Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida and InterContinental® Miami are proud to present the 29th Annual InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball, to be held Saturday, November 2, 2024. Considered the official start of charity season in Miami, the annual Ball has continually set the standard for fundraising galas in South Florida through its creativity as well as the largesse of its supporters.
Last year’s record-breaking gala raised $5 million for Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida, which grants transformative wishes for children facing critical illnesses. Gala Chair Shareef M. Malnik says, “I have never placed a limit on how generous our community is – because it’s unlimited. And so is the amount the Ball will raise.” Malnik will share official duties with his wife, actor and filmmaker Gabrielle Anwar, who officially becomes Gala Co-Chair. An Ambassador for Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida, Anwar will continue to preside over her high-energy Live Wish Auction during the dinner portion of the Ball.
Guests will be welcomed to the 29th Annual InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball by a power trio of visionaries affectionately known as “The Three Amigos:” Shareef M. Malnik, Gala Co-Chair, and Chair of the Ball for the past 19 years; Chairman of the InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Nightclub for the past 17 years; Chairman Emeritus of Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida; and Chairman of the Make-A-Wish® Capital & Endowment Campaign; Glenn Sampert, General Manager of InterContinental® Miami and Gala Host of the InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball; and Norman Wedderburn, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida.
In 2011, Malnik established the Chairman’s Challenge, a group of dedicated business, civic, and philanthropic leaders who each pledge $25,000 a year for five years – with all monies going to underwrite the costs of the Ball. In addition to Malnik and Anwar, the altruistic members of the
Chairman’s Challenge are Mr. Marshall Ames; Mr. & Mrs. Andrew and Tatsiana Ansin; Mr. & Mrs. Nick and Adriana Ayala; Mr. & Mrs. Geert-Jan and Joyce Bakker; Mr. Dennis Crowley and Ms. Maria Haupert; Mr. & Mrs. Marko and Shelly Dimitrijevic; Mr. & Mrs. Eugene and Brooke Frenkel; Mr. & Mrs. Todd and Kim Glaser; Mr. Felipe Lafratta, AssociatesMD; Mr. Stuart Miller, The Lennar Foundation; Mr. Alan Mruvka, StorageBlue; Mr. & Mrs. Jim and Sue Oppenheimer; Mr. & Mrs. Michael and Caroline Parrish; Mr. Richard Polidori; Mr. & Mrs. Barry and Missy Skolnick; and an anonymous donor.
The imaginative theme of this year’s gala is “Il Circo: La Madre Della Luce,” an immersive experience into a realm where an Italian circus blurs the boundaries of reality, ushering guests into a parallel universe where fantasy, lighting, and animation converge to create a mesmerizing spectacle. Ball attendees will be encouraged to join the fun with the fictional Il Pagliacci characters as they hunt for “The Mother of Light” at Il Circo.
Conceptualized by Gala Creative Director Maxwell Blandford and executed by DECO Productions, the whimsical “Il Circo: La Madre Della Luce” theme will be reflected in the event’s over-the-top design – starting with a grand red-carpet arrival. An elaborate cocktail reception with the gala’s famed silent auction will precede dinner in the Grand Ballroom, where InterContinental® Miami Executive Chef Jhonnatan Contreras and his team will present a multi-course gourmet meal.
As dessert is served, a special Live Wish Auction led by Gala Co-Chair Gabrielle Anwar will raise important funds for the charity, to be followed by the evening’s private concert by a global recording artist. A carefully guarded secret, the name of this year’s performer will be announced as the Ball’s date draws closer. Past performers have included Diana Ross, Jennifer Hudson, Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, Steven Tyler, Marc Anthony, Adam Lambert and Sting, among other esteemed headliners.
The Ball’s official afterparty, the InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Nightclub, will be held at InterContinental® Miami immediately following the gala. Featuring live entertainment and premium libations, the Nightclub will continue the celebration until 3 a.m.
