Menil Park’s Magical Oaks Set the Houston Party Scene — a $400,000 Night For the Museum

A Feast On the Green

BY Caitlin Hsu // Nov 28, 2025

photography Jenny Antill Clifton

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Oliver and Melissa Tuckerman, Margot and Zach Davis at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Kaleta Blaffer Johnson, Susie Bowen Tucker at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Katie Lynaugh, Francois de Menil, Connor Lynaugh at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Katie McNearney, Winnie Phillips at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Laurie Swaim, Kristen Habich, Justin Smith, Catherine O'Connell at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Maria-Lisa Farmakidis, Lain Gray, Annelise Bovet, Anita Gray, Victoria Salem, Alexandra Wilde, Dr. Bidhan Das, Kimberly Avery, Okwudiri Onyedum at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Matt and Allison Laird, Christina and Will Goodwin at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Co-Chairs Russell and Kelly Hamman, Edward and Olivia Persia, Ben Ackerley, Jeff and Katie Brannigan at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Glowing chandeliers at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Paul and Sarah Beth Seifert Ben Ackerley; Bob Ackerley at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Stephen Brollier and Anne Hamman, Chris Johns-Krull, Page Kempner at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Ted Dohmen and Sheila Noeth at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Will Parsley, Frances Lummis, Anne-Marie Soza, Reed Daniel at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Brian and Karlsson Salek at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Guy Hagstette, Jaime Loera, Caroline Huber, George Johnston, Doug Lawing at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Hallie Wimberly, Anne Bellows, Raj Natarajan and Kelly Montana, Katie McNearney at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Bill Stewart and Johanna Brassert, Marie Venner and Paul Davis at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Isabel Wilson, David Perrin, Paula Daly at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Jeremy and Caroline Finkelstein, Barry and Elizabeth Young, Kristen Berger at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Jonathan Cox and Margaret Vaughan Cox, Rebecca Rabinow and Matthew Ringel at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Josh Pazda and Chris Goins at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Oliver and Melissa Tuckerman, Margot and Zach Davis at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Maria-Lisa Farmakidis, Lain Gray, Annelise Bovet, Anita Gray, Victoria Salem, Alexandra Wilde, Dr. Bidhan Das, Kimberly Avery, Okwudiri Onyedum at the Menil Collection's Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

The evening had just hit golden hour when people began arriving at The Menil Collection‘s fifth annual Party in the Park. Co-chairs Katie and Jeff Brannigan, Kelly and Russell Hamman, Emily Kirby and Ben Ackerley, and Olivia and Edward Persia welcomed 400 art lovers to Menil Park for a gorgeous outdoor soiree.

The park’s majestic live oaks were draped with twinkling lights and crystal chandeliers. Event designer Bergner & Johnson drew inspiration from the neighborhood’s crepe myrtle trees, decorating each bar and dinner table with seasonal flowers: tulips, ranunculus and coxcomb in shades of pink, white, yellow and green.

Laurie Swaim; Kristen Habich; Justin Smith; Catherine O’Connell. Photo_ Jenny Antill-min (Photo by Jenny Ant) — Laurie Swaim, Kristen Habich, Justin Smith, Catherine O’Connell at the Menil Collection’s Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

A cocktail hour kicked off the evening, during which museum supporters mingled while admiring the luscious greenery and Menil Park’s outdoor sculpture Bygones, 1976, by Mark di Suvero. City Kitchen catered the passed hors d’oeuvres of mini crab cakes with lemon sauce and parmesan wafers with bourbon apple compote.

A feast awaited at the attendant-served buffet station, also courtesy of City Kitchen: short rib sliders on pretzel rolls; roasted beet tostadas; jambalaya with chicken, Cajun-style ham, andouille sausage and jasmine rice; homemade cornbread; chilled heirloom tomato gazpacho with poached shrimp served in stemless martini glasses; sautéed haricots verts with garlic; and kale and Belgian endive salad were among the delectable options. An open bar fueled the evening with cocktails and other libations.

Jeremy and Caroline Finkelstein; Barry and Elizabeth Young; Kristen Berger. Photo_ Jenny Antill-min (Photo by Jenny Ant) — Jeremy and Caroline Finkelstein, Barry and Elizabeth Young, Kristen Berger at the Menil Collection’s Party in the Park (Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton)

Austin-based musical trio The Point provided live entertainment, playing its signature genre-defying, globally influenced songs.

By the end of the evening, The Menil Collection’s 2025 Party in the Park had raised more than $400,000 for the museum’s public programs and the care of its art buildings and green spaces.

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PC Seen: The Menil Collection team including director Rebecca Rabinow (with husband Matt Ringel) and board president Doug Lawing, Houston Botanic Garden’s Nancy O’Connor Abendshein with husband Butch Abendshein, gallerist Josh Pazda and MFAH’s Chris Goins, Caroline Huber, Francois de Menil, Julia and John Stallcup, Elizabeth and Barry Young, Elisa and Cris Pye, Meg and Eric Hobby, Kari Dagley, Frances Lummis, Kaleta Blaffer Johnson, Kate and Michael Norris, Victoria Salem, Emily and Damon Daniels, Christina and William Goodwin, Margaret Vaughan Cox and Jonathan Cox.