Social butterflies take note. No more grumbling that Ottawa has no personality, no night life, or no “scene” to speak of. Quit lamenting the lack of hip locations, or moaning about having no reason to dress it up a notch! There are plenty of happenings right here in town that merit full-on fanciness, and even better, these same soirees contribute to more than just your wardrobe.
Instead of spending big money on martinis, why not splurge on a ticket for a gala fundraiser? What could be better than getting dolled up for a big dinner, seeing a show or even dancing the evening away – all in support of a good cause. Ottawa’s events calendar is chock- a- block of such opportunities, and aligning your social life with a sense of social justice can have tangible benefits for you, your community, and the world beyond.
Here are a few upcoming events worthy of a splurge, along with some outfit options…
This Saturday, February 14, the black-tie Snowflake Ball 2009 will be held at the Hilton Lac Leamy. This gala will benefit those suffering from Crohn’s, Colitis and colorectal cancer through The 3C Foundation and CHEO’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Centre, sponsored by the CHEO Foundation. This swank affair will be a Masquerade, and guests are encouraged to don masks or 18th century costumes in the spirit of a Venetian “carnivale”. In addition to cocktails, Cordon Bleu cuisine and live music, there will be live performances, a charity auction and take away party favours courtesy of PRADA perfumes. Tickets are $250/person, and available here.
Snowflake Masquerade – by Kitelove on Polyvore.com
Or, for the more arty advocates, what about the V-Day 2009? This local event is part of an international V-Day movement, which combines the grass roots efforts in 119 countries to raise awareness and funds to stop violence against women and girls. Money raised at this weekend’s benefit performances of the well-known off-Broadway show “Vagina Monologues” will go to the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) in Ottawa and to the V-Day International Spotlight Campaign to stop rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The V-Day Ottawa shows will feature performances by scores of Ottawa women, including a few local celebrities like Globe & Mail Senior Political Jane Taber and CTV weekend anchor Kimothy Walker, in addition to a generous number of raffle prizes and a “made by men” bake sale. Two shows will take place on February 20 and 21 at the Bronson Centre. Tickets are $20 ($25 at the door) and may be purchased in advance at Venus Envy, the Ottawa Women’s Credit Union, Mother Tongue Books, Sophia Esthetic and Collected Works. For more information, click here.
Arty Advocate – by Kitelove on Polyvore.com
Finally, for those music lovers out there, Ottawa’s annual Black & White Opera Soiree concert and gala will take place Feb 21.at the National Arts Centre. Presented by Bell, TV news anchors Peter Mansbridge, Lloyd Robertson and Bernard Derome will host a “Gilbert and Sullivan on Parliament Hill” evening, with proceeds benefiting the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Opera Lyra.
See the show on its own, or join a fabulous gala celebration that includes cocktails, dinner, the concert and a VIP post party complete with the star performers. Tickets for the concert are priced between $50 and $80, and can be purchased through TicketMaster outlets (613-755-1111) and the NAC box office. To go to the gala for $325/person, call 613-947-7000, ext. 322 or 613-233-9200, ext. 224. 
black & white soiree – by Kitelove on Polyvore.com
And, if the bottom line ticket prices are still a bit too steep, don’t despair. You can always get involved by volunteering your time. Behind the glitz and glamour of a gala night, there is plenty of planning and preparation to be done, and “many hands do make light work” as they say.
I myself have found a cause to get behind, but more on that later. For now, consider some fabulous fun with big benefits!
So, in keeping with the spirit of the 
