Mountain Mayhem: Third annual TACAW gala

On Thursday, June 26, The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW) hosted its third annual gala, which was a spectacular summer night in Basalt. The evening began outside on the lawn at TACAW with hors d’oeuvres and dinner by Julia and Allen Domingos of Epicure Catering.

A special pre-dinner curated program featured an array of performers, including Dance Initiative instructors and their students from TACAW’s inaugural Teen Hip Hop and Breakdancing Workshop, as well as words from poet Suzi Q. Smith and moves by dancer Sammy Altenau with DanceAspen. The multihyphenate William H. Macy, well-known as an actor, director, screenwriter, and producer, shared his musical talents, playing ukulele and singing an original song that was written as a love letter to Basalt. Comedian Chris Voth punctuated the performances with his routine.

Dinner followed under the tent with a live auction and a paddle raise before all were invited inside the building for a sumptuous dessert buffet with ice cream by the Dreamery, plus late-night bites of pizza and the always popular crowd-pleaser of pigs in a blanket.

Low-Cut Connie took to the stage as the headliner, with lead singer Adam Weiner delivering an energetic performance.

According to TACAW executive director Ryan Honey, the evening “was an overwhelming success, truly exceeding all expectations as we celebrated the accomplishments of the center. The acclaimed artists were extraordinary, the food was delicious, and our community was more generous than I could have imagined. Thank you, and a special shout-out to our Gala Host Committee and Sponsors who made this evening possible.”

Honey added that the funds generated from the gala are crucial, as they directly support ongoing programming, enriching arts education events and vital community partnerships. To make a gift in honor of the Gala, please visit //tinyurl.com/TACAWGala.