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Beaux Arts Ball back in Distillery District

By Rich Copley rcopley@herald-leader.com

A 40th anniversary of an event would seem to be a logical time to look back and celebrate the heritage that has brought the enterprise that far.

But as Lexingtonians have known for four decades, the Beaux Arts Ball is not like most other events. Since 1969, the movable party has been staged by students in the University of Kentucky's College of Design to benefit local charitable organizations.

The student volunteer element of the equation is a big part of the reason that although it is a milestone year for the Beaux Arts Ball, it will not have a strong "remember when" component.

"We'd love to do a shout-out to the past and where we came from," says Michelle Pisoni, director of this year's ball. "But that's difficult because each year, different responsibilities are transferred to different people.

"So, this year is more about looking to the future and where we can go from here."

The event is again going to be in the heart of the old Distillery District, which is quickly being refashioned as a new downtown-ish entertainment hub west of Rupp Arena. The Beaux Arts Ball will return to the Old Tarr Distillery, which will soon become the new home of Buster's, one of the downtown establishments that was razed to make way for the proposed CentrePointe development in the middle of downtown.

"It's such a great building," says Pisoni, who worked on the 2007 Beaux Arts Ball, which also was at Old Tarr. "The character of the building is wonderful, with these exposed brick walls, and a parking lot that is kind of like a courtyard where people can gather."

Pisoni said Barry McNees, owner of the building, was excited by the prospect of having one last Beaux Arts Ball in the space before Buster's moves in.

"After the whole CentrePointe debacle, it's great to have an event that is really celebrating where downtown Lexington is going," Pisoni says.

The demolition of the block of buildings, which included Buster's and The Dame, between Main and Vine streets to make way for a proposed hotel and retail development was a controversial issue last year.

In addition to giving ball goers a look at what's coming in the Distillery District, the ball's proceeds will benefit Sunflower Kids, an organization that facilitates supervised visits between parents and children from homes that have experienced domestic trauma, and Actors Guild of Lexington. Last year's event raised $24,500.

Despite the ball's 40-year history, Pisoni says she still has to explain the event to students in the UK College of Design: "I tell them how it's a masquerade where you can wear as much or as little as you want, it's a drag show, fashion show, live music show, and there isn't another night like it in Lexington, until next year."