Scenes From Klyde Warren’s 12th Annual Party in the Park — One of Dallas’ Most Festive Fundraisers
An Elvis Tribute Artist and Straight Tequila Night Kept Guests Dancing All Night Long
BY Billy Fong // 11.07.24
John & Jennifer Gates, Roger & Marianne Staubach, Amy & Jamie Mentgen (Photo by Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass)
An always chic and glittering event in the heart of the Dallas Arts District, Klyde Warren Park’s Party in the Park had a very special guest this year. Yes, there were actually many special guests, as always, since the annual fundraiser is one of the more festive evenings, given that many partygoers get their dance on after a few tequilas over dinner.
Some of those VIPs were football royalty — the adult children of beloved two-time Super Bowl champion and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach and his wife Marianne: former Dallas City Council member Jennifer Staubach Gates and her husband John; Staubach sisters Michelle Grimes, Amy Mentgen, and Stephanie Phillips, and their husbands John Grimes, Jamie Mentgen, and Todd Phillips; and brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Jenny Staubach.
But, it was the King himself that got oh-so-much twittering about. Yes, someone doing one of the best Elvis impersonations — the later glittering pantsuit Vegas years — I’ve ever seen (granted, I don’t hit up a lot of the Elvis acts on the strip when I make it to Sin City).
Elvis was there to help pin the celebration of the 12th anniversary of Party in the Park. The charity exceeded its goal this year of $1 million with a record $90k at the event due to the generosity of the over 900 partygoers. Those funds will be used to keep Klyde Warren Park clean (given it is open seven days a week, it welcomed 1.3 million guests last year), safe (24-hour/day security), and active (more than 1,300 free programs each year — we love the silent disco nights with DJ Holly Hands behind the turntables and of course the yoga we should do on the Park’s lawn the day after).
For those who might be unaware, the Park is a 5.4-acre deck park bridging uptown Dallas to downtown Dallas. KWP is privately funded and operated by the nonprofit Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation to connect the community and enrich lives through free, active programming and educational opportunities in a safe, centrally located, entertainment-rich green space where all of Dallas’ neighborhoods come together.
After picking my outfit (which I felt was a slight homage to Coco with a few strands of pearls and a black jacket with my uniform shorts — in this case, my black evening pair), my date for the evening, my dear friend and hair stylist Joshua Rossignol, and I made our way to the Park’s lawn area nearest the Nancy Best Fountains for cocktails and a speed round of catching up with friends in attendance.
Holiday Gift Guide
Some of those we encountered while sipping our rosés were the Park’s CEO and President, Kit Sawers, Muffin Lemak, Deedee Lee, and the owner of Hall Wines, Katherine Hall. Elvis tribute artist Kraig Parker then made his way through the crowd and performed “Viva Las Vegas” (I had secretly hoped he would do a subtle riff with the lyric: “Viva Las Dallas turnin’ day into nighttime”).
Guests then made their way across the street to find the expansive seated supper lit via the starlit sky. The brilliant team at Todd Events decided to make the meal a little more homey and fun with chicken fingers (with gourmet dipping sauces) as the main course. Post-dinner, it was time for dancing under the stars to 90s country tribute band Straight Tequila Night, which was generously underwritten by Klyde Warren Park Board Chair Jody Grant and his wife Sheila.
Others I spotted at the beautiful party in the verdant crown jewel of the Dallas Arts District included the evening’s honorary chair Lyda Hill; Lisa Shaddock; Kristin and James Hallam, Merry and Chad Vose; Monica and Brent Christopher; Meredith and Woody Abbott; Tully and Dan Phillips; Rachel Scoggins; and Deputy Chairman of Christies Auction House Capera Ryan.
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