FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 26, 2023
Contact: Heidi Hagemeier, director of communications and visitor experience, 541-382-4754 ext. 166, hhagemeier@highdesertmuseum.org
High Desert Rendezvous Returns on August 26
Signature Fundraiser helps support Museum exhibitions and programs
BEND, OR — Tickets are now available for the High Desert Museum’s signature fundraiser, High Desert Rendezvous—one of the longest-running galas in Central Oregon. Rendezvous returns for its 34th year on Saturday, August 26 from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm.
“We’re excited to see old friends and make new ones during what is always an engaging evening at the Museum,” said Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “We will celebrate the Museum’s accomplishments of the past year and raise a glass to our generous community.”
The Rendezvous experience starts as guests stroll up the Museum’s entryway and are greeted by animal ambassadors such as hawks and desert tortoises. Inside, a hosted bar and passed appetizers await, as well as games and greetings from living history interpreters.
Dinner takes place outside beneath a heated tent. In addition to a live auction, a raffle and entertainment, Rendezvous is also a chance to bid on art in the juried exhibition and silent auction Art in the West, which opens at the Museum on Saturday, July 8. A gallery guide of the artwork in the exhibition will be available on the Museum’s website on July 3 at highdesertmuseum.org/aiw.
An individual ticket for Rendezvous is $150 for members and $200 for nonmembers, and for a couple the event costs $300 for members and $350 for nonmembers. Sponsorship tables are available for parties of eight or 10. Tickets are available at highdesertmuseum.org/hdr.
The 2023 Rendezvous Honorees are Julie and Wayne Drinkward. Julie Drinkward served as a Museum trustee for a decade, and the couple have long supported the Museum in time and talent. The Drinkwards strongly believe in the importance of STEM learning and are particularly inspired by the Museum’s educational initiatives, from camps, programs and exhibitions that engage students to teacher training opportunities.
This year’s High Desert Rendezvous silent auction—always packed with luxurious items and one-of-a-kind experiences—will take place online. Bidding will open Friday, August 18 and end on Monday, August 28.
We are grateful to all the generous businesses and organizations that donate items and experiences to our silent auction. Those interested in donating for the High Desert Rendezvous silent auction may contact Senior Donor Relations Manager Megan Kantrim at mkantrim@highdesertmuseum.org or call 541-382-4754 ext. 332.
The High Desert Rendezvous helps support the Museum’s exhibitions and programs. The Museum features up to nine temporary, rotating exhibitions annually, cares for more than 100 animals and welcomes more than 10,000 school-age children per year for educational field trips and programs.
The 34th annual High Desert Rendezvous is presented by First Interstate Bank.
Learn more about and register for the High Desert Rendezvous at highdesertmuseum.org/hdr.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM:
THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM opened in Bend, Oregon in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North America’s High Desert. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was a 2021 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. To learn more, visit highdesertmuseum.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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