There is no better place in Porter County to celebrate and have a great time than the William Urschel Pavilion. The Memorial Opera House Foundation threw it back a couple of decades during the Back to the 50’s Sock Hop on the evening of Friday, July 22nd. The proceeds garnered during the event went to support Memorial Opera House.
Memorial Opera House Foundation provides opportunities for the community to support the preservation and growth of the Memorial Opera House. Valparaiso and the rest of Porter County constantly strives to preserve their artistic outlets. Memorial Opera House has withstood the test of time. Built in 1893, Memorial Opera House was constructed to commemorate the Veterans of the Civil War. Throughout the years, it has served as the home of several performances, concerts, weddings, and public meetings.
Stacey Whitten, Vice-President of the Memorial Opera House Foundation Board of Directors, said, “We decided to model this fundraiser from inspirations of Grease, one of our shows that has been playing the last two weeks of July. The William Urschel Pavilion serves as the perfect platform for this fundraiser because it’s right in the heart of the community.”
The fundraising has definitely paid off. Tickets for the classic have been selling out at an exponential rate. Get ready to break out in song and jam to unforgettable songs including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin', Beauty School Drop Out, and many more. The show has been playing from July 15, and it’ll play throughout the remainder of July.
Camie Marfoe, Secretary of the Memorial Opera House Foundation Board of Directors, “I came up with the idea of the Sock Hop about a year ago. So many organizations have fundraisers that are silent auctions and raffles, so we definitely wanted to do something different. We have many different activities going on tonight, and it really represents the time we’re going for.”
Marfoe was absolutely right! The William Urschel Pavilion was transformed into a haven from the 1950s. There was a hula hoop contest, 50s costume contest, and a classic car display. There were numerous games that attendees could participate in, and the delicious food was catered by Parea Restaurant & Lounge. Additionally, the Neverly Brothers from Chicago were performing throughout the evening and set a positive mood.
Jacki Stutzman, President of the Memorial Opera House Foundation Board of Directors, stated, “We are so grateful to have the support of our sponsors. This is truly a community event, so it’s great to see everyone come together in support.”
Sponsors of the event included AaLAND Diamond Jewelers, Bath Pro, Home Pro, RLM, 1st Source Bank, Bob Poparad, Strack & Van Til, Parea, Whitten & Whitten, Hines Plumbing, Skillman, Douglas, Koeppen & Hurley, SFT, Russ’ Print Shop, Family Express, and Stick Fingers Candy Co.
Click here to see all the photos from the Memorial Opera House Sock Hop!
At the end of the evening, it became clearly evident that the Memorial Opera House Foundation sure knew how to throw a successful and fun fundraiser.