Knoxville fashion peaks at Evergreen Ball

Natalie Haslam in a gorgeous shade of blue

OK. OK. I heard some grumbling because I “didn’t show enough ball gowns” in my two reports on the gubernatorial inauguration last month. So I decided to make it up to you.

In Knoxville, the Evergreen Ball is arguably the dressiest of all the local fundraisers. Held at Cherokee Country Club (more on that later), it benefits Friends of the Smokies, a group that helps the Great Smoky Mountains National Park fund projects. Although the annual Center Stage event benefiting Children’s Hospital is more expensive ($300 per ticket), the Evergreen Ball, held last Saturday, traditionally brings out the most long ball gowns, fur coats and diamond jewelry. (It’s expensive enough, though. Tickets are $225 each.)

I decided this would be my perfect opportunity to show readers of The Blue Streak some fabulous gowns. And there were plenty, as you will see. But, wouldn’t you know it? This year saw a definite trend at the Evergreen Ball — more pants than ever before and more short dresses. Well, you work with what you’re given, right? I thought the clothes were beautiful in any case. So, grab your wrap, we are going to the Evergreen Ball! The first part of the Evergreen Ball is cocktails and a huge silent auction of items ranging from wine and art to travel and taxidermy. Kudos to silent auction chairperson Debbie Magill: this year the silent auction had 2,058 items! Whew!

Cindy McConkey and Gary Cox

Mike and Susan Edwards

Jim and Phyllis Nichols

Jerry and Robyn Askew

Margie Nichols and John Gill

Beth Waters and my husband, Alan Carmichael

Patrick and Missy Birmingham

Michael and Mary Crawford

Nick and Rebecca Cazana

Barbara and Dale Keasling

MIchael and Judith Foltz

Manya Pirkle is an artist. She made this dress herself.

Julie Howard

Former UT football coach John Majors chats with friends during cocktails.

Mike Magill, left, and Mike Edwards

Pat and Robert Watson

Joe Ben and Robin Turner

From left, Tim and Patsy Wright and Jane and Larry Martin

Kristen and Mark Williams

Elizabeth Woodson and state Rep. Ryan Haynes

Robert and Whitney Bowman

This dress worn by Amanda Busby had the back with the most interest!

The minimum bid on this mountain lion, offered in the silent auction, was $3,500. All the animals for sale were found dead -- they weren't shot.

The minimum bid for this skunk was $100.

A band called Boogertown Gap played during cocktails and the silent auction.

Auctioneer Bear Stephenson visits with Becky Massey, who was collecting money at the silent auction check-out.

OK. Time to go move on to the next phase: dinner. But it’s hard to make folks stop socializing and sit down! So we took some more photos in the dining room.

Randy and Jenny Boyd

Brandon and Ashley Hopkins, left, pose with her father and step-mother, Sandy and David Martin.

Pam and David Jordan

Randy Boyd, left, with Rich and Anne Ray

Bill Williams was the master of ceremonies.

Supreme Court Justice Gary Wade is chair emeritus of Friends of the Smokies. He had a speaking role in the program.

Now for some table-hopping!

Missy and Patrick Birmingham were our hosts.

Awwww! Mike and Susan Edwards got affectionate at our table. So sweet.

Bill and Donna Cobble

Christy and Teddy Phillips

Eric and Kristin Seabrook

Matt Laesacke, who was working the event for Scripps Networks which handled staging and sound, stopped by to visit with Phyllis Nichols at our table.

Tim and Amy Williams

Mark Williams, left and Dale Ditmanson, superintendent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Rev. Daniel P. Matthews of Waynesville, N.C., was introduced as the new chair of Friends of the Smokies.

The centerpieces were very appropriate.

Tables also were decorated with these lovely pitchers. Every couple got one to take home.

Dinner was grilled filet with French Quarter compound butter, top left, jumbo grilled shrimp, pimento cheese grits, squash and a "sweet potato haystack." Creative and delish!

Dessert: chocolate ganache torte. Wow.

After dinner and a live auction, it was time to hit the dance floor! Music was by the Chillbillies on the tented terrace.

Sally Cleveland and Clarence Beaman

Mischa Renfro and John Hart

Tim and Andrea Reyes

Bruce and Tami Hartmann

Betsy and Bruce Foster

Patsy and Tim Wright

Jeanie Johnson and Buddy McLean, who was one of three guys wearing kilts

Tami Hartmann and Jim Hart

Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin fronts the Chillbillies

Businessman Teddy Phillips is on drums.

All in all, a fabulous good time. Congratulations to Jody Curtis and Nancy Daves, the ball chairs.

Even though it was a great night, I just have to say once again that Cherokee Country Club is just too small for this event, which takes a lot of space due to all the elements of the evening. About 450 folks attended. A tent had to be added to the front of Cherokee to accommodate check-ins. Another huge tent had to be erected over the terrace to provide room to dance. And, worst of all, people could not all be in one room. We were lucky enough to be sitting at a sponsor’s table so we were in the main dining room. But others,  like those in the photo below, were not.

Several years ago, the ball was held at the Knoxville Convention Center (yes, the Convention Center is a client of ours) and it was lovely and comfortable. Scripps Networks did a stunning job that year of turning the ballroom into a beautiful forest with a huge moon overhead. The Chillbillies played on a circular stage in the center of a large round dance floor. We could all be together and there was plenty of room to move around between the tables. Cherokee Country Club is a tasteful and fitting venue for many smaller events. But I wish the Evergreen Ball would move back to the Convention Center.

These tables were in a side room. I wouldn't want to be there.