Concerts in the Park Raises Funds, But Who Robbed the Bank?

Concerts in the Park celebrates 10 years of free concerts for the Georgetown community this year and kicks off that celebration with a true "Whodunit" at TD Bank Saturday, March 3 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The "Who Robbed the Bank?" event will raise funds to support the three free summer concerts in the Georgetown community in May, June and July.

Guests will enjoy cocktails, ligh refreshments, a DJ and a suspense-filled night as they try to figure out who among their neighbors pulled off the heist!

Tickets are $125/person and dress is cocktail, Thomas Crown Affair - inspired.

From the event invitation:

"The word on the street is that a heist is going down and you don’t want to be the one to take the fall while your neighbors make off with the loot! and the suspects may really surprise you..."

Patch managed to snag a few minutes to chat with two of the Citizens Association of Georgetown event organizers, Amy Kuhnert and Kelly Doolan. Read our Q&A for more details.

Patch: How did you come to be in charge of organizing this fundraiser?

Amy and Kelly: The Concerts in the Parks committee has over 20 Georgetown women who are led by Elizabeth Miller and Renee Esfandiary; each committee members chooses one concert out of the summer series to work on and it becomes a very collaborative group effort. Kelly and I have both been on the Concerts in the Parks committee for the last several years and this year Elizabeth and Renee asked us if we would plan the fundraiser and it has been a very creative and fun few months! 

Patch: Where did the idea come from and how did everything come together? 

Amy and Kelly: Each year, the Concerts committee tries to make the fundraiser be a unique, interesting party to attend. In the past, parties have had St. Patrick's Day and Valentine's Day themes, even a family DJ dance party at George!  

This year the entire committee ran around the neighborhood one evening distributing to past ticket purchasers TD bank balloons and money bags that held chocolate coins and the invitation to the event! Perhaps you noticed them on some Georgetown doors!

TD Bank (1611 Wisconsin Ave., NW) had already most generously donated their beautiful space, hors d'oeuvres and beverages for guests and we were already toying with the idea of a murder/mystery event. We asked the bank for permission to hold a 'robbery' mystery party and they have been fantastic.  Their bank manager, Christian Videla, and their bank president Brian Monday and his wife are even playing a role in the evening.

The National Conservatory of the Dramatic Arts (located on Volta Place) have also donated their time and some of their professional actors to our evening to enhance the script and performances by our local Georgetown actors! 

Patch: I hear there are going to be some big, local names in on the action, like Jack Evans. Who else did you manage to snag to make the event exciting?

Amy and Kelly: Without revealing too much, at some point during the evening a robbery will occur, and our list of suspects includes well-known Georgetowners: Jack and Michelle Evans, Nancy Taylor Bubes, Carol Joynt, Topher Mathews, and Jennifer Altemus, among others.  The evening will also include a 10 year anniversary celebration of the Concerts in the Parks complimented by Fleurir sweet treats and silent auction items from Heiner Contemporary and Hu's Wear.

Patch: What other special touches do you have in store for attendees?

Amy and Kelly: We plan to end the evening with a late-night appearance by the hottest new gourmet food truck, ball or nothing, serving fantastic gourmet meatballs!   

In addition, is donating cupcakes that will be individually packaged as a to-go dessert. In the week prior to the May concert, Sprinkles will be selling a charitable CAG cupcake!

Patch: How many tickets have you sold so far? What is your goal?
Amy and Kelly: Our goal is to have 100 guests and we are approaching that goal rapidly so we encourage everyone to buy their tickets today through the Citizens Association of Georgetown website (there is a link on the homepage of the website). We hope to raise between $12,000-$15,000, which will enable us to secure bands, permits, and maintenance for the three FREE Concerts that take place in May, June, and July.