A fantasyland is what organizers of the fifth annual Rita Hayworth Gala hope to achieve on Oct. 19 when they grace the grand ballroom of Navy Pier with gigantic unicorns, a mass of bubbles and the presence of a princess and a movie star.
Actress Daryl Hannah and Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, daughter of the late Rita Hayworth and Prince Aly Khan, will help the Chicago Area Chapter of the Alzheimer`s Association host its 1991 benefit. The dinner dance will be part of a weekend of events to salute and support the privately funded national agency that helps families and sufferers of the fatal disease that causes memory loss.
The black-tie evening begins at 7 p.m. Ticket prices start at $150. Call 312-335-8700.
Bash amid books: The doors will swing open at the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St., Friday for a gala black-tie benefit. The party begins in the first-floor lobby of the library with music provided by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra quartet. Each of the other seven floors will feature entertainment, including Ukrainian folk singers, the Chicago Children`s Choir and the Roberto Clemente steel band. Proceeds will go the Chicago Public Library Foundation. The evening begins at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $500. Call 312-558-1800.
Sparkling event: The women`s board of South Chicago Community Hospital will host its 10th annual Emerald Ball on Oct. 19 in the grand ballroom of the Chicago Hilton and Towers. The black-tie-optional dinner dance will raise funds to support the construction of advanced critical care and surgery facilities at the 92-year-old hospital. The ball begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $100. Call 312-978-2000, extension 5394.
Briefly: Spertus College of Judaica, 618 S. Michigan Ave., will celebrate its 67th anniversary at a benefit reception on Sunday at the Loftrium, 819 S. Wabash Ave. The fundraiser begins at 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $225. Call 312-922-9012.
– When fashion designer Victor Costa previews his Holiday 1991 collection at I. Magnin, proceeds will go to Homeless and Abused Children, a non-profit organization that provides care for abandoned children. The fashion show Wednesday will feature a 10-year retrospective of his work. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $50. Call 312-751-0500.
– Jobs for Youth/Chicago, the 12-year-old non-profit organization that helps young people from low-income families become economically independent, will host its second annual buffet dinner and dance on Oct. 10 in the Walnut Room of Marshall Field`s State Street store. The agency teaches youths age 16 through 21 the skills required to become long-term, productive employees. The party starts at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $50. Call 312-782-2086.
– When the original Gino`s East Pizzeria, 160 E. Superior St., hosts its 25th anniversary block party on Oct. 11, there will be dancing in the streets. The event will raise funds for Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The party will be on St. Clair Street between Superior and Huron Streets. It starts at 5:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Call 312-943-1124.
– The Bootlegger`s Bash and Casino Night Caper will take place on Oct. 12 in an atmosphere reminiscent of the Roaring `20s. Model T cars, Keystone Kops, gangsters and tommy guns will fill Lake Forest Academy, 1500 W. Kennedy Rd. in the suburb. Proceeds from the creative black-tie evening will benefit the Junior League of Chicago. The party starts at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $75. Call 312-664-4462.
Last call: The eighth annual Chicago International Antiques Show opens Wednesday with a benefit for the Antiquarian Society and the Old Master`s Society of the Art Institute of Chicago. This year, the ”Works on Paper Fair” will be included in the show for the first time. The fundraiser begins at 5:30 p.m. in the east end complex of the pier. Tickets cost $125. Call 312-787-6858.
– Ronald McDonald Children`s Charities will host its annual Awards of Excellence dinner on Saturday. Former President Jimmy Carter will be one of the honorees. The black-tie benefit at the Hyatt Regency O`Hare begins at 5:30 p.m. Tickets cost $300. Call 312-836-7100.
– The Women`s Board of the Easter Seal Society of Metropolitan Chicago will host a black-tie dinner dance on Friday at the Drake Hotel. The benefit will honor three local citizens for their community service. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $175. Call 708-256-5870.
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