Archives for May 2016

More information on Harvest Supper 2017
 

The 6th Annual Harvest Supper at Rowan Oak: 

Ideal beginning to Homecoming Weekend festivities

Friends of the Museum members are deeply appreciative of the sponsors for the dinner, which has become one of the signature events of the Lafayette-Oxford-University community’s fall season. As in previous years, 2017 Harvest Supper sold out, promising to surpass the 2016 event which attracted more than $100,000 in support for the University Museum.

President of the Friends of the Museum, a volunteer organization that supports museum fundraising, advocacy and special programing, John Hardy said, “This year’s Harvest Supper will occur October 12th, the Thursday evening before the Ole Miss-Vanderbilt football game. Harvest Supper has become a highly anticipated event that supports the University of Mississippi Museum. Presented by Friends of the Museum, the event combines alumni, local residents and out of town guests with artists, writers and musicians for dinner and entertainment on the historic grounds of Rowan Oak in Oxford, Mississippi.” Hardy added, “The generosity of our sponsors and the proceeds from ticket sales enable the Friends organization to target specific Museum needs to enrich the Museum experience for us all. Recently named as one of the top college museums in the nation, the Museum in 2016 had visitors from 50 states as well as 58 countries. In addition, our education programs alone reached over 12,800 participants last year.”

Robert Saarnio, Director of the University Museum and Historic Houses, voiced his appreciation for the support that comes from the event. “Harvest Supper is a quintessential moment in the annual calendar of the museum and Rowan Oak, as it is for the community of supporters who sustain us,” Saarnio said. “Without the Friends of the Museum’s dedication to this magical evening and the generosity of myriad sponsors and attendees, so much of what we offer to our audiences would simply not be possible. This extraordinary event inspires us as a staff, and fosters an invaluable degree of good will for the museum and its historic houses – for which we are immensely grateful.”

Individuals, businesses and other organizations became Harvest Supper sponsors at these levels:

• Presenting Level: $10,000 and up
• Platinum Level: $5,000 to $10,000
• Gold Level: $2,500 to $5,000
• Silver Level: $1,000 to $2,500
• Bronze Level: $500 to $1,000

Sponsors were listed on 550+ event invitations mailed in August as well as included on the website, and other communications about the event. The various sponsorship levels also guaranteed tickets to the Harvest Supper, admission passes to Rowan Oak, membership to the University Museum and much more. For information on becoming a sponsor for the 2018 Harvest Supper, please email the museum.

Proceeds from the evening will help support numerous aspects of the University Museum, including acquisitions, the annual “Conversations” guest lecture series, exhibitions, educational programming and special events.  The event also generates enhanced awareness regarding ongoing needs to maintain and operate Rowan Oak and the Walton-Young Historic House, also managed by the museum.