Houston’s Best Party Photos of the Year — Extraordinary Bashes That Left Their Mark

A Rollicking 2019 Left Quite an Impression

By Shelby Hodge // Dec 30, 2019

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Nick Florescu & Dominique Sachse, Ceron at the Francesca Bortolotto Possati book signing at Avant Garden. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Nick Florescu & Dominique Sachse, Ceron at the Francesca Bortolotto Possati book signing at Avant Garden in River Oaks District. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Lynn Wyatt, Stanton Welch at the Nutcracker Market fashion show and luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Flo Rida gets the Altus Foundation party started with a Dom Perignon shower (Photo by Composure Studio, Versa Creative)

Cancer survivor Jake Phillips surprises everyone, including his mother Jaime Phillips, at Catwalk for a Cure. (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Kara McCullers gives hubby Lance a runway smooch at Una Notte in Italia. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Confetti drops upon the dance floor at Studio Menil's Paper Ball. (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

José Altuve gets a bear hug from Justin Verlander at the fundraiser at Tootsies.( Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

The three musical muskateers: Malcolm, Mitchell and Martin Boge at the Houston Symphony's Magical Musical Morning (Photo by Leah Wilson)

Tena Lundquist Faust, Tama Lundquist with rescue puppies at the Pet Set Fierce & Fabulous gala.

Female boxers Eliza Schlesigner in red and Samantha Vulpis in blue at Black Tie Boxing (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Bridget Khuns and Linnar Looris at the Houston Ballet Ball (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Bridget Khuns, Linnar Looris at the Houston Ballet Ball(Photo by Wilson Parish)

Party girls Vicsandra Jones and Roseann Rogers at the Amy Fine Collins book signing at Tenenbaum Jewelers.(Photo by Johnny Than)

A confetti shower drenches Nick Merchant at Una Notte in Italia. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

AIDS Foundation Houston World AIDS Day luncheon guests Coby Tumlinson, Anthony Ferrell in a holiday mood. (Photo by Morris Malakoff)

Todd Fiscus introduces Houston to his Avant Garden concept which in Houston includes his 'Bring the House Down' installation. (Instagram photo)

Roses for the diva, Joyce DiDonato, on stage at Wortham Theater Center (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Cool gents at the Ferrari Festival in River Oaks District: Rodrigo Ahumada, Orlando Concha, Federico Heredia, Angel Heredia, Manolo Elias (Photo by Shelby Hodge)

2019 Houston Ballet Ball in a party tent at the Center for Dance (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Jacquelyn Long and Harper Watters at the Houston Ballet Ball. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

A trés fashionable trio at Neiman Marcus: Allison Sarofim, designer Adam Lippes, Courtney Sarofim (Photo by Priscilla Dickson)

A trés fashionable trio at Neiman Marcus: Allison Sarofim, Adam Lippes, Courtney Sarofim (Photo by Priscilla Dickson)

Jim & Whitney Crane, Ashlee & Benton Love at the Houston Symphony Ball. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Mark Sullivan, Phoebe Tudor, Marnie Greenwood, Ceron at Ceron's birthday bash in Miami.

A beautiful portrait of Kaitlyn Scheurich and Rosemary Schatzman at the Hermann Park Conservancy 'Hats in the Park' luncheon. (Photo by Shelby Hodge)

Jeff Carnrite, Andrew Wilson, Steven Westbrook, Mitchell Bilodea at an ugly sweater party benefiting the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation. (Photo by Michelle Watson/CatchlightGroup.com)

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Chapman depart River Oaks Country Club amid a shower of rose petals. (Photo by Philip Thomas)

Francine Ballard, Fay Zakhem, Lucinda Loya at a De Beers diamond preview (Photo by Emile Browne)

More than 250 Ferrari owners and friends gathered for unveiling of the SF90 Stradale.

Sarahbeth & Pierce Bush at the Jungle Book gala, just because he's running for Congress. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Sarahbeth & Pierce Bush at the Jungle Book gala, simply because he's running for Congress. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Rachel Reagan, Kim Moody, Anne Carl at the Tootsies ROCC tennis tournament luncheon (Photo by Michelle Watson)

Dan & Jennifer Blum have their photo taken with the Reindeer at the 2019 M.D. Anderson Santa's Elves Party at the Fertitta family home. (Photo by Dave Rossman)

Dan & Jennifer Blum have their photo taken in Santa's sleigh at the 2019 M.D. Anderson Santa's Elves Party, held at the Fertitta family home. (Photo by Dave Rossman)

Susie Criner, Mack Fowler, Dr. Caroline Lavender at the Hermann Park Conservancy 2019 'Hats in the Park' luncheon. (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Susie Criner, Mack Fowler, Dr. Caroline Lavender at the Hermann Park Conservancy 'Hats in the Park' luncheon. (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Shelby Hodge gets up close and personal with a holiday-attired polar bear. (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

In a city where the social fabric is woven from the magical threads of charitable fundraisers, Houston by many estimates is near if not at the top of per capita dollars donated to worthy causes. Much of the money raised comes from a plethora of parties — black-tie balls, luncheons, young professional events, bowling bashes, parties at which grand chapeaux are de rigueur, and even black-tie boxing, go figure.

It has been a rollicking year of raising funds for every worthy cause from medical research to the Houston Food Bank, from the Salvation Army to the Houston Symphony, from continuing Harvey relief to agencies that serve the city’s four-legged population.

We’ve plowed through thousands of Houston party photos from hundreds of events and have compiled some of the most interesting photos from some of the most interesting events of 2019.