Havana Gala Event to Benefit Town’s Libraries, Friday April 13

DEDHAM, MA - After a long cold winter, Dedham is set to heat things up at the upcoming Dedham Library Innovation Team (DLIT) Cuban-themed gala event on Friday, April 13th at the Endicott Branch of the Dedham Public Library. The festive fundraiser is the culminating event for DLIT's 8th annual town-wide “Dedham Reads Together” program, which features this year’s winning book selection, Havana: A Subtropical Delirium, by New York Times bestselling author Mark Kurlansky (Cod, 1968, Salt, The Big Oyster, and The Last Fish Tale.)

While many Dedham community members have read the book individually or in book clubs, even those who have not read Havana are invited to celebrate at the gala event. Tickets include a full meal from a Latin-American food truck, music by the Latin band “Goza,” Cuban-themed cocktails and coffee bar, and a fundraising auction. Party goers can save $5 per ticket by purchasing tickets online at: http://dlit2018.eventbrite.com.

Organizers are expecting a high turnout for this event at the public library’s popular branch location on Mt. Vernon Street. The Endicott branch has been recently renovated, and the gala decorating committee plans to transform the former carriage house of the Endicott Estate into a themed Cuban nightclub for the evening. It is also the Town of Dedham's election eve, so a host of eager candidates are also expected to attend for last-minute campaigning.

Tickets may also be purchased by check at both branches of the Dedham Public Library. As with all of DLIT’s events, proceeds will be used to fund even more upgrades in Dedham’s public and school libraries, and special programs in the libraries to support literacy and innovation.

This year’s book choice, Havana, offers a portrait of Cuba’s capital, a city trapped in time. Author Mark Kurlansky details Havana’s historic cobblestone streets, which pass through the beautifully restored colonial city into areas that have not been painted or repaired since the revolution. Both cultural history and travelogue, with recipes, historic engravings, photographs, and pen-and-ink drawings, the book celebrates Havana's singular music, literature, baseball, and food, outstanding architecture and extraordinary blend of cultures. The book has just been released in paperback.

As an added feature of the Dedham Reads Together program, the Friends of the Dedham Library put out a call to all artists - professional, amateur and students - to participate in the first Art in Bloom to be held at the Dedham Public Library's Endicott Branch from April 11 through April 13th. The theme of the 2018 Art in Bloom is "Havana" which coincides with the Dedham Reads book of the same name.

The gala is made possible in part by the generous support of lead sponsor Needham Bank, gold sponsor Dedham Savings, and silver sponsors Beauty & the Beats Entertainment Services, Roche Bros., Sam Adams, and Wegmans.

The Dedham Library Innovation Team (DLIT) is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to creating collaborative, positive partnerships between the libraries, schools, public officials, businesses, and residents in order to support the strategic vision and development of a best-in-class, vibrant public library system in Dedham. Along with the annual Dedham Reads Together program, DLIT has also been responsible for other initiatives to support the libraries, including the Dedham Little Libraries Project and the Book It 5K Race. In addition, DLIT has funded annual technology and book purchases and provided advocacy for both Dedham's public libraries and our school libraries. In 2015, DLIT was honored with the 2015 Massachusetts School Library Association Advocate Award. More information can be found on the Dedham Library Innovation Team’s website, dlit.dedham.com.

###