Gatsby-Themed Casino Night to Benefit DuPage Co. Historical Muesum

Submitted by the Wheaton Park District

The classic American novel The Great Gatsby is full of fabulous parties on Long Island’s north shore, but local residents don’t need to go far to experience a taste of excitement and intrigue found at Gatsby’s mansion.

On Saturday, March 7, the DuPage County Historical Museum Foundation, in partnership with Wheaton Bank and Trust, will host their fifth annual Casino Night, this year with a Great Gatsby theme. Funds raised from this event will benefit the Museum.

Guests are encouraged to come in cocktail attire or period clothes, and in the past, many have really gotten into the fun, dressing as flappers, mobsters, and other period characters.

With the popularity of shows like Boardwalk Empire and the Baz Luhrman film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, people’s appreciation for this era has seemed to grow in the past few years, and that has been reflected at Casino Night.

Games will include roulette, craps, poker, and black jack with local celebrity dealers. Guests can also gamble their best shot on raffle items and a silent auction.

The Museum has several fundraisers throughout the year, including the On Par golf outing in October, but this event is a chance to beinside the Museum for a one-of-a-kind exclusive party.

Scott Shorney, DuPage County Historical Museum foundation member, says, “Guests will not only be able to place bets in Downtown Wheaton, but enjoy the County Museum exhibits to themselves for a few hours.”

The price of each ticket also includes food, beer and wine, and $50 in charity chips for guests to enjoy while they mingle. Wine is being provided by Cooper’s Hawk and as a special treat, Chick-fil-A will offer late-night snacks for all attendees. Tickets are $75 each, $125 per couple, or $500 for groups of ten.

All proceeds from this event will benefit the ongoing work of the DuPage County Historical Museum. These efforts include supporting the Museum Foundation, educational programming, free admission, and future exhibits like the Abraham Lincoln exhibit coming in Spring 2015. The DuPage County Historical Museum was chosen as one of 50 museums in the country to host the collection and will offer the exhibit in conjunction with their current exhibit, Inheriting DuPage: A Family History.

To register, or for more information on sponsorship, being a celebrity dealer, and volunteering visit dupagemuseum.org, email rsvp@wheatonparks.org, or call the museum’s development office at 630.510.4986.