A WICKED AFFAIR - Children’s Museum of Houston Raises More Than $1 Million in Spirit-lifting, Halloween-inspired Gala

Halloween made an early arrival when the Children’s Museum of Houston transmogrified The Corinthian into “A Wicked Affair” gala on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, and made a hair-raising near $1.1 million for the Museum. The gala co-chairs Ashley and Walter Weathers (dressed as an enchanting witch and daring Dracula) and Lyndsey and Bret Zorich (dressed in a modern-take of Tinkerbell with LED light wings and Captain Hook) welcomed guests into a spellbinding mansion, complete with dangling candelabras, sinister owls and sickly-twisted branches. This extravagant affair was graciously underwritten by Phillips 66.

Guests were guided by the dim lights of gaudy lamps and lanterns, as more than 500 guests were taken over by Bergner & Johnson Design’s of magic and mystery as they wandered through hocus pocus hallways in search of thrills and chills. Invitees came dressed in their most boo-tiful and frightfully freaky costumes From bride of Frankenstein to swanky versions of Cruella Deville to enchantingly chic witches who stormed in bringing toil and trouble, tantalizing, elaborate costumes were seen all over.

This past year, the Museum welcomed more than 742,000 on-site visitors and impacted more than 472,000 children and parents through outreach programming. For the last 27 years, the annual gala has made it possible for the Museum to prepare children to be successful in school and to instill confidence in lifelong learning.

Spotted at the gala: Underwriting co-chairs Lane and Jeb Bowden and Kelley and Jeff Scofield; Lauren and Brad Morgan; Glen Gonzales and Steve Summers; Becca Cason Thrash; Katie and Paul Barnhart; Kelly Barnhart; Caroline and Andrew Bean; Hunter and Paul Bell; Amanda and Terry Boffone; Jill and Stirling Bomar; Dan and Bevin Dubrowski; Elizabeth and Alexander Dwyer; Raine and Alan Falik; Stephanie and Ryan Fleck; Kelli Kickerillo and Todd Forester; Lacey and Matt Goossen; Stacy and Jason Johnson; Molly and Matthew LaFauci; Stephen and Julie Longoria Chen; Milessa and Jed Lowrie; Megan and Shaw MacIntyre; Rachel and Tom Regan; Melissa and Dan Sugulas; Candace Thomas and Russel Gonzalez; Krystal and Garrett Thompson; Maggie and Rob Vermillion; Cynthia and Mac Walker; and Beth and Nick Zdeblick.