“Hippies” Manqué, Feathers Flock to Bird Ball at Norman Bird Sanctuary

Peace & Love: Chan & Marilyn Lyell

Speaking of retro! For seven consecutive years, hundreds of festively attired partygoers have flocked to the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown to shake their tail feathers at the annual Bird Ball, which raises money to benefit the sanctuary. The 2010 theme, “Free Bird,” drew in over 500 attendees - but with a slogan promising “Peace, Love, and Good Times,” perhaps it’s no surprise that so many showed up. Add to that the natural beauty of the sanctuary setting and a fantastic planning committee, and you have the makings of a great party.

Guests were asked to dress up in hippie garb and 70’s attire – and dress up, they did! Partygoers really got into the theme, sporting wigs, brightly-colored suits, bellbottoms, vintage-patterned dresses and chunky-heeled patent-leather boots. The alternative attire option was ‘bird-inspired,’ and there were a few creative folks who showed up wearing colorful feathers and masks, with flowers, birds, and butterflies in their hair.

Cat Brown & Rachel Balaban

Honorary Co-Chairs Tim and Lorrie Burns joined Co-Chairs Rachel Balaban, Kara DiCamillo, and Kim Fuller in welcoming everyone and making sure that everything ran smoothly. The first things guests saw upon arrival were a classic red Volkswagen bug and a yellow Volkswagen bus, with greeters Chan and Marilyn Lyell in front looking like they came to the party directly from Woodstock. Attendees included Providence Mayor David Cicilline, Michael Hayes, Natasha Harrison, Teddy Aspegren, Rob Bailey, Tony Cavanagh, Patti Mascali, and Bill and Alison Varieka, along with son Christian and daughter Hope.

Honorary Co-Chairs Tim & Lorrie Burns

The event layout consisted of a set of large tents, with a main tent for cocktails, mingling, bidding on silent auction items and picking up food form the buffet, and then another tent for dancing to DJ Butch under funky colored lights. Outside of the second tent was a lovely open-air space with tables under red Chinese lanterns, as well as a hip, lit-up outdoor bar. There was a great “photo op” under a large, lit-up heart at the entrance to the main tent; Newport Seen caught lovebirds Tim and Lorrie Burns there, as well as Liz and Emlen Drayton later on.

Jerry Moors & Colleen McGrath

The party committee paid great attention to 70’s detail, which showed in aspects like groovy-colored sherbert drinks and electric blue cocktails being passed out, as well as small glitter lamps on tables that said “shake me” and then lit up in disco colors if you obliged. There were dozens of silent auction items available for bidding, but by far one of the most unique and organization-appropriate tables consisted of “designer birdhouses” decorated by local artists. Raffle tickets were sold with the grand prize of a Newport Bird Sanctuary VIP Event Pass bundle of tickets to upcoming sanctuary events.

The theme was hot, the drinks were cool, the food was great and the music was perfectly retro. The lyrics of the song “Free Bird” ask, If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? We’re thinking this is one party that will be remembered for a long time.

To learn more about the Norman Bird Sanctuary’s mission and programs, go to www.normanbirdsanctuary.org

--Amanda M. Grosvenor