Saturday, August 15 at the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables
Pridelines Youth Services, founded in 1982, is one of the oldest LGBT service agencies in South Florida, and they have served thousands of people with their youth programs over the past three decades. It is all made possible with your help, and with that said, Pridelines requests that you and hundreds of other movers and shakers in the South Florida community attend their tenth annual Masquerade Ball.
The Pridelines Masquerade Ball is the organization’s annual fundraising gala, and the money raised on this night will help enrich the services Pridelines offers to youth ages 14 to 24 in South Florida. The Masquerade Ball is presented by Jim Tyrrell, Jay Richard DiBiaso and Roger Thomson, and will be held on Saturday, August 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Country Club Ballroom at the picturesque Biltmore Hotel, located at 1200 Anastasia Avenue in Coral Gables.
The theme of the Masquerade Ball is an elaborately-designed and ornate Carnival like one would see in the Italian port city of Venice. “Guests are encouraged to wear elaborately decorated masks in keeping with the Masquerade theme,” Pridelines executive director Victor 
Diaz-Herman said. “Italian-based event partner Carta Alta is providing a 25% discount on their hand-crafted masks with the code: ‘masquerade2015’ at www.cartaalta.com.” Who better to buy your masquerade mask (at a discount!) from than the authentic Italian-owned business Carla Alta?
This evening will feature a cocktail reception with open bar beginning at 6:30 p.m. The silent auction will also begin at this time. By 8 p.m., guests will be seated for a formal dinner, followed by dancing, live music and entertainment, and the presentation of speeches and honors. The evening will end at 11 p.m. with an after-party, presented by Oculto, a newly-launched golden lager infused with blue agave.
“Last year’s event was amazing! Guests still rave about how much fun they had,” Victor Diaz-Herman said. “This year’s Masquerade will feature…a few special surprises that will keep our guests talking until next year.”
All proceeds raised by the Pridelines Masquerade Ball benefit Pridelines Youth Services. Founded in 1982, Pridelines Youth Services is one of the oldest service agencies dedicated to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community and their straight allies. Their mission, as written, is “to support education and empower South Florida’s LGBTQ youth, between the ages of 14 and 24, in safe and diverse environments; to promote social change through dialogue.” Pridelines does that by providing social programs, youth enrichment activities, meals and snacks, a cybercenter, HIV testing, and the only drop-in youth center in Miami-Dade County. Pridelines is committed to providing safe spaces and affirming environments for homeless LGBTQ youth and actively provides referral services for at-risk youth dealing with suicidal thoughts, abuse and/or bullying.
This event is open to anyone 21 years of age or over. Tickets can be purchased right now by going to pridelinesmasquerade.com/tickets. General admission tickets cost $175 per person, and can be bought in groups of 10 by reserving a table for $1,750. There are also a number of tables you are welcome to sit with, should you wish to purchase an advance ticket for their table. Organizations offering tables at the Masquerade Ball include The SMART Ride, the OUT Miami Foundation, the National LGBTQ Task Force, and the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, in addition to many tables purchased by individuals. You can select the table where you wish to be seated by going to the tickets website mentioned previously. If you buy a ticket for The SMART Ride table, 100% of your ticket proceeds will go to production fees for November’s upcoming SMART Ride.
Many attendees make an entire evening of the festivities and choose to stay overnight at the Biltmore Hotel. Pridelines Youth Services and The Biltmore Hotel offer a special rate of $159 for Saturday night, plus tax and resort fees, allowing guests to stay for Sunday brunch and a lazy day by the pool. Be sure to use Group Code 5132 and Authorization Code 71616 when booking online (at biltmorehotel.com) or by phone (call 305-445-1926).
The Pridelines Masquerade Ball is presented by head sponsors Jim Tyrrell, Jay Richard DiBiaso and Roger Thompson. Other sponsors include Grey Goose Vodka, The Biltmore Hotel, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Oculto, Precision Roofing Corporation, LGBT Creative, South Beach Insurance, Signature Production Services, Palette Magazine, Projectors On the Go, Associated Printing Productions, StijlNuova.com, The Art of Shaving, My Gay Miami Beach, the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the National LGBTQ Task Force, Equality Florida, New World Symphony, and MSC Cruises. Hotspots Media Group is proud to support Pridelines and the Masquerade Ball.
For more information on the Masquerade Ball, visit pridelinesmasquerade.com. For more information on Pridelines Youth Services, visit pridelines.org.
