Sellout Crowd at 51st Annual Heritage Ball Celebrate the History and Future of Historic Preservation
FRANKLIN, TENN. – The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN hosted the 51st Annual Heritage Ball, presented by The George Family, on Saturday night, raising funds to support its historic preservation, education and advocacy efforts. Country music legend and five-time Grammy winner Marty Stuart made a surprise appearance wowing the sold-out crowd of more than 800 guests at Williamson County’s longest running black tie fundraiser.
In making the announcement, President and CEO of the Heritage Foundation, Bari Beasley said, “This year’s Heritage Ball was a spectacular celebration, marking 51 years as the organization’s top fundraiser. The evening was truly magical, honoring the Foundation’s patrons, sponsors, volunteers and all the people of Williamson County whom we serve. This years’ experience was amazing!”
Beasley added, “We were honored to have longtime supporters Steve and Kaye Georges as Chairs, whose decades of unwavering support for the Foundation and community have made them truly deserving of this recognition.”
Guests were greeted with a red carpet welcome and departed with a gift bag including a copy of Good Lookin’ Cookin’, some signed by authors Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George. Flavor Catering prepared and served an exceptional salad course with arugula, spinach, pear, raspberry, pistachio, goat cheese and champagne vinaigrette. The entrée featured braised beef short ribs with pea tendril salad. Accompanying the entrée were roasted brussels sprouts and hickory smoked bacon, tri-colored fingerling potatoes with caramelized shallots and fresh thyme. The dessert course, provided by Susie Cakes, featured lemon cake with spiced cherries and crème anglaise.
The Late Party, chaired by Kaitlin White and Lauren Bradford geared up at 8 p.m. with an open bar, desserts from Flavor Catering and entertainment by Grace Good Cirque. Late Party guests then joined the other attendees who “Partied with a Purpose” until midnight. It was hosted by the Next Gen Advisory Board, the future faces of preservation.
This year’s ball designer, Amos Gott of AmosEvents, crafted a stunning supper club-inspired vision possible by Jayme Smith, Director of Event Management for the Heritage Foundation along with the volunteers who served on the Heritage Ball Committee.
A special thanks to the Battle of Franklin Trust for the use of their grounds adjacent to the Eastern Flank Battlefield Park where the Heritage Ball is held.
For general information about the 51st Annual Heritage Ball, visit www.williamsonheritage.org/heritage-ball. For information about the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, visit www.williamsonheritage.org.
ABOUT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Since 1967, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County has been dedicated to preserving Williamson County’s architectural, geographic, and cultural heritage as well as promoting the ongoing revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation. Notable projects include The Franklin Theatre, Roper’s Knob, parts of the Franklin battlefield, the Old, Old Jail and McConnell House. Events and festivals produced by the Heritage Foundation such as Main Street Festival, the Heritage Ball, Pumpkinfest and Dickens of a Christmas bring hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors to downtown Franklin each year. The Heritage Foundation owns and operates The Franklin Theatre, the Downtown Franklin Association, and the organization’s newest division and current restoration project, Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens. For more information about the Heritage Foundation, visit www.williamsonheritage.org.
