Green and Gold Gala: A Night Out in Boomtown November 15, 2012

Get ready to jump ship into San Francisco’s rowdy Barbary Coast past at the Conservatory of Flowers’ annual Green and Gold Gala. A Night Out in Boomtown celebrates San Francisco’s gold rush Boomtown days and its infamous Barbary Coast neighborhood with an evening of dancing, delectable food, saloon specialty drinks, “burlesque” entertainment, and even a visit from Emperor Norton I.

At this opening night jubilee, gala guests will be the first to see the new garden railway exhibit Boomtown: Barbary Coast at the Conservatory of Flowers and have the rare chance to experience the magic of this lovely San Francisco landmark at night. Each of the five galleries will lead guests through time – from the discovery of gold to the rise of its famed red-light district and into the 20th Century as the city celebrated its recovery from the Great Quake with the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. The evening includes dancing to the live sounds of Swing Fever, special entertainment by living characters from San Francisco’s storied past, as well as a chance to bid on unique vacation packages, art, wine, jewelry and more. Saloon attire encouraged.

Boomtown: Barbary Coast at the Conservatory of Flowers, the historic conservatory’s 5th Annual Garden Railway, resurrects the heyday of San Francisco’s gold rush Boomtown days and its infamous Barbary Coast neighborhood. In an enchanting display landscaped with hundreds of dwarf plants and several water features, model trains wend their way along miniature docks crowded with replicas of the clipper ships that brought fortune seekers to California, then zip past whimsical recreations of the city’s most important landmarks of the day, including Portsmouth Square, Chinatown’s Waverly Place, and Maiden Lane where many a greenhorn was parted from his gold. Visitors encounter a life-sized schooner at the entrance to the gallery, and interpretive signs, memorabilia and interactive activities throughout help them to understand the colorful history of the city in the decades after the 1848 discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill.

All proceeds benefit the Conservatory of Flowers’ youth education programs.

Official Website: http://www.greenandgoldgala.org