According to my neglected Webster’s dictionary—a tome just thick enough and stubborn enough to double as a doorstop—the definition of the verb “to bloom” is “to yield blossoms; to flourish or thrive.” What could more perfectly sum up the impact of a flower-filled evening at the Rose Ball on our community than those seven words?
First held in 1971, the iconic event always results in an inspired evening that has benefited countless lives and local organizations through fundraising over the years. If “the grandest ball of them all” breathes life into important initiatives for the Bon Secours St. Francis Health System and nearly a dozen other nonprofits, then the talented volunteer designers behind the event are tasked with taking your breath away. The catch? They have less than 48 hours to pull off one of the most extraordinary transformations in the Upstate.
The first time I walked into the Poinsett Club, many years ago, I was just in awe—completely taken aback by the sheer amount of roses, and the talent of women in our community.
For Kristen McLean, the chair of the Rose Ball Committee, this carefully coordinated effort is less event planning, more feat of fine art. “The first time I walked into the Poinsett Club, many years ago, I was just in awe—completely taken aback by the sheer amount of roses, and the talent of women in our community. It’s amazing what they can do in just a few days—the floral installations change the space completely. It’s very special,” McLean promises. “Each room in the Poinsett Club has its own designer and florist working together to craft a unique experience, from the moment the flowers are dropped off to just before the doors open. It’s beautiful, organized chaos.”
And as the design teams change every two years, no evening at this biennial event is ever the same. The theme and vision for the space, usually determined by the featured designer and planned out over the course of a year, are shrouded in secrecy leading up to the week of the reveal. This year’s featured artist and ballroom designer is local studio owner and influencer Caroline Brackett, who embraced the emotional challenges that a pandemic presented.
“We just knew that by the time of this year’s event, people would be ready to go out and have fun, to let loose and escape a little . . . while still looking forward to an elegant and elevated evening.” This insight led Brackett’s creative approach out of the garden and onto warm sand and surf—and planted the seed of an idea: a total departure that would bring people closer together.
“We were dealing with big questions leading into the pandemic. Were we going to have the ball? Were we going to cancel it? I thought, ‘let’s take our guests away to somewhere inspired by the tropics,’ and that’s really what it’s all about,” reflects Brackett. “Being transported by the beauty of the florals, of the overall design. An evening of being in awe.”
The 26th Rose Ball will be held Friday, September 24, at the Poinsett Club, 807 E Washington St, theroseball.org. Tickets start at $500 per couple.
THE “IT” LIST: 2021 FUND RECIPIENTS
- Project SEARCH (through the Bon Secours St. Francis Health System)
- Carolina Dance Collaborative
- Foothills Family Resources
- Fostering Great Ideas
- Greenville Center for Creative Arts
- Greenville Free Medical Clinic
- Jasmine Road
- On Track Greenville
- Phillis Wheatley Community Center
- Safe Harbor
- Soteria Community Development Corporation
- United Ministries
THE AFTER PARTY
Wondering what happens to the thousands of flowers post-ball? They’re put into smaller vases and gifted to local hospitals and nursing homes, where they continue to inspire joy and grow smiles.
