Houston’s Spooky Noir Ball Turns Into a $1.14 Million Enchanted Evening of Haunting Elegance

Surprise Thunder and Lightning Delights a Children's Museum Houston Crowd

BY Shelby Hodge // 10.30.24

Save Article

Selfie fun took over at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball."

Gala Chairs Iván & Allison Chávez, Whitney & Ryan Burns at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Underwriting chairs Ryan & Cassandra Dalton, Kathryn & Travis Boeker at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Gala Chairs Allison & Iván Chávez at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Museum Board President Jonathan & Ashley Sloan at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Electric scene at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Iona & Mike Avery at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

John Chapman, Natalia & William Young, Laura Chapman at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Alexandra & Alex Cabraie at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Matthew Mackey & Auction Co-Chair Elizabeth McIngvale Mackey, Auction Co-Chair Devorah & DavidKrieger at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Jake & Carolyn Sabbat at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Museum CEO Rayanne Darensbourg at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Neil Badlani & Rekha Muddaraj at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Nicole Booker, Ashley Hill at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

The Spazmatics rock out at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Trey & Kelly Mattson at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Tyler & Courtney Hassen, Rana & Todd Hassen at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Ben & Bethany Buchanan at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Lucy & Babatunde Cole at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Deanna Altenhoff, Darren Brasher at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Freddie Minahan, Stephanie Wilcox at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Antoinette & Julian Duncan at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Heather & Mark Teshoian at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Kerry & Bill Dampier at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Kara & Bryan Wooten at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Robert & Alex Stillwell at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Evan & Kathleen Shemonsky at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball'

Selfie fun took over at the Children's Museum Houston 'Noir Ball."

What: Children’s Museum Houston “Noir Ball: A Celebration of Haunted Elegance”

Where: The Corinthian Houston

PC Moment: Even with The Spazmatics causing an eruption of dance fever among the throng of 500, the big moment of this night was the surprise thunder and lightening event crashing through the hall as if indeed this was a seriously haunted evening. Just as it was seriously successful for the popular Children’s Museum Houston. The annual fright fest brought in a spooky good $1.14 million.

UnderwritingChairs_Ryan&CassandraDalton_Kathryn&TravisBoeker (All are also next year gala chairs) — Underwriting chairs Ryan & Cassandra Dalton, Kathryn & Travis Boeker at the Children’s Museum Houston ‘Noir Ball’

Guests took the “noir” and “elegance” notion of costuming to the hilt with oodles of black lace, sweeping capes, horns, feathers and enough black gowns for the night to be confused with a witches coven. And that was all part of the fun.

Inside a Spooky Night For Children’s Museum Houston

The stage was set for the eerie evening by Bergner & Johnson, which lighted the iconic Doric columns in devilish red and created a grand fountain, filled with rose petals and candles, that produced a thick, haunting fog that floated through the air.

Even Jackson & Company made a frightful bid with a fine dinner that ended with decadent dessert candles made of cake, flavors that ignited the darkly sweet cravings of every guest.

Elizabeth Anthony

Swipe

Applause, applause for gala chairs Whitney and Ryan Burns and Allison and Iván Chávez for the overall success which was enhanced by the efforts of underwriting chairs Kathryn and Travis Boeker and Cassandra and Ryan Dalton and the hard work of auction chairs Devorah Krieger and Elizabeth McIngvale-Mackey.

Iona&MikeAvery — Iona & Mike Avery at the Children’s Museum Houston ‘Noir Ball’

And what would a dazzling gala be without diamonds? This Children’s Museum Houston night had plenty with diamond earrings from Lark & Berry in the live auction, a stunning bangle bracelet from Zadok Jewelers in the Last Paddle Standing raise, and the pair of diamond encrusted white gold rings from Valobra Master Jewelers as primo raffle item.

PC Seen: Natalie and William Young, Kelly and Trey Mattson, Rekha Muddaraj and Neil Badlani, Matthew Mackey, David Krieger, Kelly and Bill Dampier, Iona and Mike Avery, Carolyn and Jake Sabbat, Heather and Mark Teshoian, and Stephanie Wilcox and Freddie Minahan.