Vibe Check: AIM Services' Carnival
April Fools' Day brought with it a glam Saratoga fundraiser that was no joke.
Some fundraising events end up being a lot of standing around making small talk. I, for one, love to talk, so have no problem with that. But I also love to dance, and AIM Services’ 2nd annual Carnival, which took over Vapor on Saturday, was for dancing.
“Why are we here tonight?” AIM Services Chief Development and Communications Officer Bo Goliber asked the crowd during a brief pause from the partying. “Because it’s a great party, but also because we’re trying to slay $100K.” Going into the evening, sponsorships and ticket sales had gotten AIM near the $100,000 mark for the event, and thanks to donations at the party itself, the nonprofit that serves people of diverse abilities raised a total of $105,000. “The reason Carnival was started is because the people that we support have a true passion for the arts,” Bo continued. “But these type of activities are not covered by traditional funding streams.” The money raised at Carnival will be dedicated to those type of arts experiences—everything from music classes to concerts.
After the program, Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra—an 11-piece group from Albany—took the stage, and many attendees joined authentic Brazilian Carnival performer Nilla Bean and other performers on the dance floor. For those who weren’t up on their Samba steps, dancing lessons were provided by Baila Albany and Simply Ballroom. The dinner buffet by Saratoga Casino Hotel also opened up, and guests raved about the huge spread of Brazilian fare; favorite dishes included the salmon, cabbage and carrot slaw and fried bananas. “The mango salsa was so fire,” one attendee said, still thinking about dinner hours after eating. “So were the fried avocados.”
Up in the Saratoga Living VIP booth (the magazine was a media sponsor of the event), my crew posed for pictures wearing beads, masquerade masks and boas, and made regular trips to the bar for more of the signature tequila drink offered to each attendee on the way in. That is, until someone suggested shots, an idea that was at first shut down. “What, you won’t do shots for charity?” Someone asked. Needless to say, shots were taken.
—Natalie
For more party pics from Carnival by Zack Skowronek, keep reading:
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