Movie Characters Come to Life in Dallas For Birthday Party Project

The Birthday Party Project knows a thing or two about making magic. Every month, the nonprofit lights candles to be wished upon, delivers special gifts to be unwrapped, and makes birthday magic happen for thousands of children across the country.

To celebrate the organization’s own birthday (lucky number seven), the crew tapped into one of the most historically magical things there is: the movies.

With the help of floral arrangements shaped like milkshakes, oversized popcorn boxes spilling over with balloons, and a giant 1950s jukebox, the Bomb Factory was transformed into an old-school drive-in movie theater — complete with an upstairs “kissing booth,” where a pink convertible sat perched to overlook the neon lights.

Per usual, the enthusiastic crowd came in full costume, and this year’s theme had them recreating their favorite characters from the silver screen. Margot Tenenbaum and Holly Golightly chatted at the bar and Napoleon Dynamite and Willy Wonka compared dance moves before The Birthday Party Project founder Paige Chenault took the stage to make remarks.

With her signature sincerity and infectious passion, Chenault thanked the evening’s honorees: Tess and Ian Kinsler, and Suzanne Droese (a.k.a. Maria from The Sound of Music) and the Droese Public Relations team — we must say, the young Von Droese children have never looked so chic.

PC Seen: Emily Clark, Hannah Kohler, Missy and Tim Peck, Javier Burkle, Rae Liu, David Liu, Todd Fiscus and Ceron Emily Ray-Porter and Zac Porter, David Droese and Tanya and Todd Ramsey.