Great Meadow Foundation's Inaugural Gala to Celebrate 40 Years

The Great Meadow Foundation, a cornerstone of the Northern Virginia community, is thrilled to announce its inaugural gala, "A Midsummer Night's Dream: 40th Anniversary Gala," celebrating 40 years of preserving and enhancing the iconic Great Meadow. The celebratory event will take place on Sat., June 14th, at 6 PM at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia. Go to www.greatmeadow.org for tickets.

Guests are invited to an evening featuring cocktails, dinner, live music and dancing, entertainment, and live auction. The gala will be hosted by renowned actor Christopher Hanke, known for his appearances on the HBO mini-series, I Know This Much is True. He also appeared in FOX’s The Resident, as well as A Million Little Things, Odd Mom Out, and Breaking Fast. Hanke starred in four Broadway shows, the Tony Awards Red Carpet, and was in a theatre production alongside Tom Hanks and Martin Short in a Midsummer Night’s Dream. Entertainment will be provided by the talents of Freedom Imani and Bryan Fox and Friends, who have shared the stage with music legends like Patti LaBelle and paid tribute to Frankie Beverly.

"For four decades, Great Meadow has served as a vital community space, hosting world-class equestrian events, fostering conservation, and providing a beautiful backdrop for countless memories," said Karen Crane, Great Meadow Foundation chairwoman. "We are deeply grateful and excited to launch the AWA Great Meadow Heritage Award and the Great Meadow Spirit of Sport Award as we celebrate this milestone and look forward to an enchanting evening under the stars with our friends and supporters,” said Crane. This special night will not only commemorate Great Meadow's rich history and raise funds but also mark the debut of two significant awards.

The Arthur W. Arundel (AWA) Great Meadow Heritage Award, named in honor of the founder of Great Meadow, will be presented to the Arundel family. In subsequent years, this award will recognize distinguished individuals whose remarkable contributions embody AWA's legacy in land and nature conservancy.

The inaugural Great Meadow Spirit of Sport Award will be bestowed upon Michael and Wendy Smith, whose passion and dedication to horses, equestrian sport, land protection, and the embodiment of equestrian excellence and values have made a significant impact. This award will annually honor individuals who uphold these standards and positively influence land conservancy and equestrian sport with excellence.

For those unable to attend, there are still meaningful ways to support Great Meadow, including: sponsorship opportunities, auction donations, gala program tribute ads, tax deductible direct donations, and in-kind support or services. As a non-profit, Great Meadow relies solely on the generosity of supporters and donors to maintain its mission.

About Great Meadow Foundation: Great Meadow is a 374-acre equestrian event park located in the middle of Virginia’s horse community of The Plains, Virginia. The park was opened in 1984 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation with a mission to “preserve open space in service to the community and advance equestrian sport”. Founded by philanthropist, Arthur “Nick” Arundel as a permanent home for the prestigious Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase races, Great Meadow today hosts numerous events that draw 200,000 through the gates each year to see steeplechasing, polo, show jumpers, foot races, rocketry, cultural fairs, and Independence Day fireworks. In 2016, Great Meadow doubled the size of its property, completed a World class arena, and hosted the first FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ ever held in North America. Go to www.greatmeadow.org.