Get Ready for Cabinet of Wonder! 

Dear Friends & Supporters –

We are so excited to welcome you to Mechanics’ Hall on Thursday evening for Cabinet of Wonder – our first benefit event in three years! We are grateful to the artists and performers, our sponsors, our generous hosts, and all of you who purchased tickets.

Here are some details to help you get ready for #CabinetofWonder2023. (!)

WHAT TO WEAR: You should wear whatever makes you feel wonderful. If that’s a ballgown, go for it. Jeans and bean boots? Fantastic. Some folks may find inspiration in Scott Nash’s gorgeous poster illustration and find ways to incorporate that into their ensemble. Whatever it is, we can’t wait to see you in it!

WHERE TO PARK: We encourage those who can walk and take public transportation. If you are driving, we recommend the Arts District Garage directly behind Mechanics’ Hall, and the entrance is on Casco Street. The hourly rate is $5. Please note that the surface parking lot next to the garage is private and operated by United Parking Partners, not the Arts District Garage.

CHECK-IN: 6:30P

Cabinet of Wonder officially begins at 7p; however, given the weather and that our entryway can get busy, we will start checking in guests at 6:30p.

If you purchased tickets and need to provide us with your guest’s name/they are arriving separately, please email Lauren Stockless at laurenstockless(at)gmail.com with their name as soon as possible!  We will do our best to get people inside quickly and appreciate your patience with our quirky building entrance. Did someone mention renovations? 🙂

COAT/BOOT CHECK: You are checked in; now what?

Make your way to the second floor via our elevator or the stairs. There will be a self-coat check area in the classroom to your right and plenty of space to change out snowy shoes if you wish. Once in the classroom, take a moment to experience Devon Kelley-Yurdon’s exquisite exhibit “Let yourself move; let yourself be moved.” 

FOOD/DRINK & EXPERIENCES: 6:45P–7:45P

There will be delicious food stations and passed food in the Library and Boardroom, music by Signature Soul, and interactive art installations to experience in both spaces.

BALLROOM PERFORMANCES! 7:45P – 8:45P

Make your way to the ballroom by 7:45 pm for performances by Hogfish, Palaver Strings, Little House Dance, & Oshima Brothers and the screening of a brand new film shot in our Clerestory!

DESSERT/CLERESTORY TOURS, AND THANK YOU! 

Following the live performances, we’ll serve dessert and bubbles. This will be a great time to tour our upper Clerestory, once Mechanics’ Hall’s dining room and where Union Soldiers were fed during the Civil War. You can still see evidence of their Enfield tracks on our ceiling! An important note: this space is not accessible via our elevator (yet!), and the staircase is narrow, so we will limit how many people are up there at once. We love showing it off and are excited to show it to anyone interested in seeing it and discussing ways we can use it in the future!

Questions? Please email us!

A big thank you to our sponsors!

Clerestory Sponsor

Ballroom Sponsors

Library Sponsors

Classroom Sponsors

In-Kind Sponsors