On Saturday, Feb. 22, members of the community donned their best flapper dresses and pinstripe suits for the Ponte Vedra Woman’s Club’s Great Gatsby Gala.
The club went with a Roaring ’20s, “Great Gatsby”-inspired theme at its annual fundraising gala at The Greenhouse at The Yards in Ponte Vedra. The Greenhouse was transformed with opulent feathers, shimmering tablecloths, and jewel-dripping candelabras to immerse guests in the Jazz Age.
“Everybody enjoyed themselves,” said Parker Alter, vice president of the Ponte Vedra Woman’s Club. “It was fun to watch everybody have such a great time.”
The gala was catered by The Local, a popular Duval County eatery with plans to open a location in Ponte Vedra later this year. Guests could choose from freshly made appetizers, salads and hearty entrees as they mingled and enjoyed music from The Chris Thomas Project.
“One of the reasons we chose The Local as a caterer is because they’re getting ready to open that brand new restaurant in St. Johns County,” said Anne Urban, president of the Ponte Vedra Woman’s Club. “To be able to support a new business coming into the community is wonderful.”
The turnout at the Great Gatsby Gala exceeded any expectations that members of the Ponte Vedra Woman’s Club could have imagined, with more than 180 guests this year, compared to last year’s 125 guests.
“We knew we had a hit when we didn’t know if we would have enough seats for everyone who bought a ticket,” said Alter.
Among opportunities for drinking, dancing and dialoguing, guests could make bids on the gala’s 80 silent auction items, such as gift cards to local boutiques or hotel stays at luxury resorts in the area. At the live auction, six unique experiences were offered, including river cruises and safari adventures.
Through ticket sales and the success of both auctions, the Ponte Vedra Woman’s Club raised twice as much in fundraising as ever before, setting a new record.
The money collected from the gala will go directly towards supporting the organization’s five chosen charities: The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, the Betty Griffin Center, BEAM, Mission House and Port in the Storm. Funds will also go toward yearly scholarships that the organization awards to high school seniors heading to college.
The planning for next year’s gala, happening on Feb. 21, 2026, is already in full swing, with the Ponte Vedra Woman’s Club brainstorming how to top this year’s success and make it even more unforgettable.
