By the time Nov. 24, rolls around, we all will be tired of turkey, dressing and all of the trimmings. The Longwood Governing Board has your solution.

We are proud to present the Longwood Jazz Dinner in the Round, which is scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24. The event is cocktail attire. We are planning a spectacular evening featuring a cocktail/hors d’oeuvres hour with a silent auction, followed by a seated chateaubriand dinner with wine by the well-known Chef Bingo Starr of the Carriage House Restaurant, and jazz played by the renowned Larry Panella Quartet.

This unusual musical event gives you the opportunity to experience Longwood in a magical way.

We will begin the evening in the finished basement with cocktails provided by McDonough’s Wine and Spirits, hors d’oeuvres by Chef Bingo and a silent auction provided by many local contributors. We will be introducing the New Amsterdam Vodka and tasting wines from the exclusive distributor E&J Gallo.

A live auction with the entertaining Rusty Jenkins along with dinner and music will be in the great octagonal rotunda on the second floor. Award-winning journalist Campbell Brown will be giving a tribute to honor her grandmother, Alma Dale Campbell, a grand dame of the Pilgrimage Garden Club.

Larry Panella has performed with numerous artists and entertainers including The Phil Collins Big Band, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Natalie Cole, Steve Allen, Nelson Riddle and Frank Sinatra Jr. He was a member of the famed 1 O’clock Jazz Lab Band when he received his bachelor’s of music from the University of North Texas. Larry earned his master of music from Northern Illinois University.

He serves on the faculty of The University of Southern Mississippi as an associate professor of music and director of the jazz studies program. Many of you probably will remember the amazing performance that Larry and his group presented for the music festival at the Vue two years ago.

Campbell Brown has written op-eds for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She has covered stories around the world and hosted the nightly news program for CNN. She was White House correspondent for NBC and was recognized for her political coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign. Brown was chosen to moderate and direct questions at two of the Presidential debates during the 2008 election. Campbell has interviewed world leaders, including the last three sitting presidents.

Longwood, the largest octagonal house in America, was designed by Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan.

Building on this antebellum home began in 1860 for the wealthy cotton planter Haller Nutt and his wife Julia Williams Nutt. Work progressed until April 1861, when workers dropped their tools and fled North at the onset of the Civil War.

Longwood is maintained in its unfinished state by the Pilgrimage Garden Club, and events such as the Longwood Jazz Dinner in the Round help to maintain this National Historic Landmark.

Please consider this opportunity to support the continuing preservation of Longwood and the honoring of Alma Dale Campbell. Seating is very limited, so you need to purchase your tickets at Natchez Pilgrimage Tours now.

If you are unable to attend, we would welcome any contributions.

If you are interested in making a donation, checks need to be made to the Pilgrimage Historical Association, a 501c3, with “Longwood” in the memo line. Mail them to P.O. Box 701, attention PHA. Your donation will be recorded. An acknowledgment of your tax-deductible donation will be sent to you.

The Longwood Governing Board appreciates any contribution that you may make to this worthy event. We are always exceedingly grateful for the support we receive from our donors and friends. We realize that we could not maintain this great lady without your support.

Tickets are for sale at Natchez Pilgrimage Tours, 601-446-6631 or NatchezPilgrimage.com.

 

Sandy Taylor is the chairman of the Longwood Jazz Dinner in the Round.