Houston's premier wild-yet-refined bacchanal took flight on October 19, as the city's finest creatures of the night gathered for Zoo Ball 2024, themed “Wings of Wonder.” The Houston Zoo's Masihara Pavilion was transformed into an enchanting ballroom where glam and the untamed danced cheek to beak. Co-chaired by the dynamic duos Jennifer and Chris Laporte and Anita O’Shaughnessy and Chris Laquer, the evening was a roaring riot that would make even King Julien green with envy. Because he wasn’t there.
In true Zoo Ball fashion, guests enjoyed animal encounters that were the cat's meow. A friendly parade of snakes slithered through the crowd (no need to hiss — they were quite charming), and attendees got up close and personal with Chilean flamingo chicks and even a chinchilla who clearly thought it was the star of the show. Amidst the ambiance, conversation was buzzing louder than a hive of bees, setting a cheerful tone for what would become an unforgettable night under a grand, floral-adorned tent.
Culinary delights from City Kitchen were served up in a multi-course meal that was the polar opposite of ordinary. Diners feasted on a refined Boston Bibb wedge salad with roasted beets and hazelnuts — no rabbit food here, unless you're a very fancy rabbit — followed by a show-stopping filet of prime aged beef tenderloin. For a sweet finale, guests savored a toasted blood orange sponge cake with honey gelato — a dessert so good, it had everyone going bananas.
The night's fundraising efforts were led by Zoo president and CEO Lee Ehmke, who, after expressing deep gratitude to the major sponsors and patrons, announced a surprise: Soon-to-hatch ostrich chicks will be named in honor of honorees Joe Cleary and Cullen Geiselman. It was a lively nod to their commitment to the zoo's ambitious $150 million Keeping Our World Wild centennial capital campaign.
The auction, helmed by Courtney and Zac Harmon, had guests going ape over rare experiences. The silent auction was anything but quiet, with items like Sabrina Carpenter concert tickets in the ExxonMobil suite fetching a whopping $18,200. The live auction, called by auctioneer Logan Thomas, saw vacation getaways selling faster than you can say "soaring eagle." A Montana estate stay went for $15,000, while a Park City escape netted $21,500 not once, but twice, as a runner-up claimed an identical stay. The mane event? A $50,000 bid for naming rights to a future jaguar cub, which ignited a frenzy of paddles—clearly, everyone wanted to be the big cat on campus.
Generosity reached new heights as guests raised $275,000 during the paddle raise, with an elevated incentive. The last "conservation hero standing" won a private jet membership from Jet Linx, valued at $50,000. Meanwhile, at the sold-out After Party, sponsored by PNC and co-chaired by Victoria Villarreal and Arthur "Will" Brown, guests kept spirits high and feet moving as they danced to The Drywater Band's energetic tunes.
The numbers spoke volumes. More than 825 guests had gathered and a staggering $2.26 million was raised to support the zoo's ongoing conservation efforts.
Among the flock in black-tie frocks were Kelley and Stephen Lubanko, Carey Kirkpatrick, Alie and Dave Pruner, Stacy Methvin, Courtney and Zac Harmon, Sadie Rucker, Courtney and Bas Solleveld, Carina and Brooks Antweil, Mindy and Josh Davidson, Beverly and Jim Postl, Anne Clutterbuck, Debra and Mike Dishberger, Kimberly and Brian Kai Chin, Nicole and Joey Romano, Sally Anne Schmidt and Marc Tabolsky, Jason Ryan, Vanessa and Chuck Ames, and many others.
