiamo, entertainment by the Simone Vitale band and chance to win a $2,500 shopping spree; model Cindy Crawford will be a guest; for tickets, starting at $100, and more information, call (313) 874-6448 or go to www.henryford.com/giving.
Oct. 3 — Farmers’ Market; 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Village Pavilion at Greenfield Village; grains, baking mixes, organic fresh produce, honey, jams, dairy products and more will be available; tickets are $22, adults; $21, seniors; and $16 youths 5-12. (children under 5, free); free with Greenfield Village admission or The Henry Ford membership; for more information, call 313-982-6001 or go to www.thehenryford.org.
Oct. 3 — Performance, “So You Think You Can Dance Tour”; 7:30 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena; participating finalists include Season 5 Top 10 dancers, including Evan Kasprzak, a West Bloomfield native; tickets, $38.50, $48.50 and $56, are available at all TicketMaster locations, online at www.Ticketmaster.com or at 800-745-3000; for more information, call (313) 471-6611.
Oct. 15 — Play, “Legally Blond The Musical,” winner of seven 2007 Tony award nominations; Detroit debut at the Fisher Theatre; tickets, $30 to $80, are available at all TicketMaster locations and www.Ticketmaster.com and www.Broadwayindetroit.com and by calling (800) 928-2787; for more information, call (313) 872-1000.