Lafayette Birthday Gala French Sister City Fundraiser Sept. 24: 3-course Fr cuisine+Fr wines $60 by Sept. 12.

A birthday gala honoring General Gilbert du Motier Lafayette will be held on Saturday, September 24, at Fredericksburg Square, 525 Caroline Street. General Lafayette (in the guise of his 21st Century admirer in period dress) will attend the celebration, given by the Fredericksburg Sister City Association. Tickets to the fundraiser dinner are $60, and are available on the website at FredericksburgFrejus.com. Seating is limited, and the deadline for tickets is September 12.

The evening begins at 6:30 with an open cash bar. Hosts Deborah and Van Perroy, of Fredericksburg Square, plan an elegant French cuisine service of three courses, paired with French wines.

The guest of honor, General Lafayette, will be entertained by selections of Edith Piaf songs, performed by DC Piaf chanteuse Simone Marchand. The critically acclaimed Mme Marchand will be accompanied by her longtime pianist, Ray Dempsey, also a frequent performer in the DC area.

Proceeds from the evening go to support the educational and cultural offerings of FSCA, which makes possible many public events, including historical lectures, a Mardi Gras fete, and the Bastille Day celebration in Market Square. In addition, FSCA has, for over 35 years, supported student exchanges for over 1,000 students.

Lafayette has close connections with Fredericksburg. As a General in the Revolutionary War, he led his troops and camped just west of the City, on his long march to join with the Colonial forces for the siege of Yorktown and the final victory over Cornwallis. He visited Fredericksburg to call on Mary Washington, the mother of his lifelong friend, George Washington. In his 1824-5 victory tour to the United States, he once more returned to Fredericksburg, where he was celebrated at an elegant gathering in our noble old Town Hall, now become the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center. He named his son Georges Washington Lafayette, and one of his daughters Virginie. Because of the General’s passion for liberty and his many ties to the City, FSCA is duly honoring his contributions.

FSCA’s celebration will also include performances of both the French and the American national anthems. In addition, FSCA’s own specially crafted 100% Arabica coffee, Giant Omelet 2020, will be available for a donation of $12 or more. Sales of the Brazilian Dark Roast, Swiss Water Processed blend support the funding for The Giant Omelet, the upcoming celebration in 2020 which will mark the 40th year of the sister city relationship between Fredericksburg and Frejus, France.