The 49th annual Heritage Ball was an evening like no other

Record numbers turned out on a beautiful evening in October to support the Heritage Foundation of Middle Tennessee. The organization’s mission is to preserve Williamson County’s architectural, geographic and cultural heritage as well as promoting the ongoing revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation. 

Co-chairs Cordia and Tom Harrington added modern elements to the historic evening to help tell the story of Williamson County’s heritage in a new way. Their goal was simple — make every guest feel like a star. Guests were greeted by Inside Edition’s Megan Alexander and TV personality Allison DeMarcus while the interviews played live on monitors dotted throughout the reception tent. Within the tent, guests enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres and sipped cocktails while they perused silent auction items and shopped the Diamond Cellar table filled with beautiful jewelry. 

The real show began after the live auction portion of the evening, which raised a record amounts of money for the organization. Guests were delighted with a song performed by Grammy Award-winning artist Heather Headley, “I Was Here,” during an immersive montage of images and videos. Initially, stars and constellations were projected on the ceiling of the tent. Guests watched as the night sky, filled with stars, shifted and changed. As Heather performed, images of historical locations in which the Foundation has been involved floated across the sky. After dinner, the Late Party guests began to arrive, ready to dance the night away.

President & CEO of the Heritage Foundation Bari Beasley said of the evening, “Not only was the Heritage Ball a magical night full of surprises around every corner, but our co-Chairs Cordia and Tom Harrington joined our dedicated team to generate the most funds ever raised in the history of the Heritage Foundation. We are so thankful to our tremendous sponsors who champion our cause.”