2004
Gala Fundraiser:
27th annual
Festival of the Autumn Moon
Hooray for Bollywood!
Guests entered the 27th Annual Festival of the Autumn Moon through fresh
marigold curtains and flower petals. Greeted by Bhangra dancers and treated
to specialty drinks such as Green Dragon Martinis, the night was off to
an elegant start. The Silent and Live Auctions featured rare and exquisite
objects including a week-stay at the Taj Hotel in India and a trip to
Hong Kong.
Robert
Sunghyuk Sheen and Reshma Dordi were masters of ceremonies at the event
which honored Murli Tolaney, CEO of MWH Global, a leading engineering
firm based in Pasadena; Ashok Armritraj, an award-winning film producer
of hits such as “Raising Helen” which starred Kate Hudson;
and Ustad Nishat Khan, a world-renowned sitarist. John Moran of John Moran
Auctioneers was the Live Auctioneer.
This year’s Festival was the creative vision of Co-Chairs
Dolores and Richard Kroop. Dolores and Richard have chaired a record seven
Festivals for Pacific Asia Museum making each more spectacular than the
last. Under their leadership the event grew in size from 500 guests to
an astonishing 950, making the Festival the largest black-tie fundraiser
in Pasadena. With their son Benjamin and daughter Gabrielle, they have
devoted countless hours to making the Festival the museum’s signature
event.
Pacific Asia Museum would like to thank Dolores, Richard, Benjamin and
Gabrielle Kroop for their hard work and enthusiasm which has helped raise
close to $3 million for the museum over the last seven years.
(View exciting photos
of last year's Festival of the Autumn Moon 2003!)
(Festival of the Autumn Moon2002)
