The California Science Center Foundation’s 18th Annual Discovery Ball will be held on Friday May 20, inspired by the rich cultural traditions along the nearly 5,000-mile route that the external tank (ET-94) took from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility to its offloading at Marina del Rey. Gala attendees will cap the evening festivities with a second-line ET-94 send-off at 12:01 am on May 21, complete with a New Orleans Jazz band, colorful parasols and handkerchiefs. The midnight procession, of about several blocks, will mark the beginning of ET-94’s historic journey through urban streets to the California Science Center where it is expected to arrive that evening.
More than 800 gala attendees, including 12 astronauts will be treated to a “Viva Panama!” dinner of Caribbean cuisine at Fisherman’s Village where that ball tent will be transformed into a lush tropical rainforest. A highlight of the evening’s program will be a performance by a Panamanian folkloric dance troupe.
The annual black-tie gala, a premier philanthropic event in Los Angeles, raises funds through table sponsorships, a raffle for a 2016 Lexus RX Hybrid and a Hands-On Science Camp scholarship donation opportunity. Science Center President, Jeffrey Rudolph notes that, “Proceeds from this fundraiser enable us to continue providing exceptional science learning and education opportunities for our community.”
The Science Center’s annual gala has been recognized as a “virtual who’s who of the Los Angeles business community” by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Discovery Ball 2016 co-chairs are Richard R. Yuse, Raytheon Company and Craig R. Cooning, The Boeing Company. Among the gala guests will community and business leaders as well as elected officials.
Located just south of downtown Los Angeles in Exposition Park, the California Science Center is one of Southern California’s premier family destinations. The Science Center’s mission is to stimulate curiosity and inspire science learning in everyone by creating fun, memorable experiences and has welcomed 30 million visitors since its grand opening in February of 1998.
