LongHouse Reserve Celebrates 20 Years

is pulling out all the stops at this year’s Summer Gala.

On Saturday, LongHouse celebrates its 20th anniversary during its summer benefit, "." The annual celebration has been expanded to feature two honorees, a new art installation by Dale Chihuly and a performance by the New York City Ballet.

Guests will be greeted by Big Apple Circus performers to get the evening started with pizzazz, according to Dianne Benson, board of trustee president for LongHouse Reserve. Entertainment continues for the cocktail hour.

“This is the highlight of our year,” said Benson.

The Summer Gala stands out in a sea of benefits due to the level of artistry presented, Benson said. The benefit is held outdoors in the LongHouse gardens.

To make this year special, LongHouse is bestowing honors on two people instead of one. Chihuly, who is based in Seattle, will receive the LongHouse Award, while philanthropist and LongHouse patron Barbara Slifka of Sagaponack will receive the LongHouse Art Leadership Award.

Both have made significant contributions to the reserve. Chihuly installed his first outdoor glass sculpture at LongHouse in the mid-1990s, Benson said. LongHouse founder Jack Larsen encouraged Chihuly to foster his focus on the blown glass sculpture he is now known for, said Benson.

Chihuly is making a new piece of art to celebrate the 20th anniversary and it will be unveiled at the gala. The installation will remain on view through Oct. 8.

Benson said Slifka has helped to ensure the artistic world turns on the East End and beyond. Slifka assists area organizations including the , the Parrish Art Museum, , The Watermill Center, , LongHouse and others, Benson said. Slifka is also a board of trustee vice president.

“I don’t know what the East End would do without Barbara Slifka,” Benson said.

Slifka’s relationship to the New York City Ballet is the reason the ballet troupe is performing, Benson said. The company wanted to honor Slifka’s contributions and agreed to perform at the gala. Four principle dancers will present two dances choreographed by George Balanchine.

They are “Tarantella” (music by Louis Moreau Gottschalk) and “The Man I Love” from the ballet “Who Cares?” (Music by George Gershwin). Both pieces were orchestrated by Hershy Kay with the additional reconstruction on the Gottschalk composition, according to the ballet's website.

Another gala first is the fusion of technology with the traditional auction. Attendees will be provided with an iPod touch to track bids in real time. This means attendees can relax while keeping tabs on their bids, said Benson.

“People can track their bids without leaving dinner,” she said. “This technology has never been used before on the East End…It’s fun equipment. It should add to the excitement of the evening.”

Auction items are already available for bidding online. Tickets are $600 to $2,400. The Summer Gala benefits LongHouse Reserve.