Holiday Prelude XXX to Honor Past Traditions, Feature New Twists
For Sabrina Walters, attending Holiday Prelude has become a holiday tradition, one that stretches back at least 25 years. First she attended with her friend Judy Peel, who at the time was a member of the Opera League and is now a member of Phoenix Youth Symphony. Later, Walters began attending each year with her mother. “It’s always been so special to dress up and start the holiday season having a wonderful lunch with other ladies and shopping at the boutique.”
The luncheon, holiday boutique and fashion event is a tradition for many, with last year’s attendance reaching 625. At that event, Walters turned to the ladies at her table and said, “I would be willing to chair this event next year. If you mentor me, I will chair it.”
The women – including Peel – many who have been part of the committee for years, jumped at the opportunity to help Walters.
Holiday Prelude is run by, and benefits, three organizations: Phoenix Youth Symphony, Phoenix Art Museum League and Phoenix Theatre Guild. Each year, the groups rotate leadership for the event, but all three assume responsibility for specific portions. Walters is a member of Phoenix Youth Symphony.
As owner of SLW Realty Group as well as vice president of Especially 4-U Tours, which she co-founded and co-owns with her mother, Walters was confident in her ability to put together an event. But she also knew with its 30-year history, longtime Holiday Prelude committee members had historical expertise too important to overlook. She went to work immediately in January 2015, and, true to their word, experienced committee members helped her through the process.
“The work isn’t more than I thought it would be,” she says, “but the whole process is a lot more than I thought it would be – the raffles, the boutiques, models for the fashion show, food, layout, press, printing the programs.”
Each organization is represented with a chair and two co-chairs on the committee of 20, and Walters, who is a self-described “delegator,” trusted them to do their jobs. “I believe in empowering people. I don’t have to have the limelight. I like to see a project start and finish successfully. In the end, we all achieve.”
The result is what she anticipates as a fun Holiday Prelude XXX – Gifts of the Season. The event, which will take place Dec. 4 at The Phoenician, will have many of the traditional elements its devoted attendees have come to expect: the boutique, a runway show, raffles and luncheon. But this year, there are a few twists.
In honor of Connie Waddell, who is now deceased but for years ran the holiday goodies boutique, “Connie’s Corner” will debut – filled with homemade baked goods, 60 from each of the three organizations. In all, 19 different vendors, from baked goods to fashion, will participate in the boutique.
The runway show will open with Alice Cooper Solid Rock Teen Center Dancers, choreographed by Hodgie Jo. Feature fashions are from American and European Couture Gown Collections from New York Showroom, courtesy of Jeffrey Moss NY Representative; Babette; Dillard’s at Paradise Valley Mall; Dolce; Evans Furs; Femme; Galina Couture; and Kevan Hall Sport. The first fashions down the runway will highlight clothing appropriate for work, then there will be a wave of cocktail attire, then evening gowns and finally furs from Evans Furs.
In addition, this year the committee sold sponsorships to help boost funds for the three organizations. “We sold four sponsorships this year and hope to sell even more next year,” Walters says.
Walters sees herself as part of something akin to business succession, the passing of the baton. The women who have worked so hard all these years to make Holiday Prelude a special event in the Valley deserve to have help. By tapping into their expertise and mentoring, she hopes to see a new wave of leadership carry one of her favorite holiday traditions far into the future.
