The Friendswood Public Library pulled out all the stops this past weekend when converting the entire building into an engaging, interactive experience where guests mingled with fortune tellers, magicians, circus performers, and acrobats. The event brought to life the book for which the gala was titled: The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern. A story about a magic circus that appears at random, much like the seemingly overnight conversion of the library.
Kicking off the event, Library Director Matt Riley welcomed guests and took time to thank the volunteers and sponsors who made the event possible.
Gala Chairs Mike and Lorrie Foreman then followed up with the presentation of the inaugural Brizendine Award to Kim & JoBeth Brizendine. The award recognizes the decades of service they have given to the library. The award will be given to a new recipient annually, but will always carry the Brizendine name.
In keeping with the theme, volunteers turned each wing of the building into a different interactive experience. Out front, guests were greeted by aerialist Super K as she hung from her trapeze under the porte cache. In the cafe, revelers danced to live music performed by the gypsy jazz quintet, Swing Rendezvous. In the computer room, fortune tellers drew cards from tarot decks and spun stories of the future for captivated partygoers.
Meanwhile, the crafty magician Bud Kula moved about the venue leaving laughter and awe in his wake. In the children’s department, attendees donned virtual reality headsets and became immersed in a 360 degree recording of Cirque du Soleil. In the Community Room, strongman Super Duper Shane walked across a bed of nails eliciting gasps and applause from the audience. Outside, Chef Brian Campbell set donuts aflame and served them with a mound of gelato and a sprinkle of sea salt.
And in one quiet corner, past the Hall of Mirrors there was a quiet nook full of bottled memories, each labelled with minimal instructions. Some read “Shake Me”, others had “Smell Me” and a select few, for those who dared, were simply labeled “Drink Me”.
The eclectic combination of cocktails and curiosities was created in partnership between library staff and the Friends of the Friendswood Library, a sort of booster club, that raises money for library initiatives. In the past, the Friends have purchased VR headsets, WiFi hotspots, online streaming services, and library swag.
This year the Friends’ goal is to purchase a Bookmobile to be used by the Library to deliver books and movies to homebound residents. The Bookmobile will also make it easier for the Friendswood Library to do outreach with the community through popular events such as Halloween in the Park and the 4th of July. A final tally of the funds raised at the gala has yet to be released, but Councilman Steve Rockey, who served as Treasurer for the event, is confident that they met their goal. “We should be able to announce the total amount raised sometime next week”, said Rockey.
The Friends of the Library have not yet set a date or chosen a theme for the next gala. If you missed this event and want to catch the next one you can follow @librarygala on Instagram or @friendsoffwdlibrary on Facebook.
