The 27th Annual InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball Official Kickoff Party Highlights
The 27th Annual InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball, taking place on Saturday, November 5, held its official Kickoff Party at InterContinental® Miami with an over-the-top event to announce the Ball’s “SUPERNATURE” theme and thank its donors.
The invitation-only event was hosted by Glenn Sampert, General Manager of InterContinental® Miami and Gala Host of the InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball; Shareef Malnik, Chairman Emeritus of Make-A Wish® Southern Florida, Gala Chair of the InterContinental® MiamiMake-A-Wish® Ball for the past 17 years, and Chairman of the Make-A-Wish® Capital Campaign; and Norman Wedderburn, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida. Making a special appearance was Gabrielle Anwar, award-winning actress and filmmaker, and Celebrity Emcee of the Ball.
Special Guests included “Family Karma” cast members Vishal Parvani and Amrit Kapai, and entrepreneur Fabian Basabe, Candidate for FL House of Rep, District 106.
The festive party echoed the magical theme of the upcoming November 5th Ball: SUPERNATURE, an otherworldly realm of fantasy flora and fauna created by the Ball’s Creative Director Maxwell Blandford. Surreal food and cocktail stations – including a giant “Metamorphosis” chocolate egg painted in swirls of frosted lilac and verdant green – were curated by InterContinental® Miami Executive Chef Jhonnatan Contreras and his talented team. A “Alice in Wonderland”-themed dance performance to the iconic Jefferson Airplane song “Go Ask Alice” was presented by the Ball’s event producer DECO Productions.
The highlight of the Kickoff Party was 17-year-old Wish Kid Jared Besen, who shared his story of being cancer-free for six years and how being granted a Wish by Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida helped give him and his family hope for the future.