RiverPark Center’s Bourbon & Bags for Broadway fundraiser raised more than $86,000 Thursday evening, generating critical support for programs that give area students access to Broadway productions and performing arts experiences at RiverPark Center.
Held Thursday, August 20, the Third Annual Bourbon & Bags brought together community supporters, local businesses, sponsors and volunteers for an evening of bourbon tastings, live and silent auctions, designer handbags, rare bourbons and one-of-a-kind experiences — all in support of RiverPark Center’s mission to make the arts accessible to young people throughout the region.
This year’s event centered around the theme “Every Seat Holds a Story,” highlighting the lasting impact that experiencing live performance can have on a young person.
“Bourbon & Bags is certainly a fun night, but what happens because of this event is what matters most,” said Lauren Osowicz, Director of Development at RiverPark Center. “Every bid, sponsorship and gift helps us put students in seats who may otherwise never have the opportunity to experience a Broadway production or live performance. We are incredibly grateful to a community that continues to believe these experiences matter for our kids.”
Proceeds from Bourbon & Bags support RiverPark Center’s arts education and student access initiatives, including opportunities for students to attend professional touring productions. This season, that impact will include a special student matinee of STOMP, giving area students the opportunity to experience the internationally acclaimed production live on the RiverPark Center stage.
The evening featured a live runway auction pairing community “models” with designer handbags and exceptional bourbons, along with a silent auction, bourbon tastings, raffle and other fundraising activities. The live auction concluded with two full barrels from the Old Steelhouse Single Barrel Program, helping propel the evening’s fundraising total to more than $86,000.
RiverPark Center extends its sincere appreciation to the sponsors whose generosity helped make Bourbon & Bags for Broadway possible:
Title Sponsor: Owensboro Racing & Gaming
Presenting Sponsor: Larry and Rosemary Conder
Live Auction Sponsors: Baird – The Hobgood Edge Group; Independence Bank; Sunset Elder Law
Silent Auction Sponsor: Commonwealth Rolled Products
Bourbon Pull Sponsor: Fastek
Bourbon Sponsors: Budget Blinds; The Glenmore Distillery; Jesse and Helen Mountjoy; Modern Welding Company; Owensboro Bourbon Society; Owensboro Municipal Utilities; Willow & Pine Market
Media & Event Sponsors: Concept Light & Sound; WBKR; Wonder Boy Media
“An event like Bourbon & Bags is truly a community effort,” Osowicz said. “From our sponsors and donors to our committee, Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, models and every person who bought a ticket, raised a paddle or placed a bid, this impact belongs to all of them. Together, they are helping ensure that the arts remain within reach for the next generation.”
RiverPark Center serves thousands of young people each year through student matinees, educational workshops, school-based programming, summer camps and other arts education initiatives. Through fundraising events like Bourbon & Bags, RiverPark Center is able to reduce financial barriers and create opportunities for students throughout Owensboro and the surrounding region to experience the performing arts.
Bourbon & Bags for Broadway Raises More Than $86,000 to Expand Student Access to the Arts
