Where can I park at the gala?
Valet parking is available at the venue for $25. Pay at the end of the event. CASH ONLY. ATM available on-site.
Self parking is not available.
How are dining table seating assignments determined?
Come in a group or come solo! Don’t let seating stop you from joining us for an evening of community, friendship, and fun!
Feel free to pre-arrange a group with whom you’d like to sit and provide us with those names in the seating preference field on the online event ticket purchase form. Haven’t figured out with whom you’d like to sit with yet? Buy your ticket(s) now, and email connections@ucls.uchicago.edu later with your seating preference. We will do our best to place you with your seating preference. Tables are assigned as seats of 10.
Haven’t had time coordinate a group? New to Lab and don’t know others? Are you coming solo? We encourage you to purchase your event ticket and we will do our best to seat you with other parents and faculty in your child's grade.
What should I wear to the gala?
Cocktail attire.
What can I expect when I arrive?
Guests should arrive at 6 pm.
When you enter the Field Museum, you will be greeted by employees at a registration table, at which you will receive your table assignment, bidder number and auction website login information.
You will then proceed upstairs for hors d’oeuvres and an open bar. You can peruse and bid on silent auction items, sign-up parties and Salon Lab parties while chatting with teachers and parents.
After the cocktail hour, there will be a seated dinner on the main floor during which there will be a few presentations.
The winner of the tuition raffle will be drawn and announced at the end of dinner.
What is Salon Lab?
Salon Lab events are intimate dinners featuring members of the Lab School or University community who are widely recognized experts in their field. The conversations focus on important current issues and are stimulating, informative, and thought provoking— a celebration of inquiry, which is at the heart of Lab.
What happens after dinner?
After dinner, the bars will reopen and the dancing portion of the evening begins.
The Field Museum exhibits will also be open for you to walk through, including the Cyrus Tang Hall of China, Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet & SUE the T. rex, and Grainger Hall of Gems.
When does the silent auction close? How do I know if I won?
Guests can continue bidding on the silent auction items until 10:15 pm.
You will receive a text at the close of the auction indicating what item(s) you've won.
Do I need to bring cash with me?
Please bring $25 in cash if you plan to valet your car. You will not need cash for the remainder of the evening. Upon entry to the Field Museum, there will be a registration table and the check-in attendant will confirm if you have a credit card on file. If not, you can swipe it then. All items purchased at the event will be registered to your bidder record and charged at the end of the event. If you wish to pay by check let the registration/check-out attendants know.
If I leave before the end of the event, can I still win prizes?
Guests need not be present to win silent auction prizes. You can pick up your prize at the end of the gala at the check-out table, or stop by the Alumni & Relations Department (ARD) beginning on Tuesday, March 3 to pick up your prize.
Is the Field Museum handicap accessible?
Yes, any guest that requires an accessible entrance can enter the museum's west entrance, facing Lake Shore Drive. Please reach out to connections@ucls.uchicago.edu or 773.702.0578 with additional questions.
