WATCH: The Baron may be retired, but Levi’s annual ball will continue

Egyptian-themed chocolate sits on the table at 2021 The Baron's Ball at the Hot Springs Convention Center. - File photo by The Sentinel-Record
Egyptian-themed chocolate sits on the table at 2021 The Baron's Ball at the Hot Springs Convention Center. - File photo by The Sentinel-Record

Although Davis Tillman will not be reigning over the Baron's Ball, the annual fundraiser for Levi Hospital is set for Nov. 5 at Horner Hall.

"Yes, the Baron retired," Jackie Arrison, the hospital's vice president for development, said. "And so it's amazing, too, the people that have thought that the Baron's Ball was completely over because we had announced, you know, at last year's event that Davis Tillman was retiring, but the Baron's Ball is going to continue."

Just as in years past, the event will have its own theme.

"People have always expected a show, you know, with a cast and a crew and, you know, a wild theme, something that they could dress the part if they wanted to," Arrison said.

"So, as a committee, we decided that no matter what we do, we have to give them some type of theme that will give them the opportunity to dress up if they want to.

"And, of course, going Hollywood is pretty easy, you know, because you can dress as if you were going to be on the red carpet that night, just in whatever your favorite attire would be, or I really do hope that we see some Marilyn Monroes, or, you know, some of the old movie stars, new movie stars," she said.

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This year's event was challenging with Tillman not being the driving force behind the show, Arrison said.

"The hardest part with the show is that he had such a skill set ... to be able to put together a cast and put together a crew that could, you know, help run the show," she said. "And then he has so many connections, you know, throughout the United States for Cirque du Soleil-type performers that could come in and do, you know, something from the ceiling or an act on the stage that, you know, you just kind of have to know kind of where to look for those people, and how to negotiate, you know, the price with those people. And he had warehouses full of things ... props, you know, for the stage."

"The Red Carpet Gala" will start at 6 p.m. with guests walking the red carpet with dinner starting at 7 p.m.

"When people come through the doors, we're going to have a red carpet, paparazzi, a videographer, you know, talking to people as they come through on the red carpet," Arrison said. "We want them to come through the Grand Lobby of the convention center, and then that will lead them to the plaza lobby, which is right outside of Horner Hall.

"So all of that's going to look and feel the same because, you know, every year was a different theme, so every year was a different decor. So it will be beautiful, glamorous, glitzy, you know, lots of excitement," she said.

The silent auction that has been popular in years past will also return and there will be local art, travel vouchers and more, she said.

"You'll see some local artists who've made some donations -- anything from, you know, art, glass to paintings to sculptures," she said. "Then, of course, local packages ... we have great places downtown, like the (Bathhouse) Soapery (& Caldarium) or a new boutique, Wrapped (Gift Boutique)."

She said there will be some "really unique gifts that will be available for auction, (a) baggo set. We have some travel vouchers from Southern Airways, so you can fly to Memphis, and we have a two-night stay at the Peabody. You can fly to Dallas; we have a two-night stay in a hotel in the Dallas area, as long as it's a Hilton hotel."

There will also be a live auction featuring a Costa Rican vacation package, jewelry from Lara's Jewelry and Design, and "something for the guys."

"Last year, we had a DeWalt drill, you know, and that was probably one of the things that was most sought after, you know, because we try to have a little bit of something for everyone," Arrison said. "Golf packages, weekend getaways to Mountain Harbor Resort, South Creek, Iron Mountain, you know, Echo Canyon, which is just on Lake Ouachita. So just a handful of this, that and a little bit of everything."

After dinner, guests will be treated to a red carpet show with local celebrities before the Manhattan Band takes the stage around 9 p.m.

"It's a lot of dance music, but it's a wide range of different eras of music. Bruno Mars, you know, is one that was played several times, and it's on the video that's on their website. Michael Jackson -- so it's just it's going to be very upbeat tunes that people will enjoy. Songs that obviously have horns, which to me are fun -- Earth, Wind & Fire type music. So I think there'll be a little bit of something for everyone that's going to attend," she said.

"And something that we're going to work into the evening, kind of as we're wrapping up our dinner, is we're going to have our own local celebrities do a red carpet walk, if you will, style show, if you will. So some of the people that have been sponsors of this event for years and years -- and some of our newer sponsors -- we're going to have them come onto the stage and walk the red carpet."

There will be an emcee that will talk about the night's fashions, she said. "We're trying to add a little bit of our own flair to the theme and a mini show, if you will, of just parading our own celebrities on stage before we have a live auction and then let the band take over."

This year, the dance floor will be directly in front of the stage, instead of to the side due to the focus being on the band.

"The dance floor has been off to the right-hand side of the room as you walk in because we wanted everyone to focus on stage and the show, and then this was like the after party," Arrison said. "So since the show really is about the band and opening the dance floor after dinner, the dance floor is now moving to the center of the room, right at the foot of the stage. And then all the tables will be to the outside edge of the dance floor and on back to the back of the room."

Arrison emphasized that while she hopes everyone enjoys the event, it is a fundraiser for Levi Hospital, which has been part of the Hot Springs community since 1914.

"We want to have a good time; we want everyone to have a great time, but you know, it is for a cause.," she said. "It is for the programs here at Levi Hospital. We're a nonprofit hospital that's been here, as I said, for over 100 years, and the programs that we provide are very unique but also very needed services, especially in the area of psychiatric care, because we all know that mental illness is ever-present in this day and time.

"I like to say that our tagline is 'Healing mind and body' because you know, we do a little bit of both of that, so we just want people to remember, you know, what the money's for and what we're trying to accomplish here."

Tickets for the event are $150 per person, tables of eight are $1,200, and tables of 10 are $1,500. Sponsorships range from $400 to $5,000, and tickets and sponsorships can be purchased at https://levihospitalbaronsball.org.

  photo  Levi Hospital Vice President for Development Jackie Arrison discusses this year's annual Baron's Ball fundraiser for the hospital. - Photo by Donald Cross of The Sentinel-Record
 
 

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