party watch

Houston society birds of a feather flock together at soaring zoo bash

What: Zoo Ball: Flights of Fancy

Where: Houston Zoo

The scoop: More than 400 Houstonians flocked to Houston Zoo for Zoo Ball: Flights of Fancy, presented by Phillips 66, the annual gala which raises vital funds for the Houston Zoo. The black-tie event celebrated the "wondrous" world of birds and raised nearly $800,000 to support the zoo. This year’s event, hosted by chairs Demi and Ron Rand, was themed to highlight the zoo’sefforts to care for and protect birds around the world.

The party-goers turned up the volume on gowns and glamour, and the zoo transformed its tented event space, Masihara Pavilion, into a colorful ballroom. City Kitchen served a multi-course dinner beginning with a spring medley panzanella, followed by savory prime aged filet of beef in pinot noir wine reduction over saffron orzo pilaf with sweet peppers and broccolini, and macerated peaches with blueberry sorbet, candied orange rind and almond cookie for dessert.

Lee Ehmke, zoo president and CEO, shared the zoo’s plan for a new Avian Conservation Center opening in 2021. The center will enhance the zoo’s efforts to breed endangered birds like the Colombia’s blue-billed curassow. This plan will also revitalize the zoo’s bird garden to better showcase the many birds in beautiful new aviaries.

Guests bid on silent auction items during cocktail hour with the highest bid going for a Tenenbaum Jewelers bangle bracelet for $5,000. After dinner, a spirited live auction called by auctioneer Mark Thomas, highlighted three very competitive items. Week-long stays in private homes in Big Sky, Montana, and Cabo San Lucas went for $10,000 and $12,000, respectively. Beverly and Jim Postl won the chance to name the three alligators that will live in the new Texas Wetlands exhibit for $13,000.

This year, Flock members Sam Cole and Jacki Levett-Prinsep hosted the Zoo Ball After Party. Audio House kept revelers dancing until midnight.

Who: Demi and Ron Rand (Zoo Ball chairs), Kelley Lubanko, Kelli and John Weinzierl, Sam Cole and Jacki Levett-Prinsep, Amber Akers, Lee Ehmke (Houston Zoo president and CEO) and Sue Chin; Beverly and Jim Postl, Bob Edwards, Cathy and Joe Cleary, Peggy Kostial, and Macey Reasoner Stokes and Bob Stokes.

Courtney and Bas Solevald.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Courtney and Bas Solevald.

remembering richard flowers

Richard Flowers, mastermind behind Houston's $1 million galas, has died

Houston Ballet Ball Richard Flowers Lynn Wyatt

Photo by Michelle Watson

Richard Flowers with Lynn Wyatt ah the 2026 Houston Ballet Ball.

The man who planned some of Houston’s most fabulous parties has died. Richard Flowers, founder of The Events Company, passed away over the weekend. He was 75.

Part of Fertitta Entertainment, The Events Company executes a wide array celebrations, galas, fundraisers, corporate events, and other experiences. Flowers provided the vision for noteworthy happenings in Houston and beyond, such as the annual San Luis Salute and The Texas Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball in Washington D.C.

“We relied on and appreciated Richard’s incredible creative talent across our entire portfolio from hotels to casinos and every special event the company staged for decades,” said Tilman Fertitta, the Houston billionaire owner of Fertitta Entertainment and current U.S. Ambassador to Italy and San Marino, in a statement. “His masterful décor and production left an imprint on every signature event hosted at The Post Oak Hotel from unforgettable weddings to the grandest of galas.”

A native of San Antonio and an alumnus of the University of Texas, Flowers entered the energy business prior to founding The Events Company. He partnered with Fertitta Entertainment in 2003, which led to executing events across the United States, Europe, and Mexico.

Richard Flowers and Angel Rios Richard Flowers is survived by his husband Angel Rios.Courtesy of Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl

Among his many achievements, Flowers created events for the Houston Grand Opera, Houston Symphony, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Alley Theatre, and Houston Ballet, which honored him at its 2026 gala. Overall, he’s helped Houston nonprofits raise millions.

“I’ve lost track of how many events I’ve attended shaped by Richard’s unmistakable touch,” CultureMap society contributor Joel Luks shares. “He saw the world as a canvas, one he transformed into moments of wonder, surprise, and joy. Philanthropy in Houston is stronger because of his generosity, creativity, and vision. And if you walked into a room and felt transported, chances are, it was because of him.”

Flowers also planned a destination wedding for Hallie Vanderhider, his friend and a member of the Houston Ballet board of trustees executive committee, to Saks Fifth Avenue general manager Bobby Dees in 2024. "Richard was truly one of a kind. His creativity and ingenuity could only be eclipsed by his humble kindness. We will miss him dearly but hold him close in our hearts forever," Vanderhider recalls.

Flowers earned a number of accolades during his career, including being named the “Ultimate Event Planner in Houston” by the Houston Chronicle and serving on Town & Country magazine’s Wedding Advisory Board. He served on numerous boards for local nonprofits, including the Houston Grand Opera. He is survived by his husband, Angel Rios.

Fertitta Entertainment shares that The Events Company will continue, guided by Flowers’ “creative legacy built on imagination, integrity, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence.”

deaths obituary richard flowers anderson