Get Ready for the Most Unforgettable Event of the Year

Imagine stepping into a world where design, art, fashion, and community collide in the most spectacular way. The legendary Beaux Arts Ball is back, and this year, it promises to be bigger, bolder, and more electrifying than ever!

Held in the jaw-dropping Lynnewood Hall, a Gilded Age mansion with a story as grand as its architecture, this year’s event will take you on a magical journey through history, creativity, and pure celebration. Picture yourself surrounded by visionary designers, influential civic leaders, rising stars, and passionate students, all gathered in a space brimming with energy and inspiration.

But this isn't your typical gala. Expect the unexpected. The Beaux Arts Ball is all about pushing boundaries with over-the-top costumes that will leave you in awe. From whimsical to wildly creative, the costumes set the stage for spontaneous conversations and unforgettable encounters. You never know who you’ll meet when everyone’s dressed to the nines in pure artistic expression!

That’s not all. You'll explore the grounds and mansion, while soaking in immersive art installations, thrilling performances, live music, and a feast of gourmet food and drink. Whether you're looking to network, be inspired, or simply have a blast, this event will be an exhilarating experience that blends fun, creativity, and culture.

Don’t miss out on what’s guaranteed to be **the** social event of the season. Grab your ticket and get ready to dive into the most talked-about, can’t-miss celebration of the year! 

Get your costume ready – because this will be a night you’ll never forget!

History of the Philadelphia Beaux Arts Ball

The Ball started in 1982, but we could only find the following information starting in 1986 with the Fifth Annual Ball. Below are the dates and themes for the balls from 1986 until 2005, when they stopped. If you know what the theme was and where it was held -- please let us know, we will update below.

1982 - First Annual - "Ornament"-Stock Exchange Atrium

1983 - Second Annual - "Masquerde- A Night of Fantasy and Fun" - Galley II

1984 - Third Annual - "South Philadelphia Italian Neighborhoods"- The Mill

1985 - Fourth Annual - “True Blue Americana” - Curtis Center

1987     Fifth Annual - Wallace Building (historic Snellenburg Clothing Factory) “Boudoirs”

1988     Sixth Annual - Wanamaker Building (gutted phase) “Garden and Grotto”

1989     Seventh Annual - Franklin Mills Mall - “Roadside America”

1990     Eighth Annual – “Paint the Town Rouge” - 30^th Street Station

1991     Ninth Annual - “Out of the Blue: Journeys of Discovery” – Wanamaker Building

1992     Tenth Annual - “Let us entertain you” - Pennsylvania Convention Center

1993     Eleventh Annual  - “Time Travelers, Masquerade in Metallic” - Pennsylvania Convention Center

1994     Twelfth Annual - "Magic" - Marriott Hotel

1995     Thirteenth Annual - " East Meets West to Tango to Mango"- The Court at King of Prussia

1996     Fourteenth Annual - "Top Brass, Navy Blues and Boogie Woogie" -Naval Business Center at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard

1997     Fifteenth Annual - "Monuments , Myths, and Muses of the Avenue of the Arts" - Apollo at the Temple

1998   Sixteenth Annual - "Site and Sounds of the Silver Screen: Shimmer on Sansom Street"- Sansom Commons

1999   Seventeenth Annual - "Cyberopolis: Surrealist Creations Veiled in Jade and Time" - sundance Cinemas

2000   Eighteenth Annual - "White Hot Couture in the City Beautiful" - Terminal F/ US Airways Maintenance Hangar at the Philadelphia International Airport

2001   Twentieth – O'Neill Properties' Millennium Center in Conshohocken

2002     NO BEAUX ARTS BALL

2003     Twentieth First Annual – “Forms, Frames, & Figures – An evening in Blue & Bronze” - Seaplane Hangar, the Philadelphia Navy Yard 

2004     Twenty First Annual – “ Urban Eden -Gritty, Green, & Gorgeous” , National Constitution Center

2005     Twenty Second Annual - “Lunacy – One Crazy Night in Platinum & Onyx” – One Crescent Drive at The Philadelphia Navy Yard

**Thank you to all who helped us fill out this list. Special thanks to Wendy Bennett and Rich Davies for their extensive research!

What's the same and different about this year's Ball?

Ironically, the Beaux Arts Ball stopped the same year, the DesignPhiladelphia festival was launched -- so to celebrate the 20 year hiatus and the 20 years of DesignPhiladelphia festival -- we are so, so proud and excited to bring the ball back. Twenty years later, this year's ball will have some of the same characteristics as the original balls. First, we are in an under renovation space -- Lynnewood Hall was finished and opened with a grand gala on December 19, 1899. Eventually the property was sold and now is owned by the Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation. We are encouraging costumes be worn for the event on November 2, 2024 -- Lynnewood Hall hosted galas from 1899 through the 1930s, so Victorian, Edwardian, and the roaring twenties fashion would all have been worn in the ballroom of Lynnewood Hall in its heyday.

Second, like the former Beaux Arts Balls, this event is an important fundraiser for the educational programs produced by DesignPhiladelphia -- we engage over a 1,000 students a year in the Philadelphia region with our design education programs in and outside of the classroom. In addition, a portion of our ticket sale revenue will go to Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation.

Third, there will be music, experiential art and design installations, and many historical anecdotes about Lynnewood Hall and the Widener family.

How can you purchase your ticket?

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY HERE. Since this event is a private event (under renovation location), you must sign up for free as a member of our community in order to view the event information and purchase a ticket on our website. It takes only a few minutes and once you are logged into our site, you will be able to see the event information.