The Boston Public Library is turning its grand Copley Square building into a three-ring spectacle this October, complete with a tarot card reader, roving circus performers, and a magician working the crowd between courses. The fifth annual Night in the Stacks fundraiser returns Friday, October 23, with a Midnight Circus theme and cocktail attire to match, drawing as many as 1,000 guests into the historic McKim Building for a single after-hours night of literary philanthropy dressed up as spectacle.
A Time Out headline announces this year's event. The event is hosted by the Emerging Leaders of the BPL, the young-professional network behind the party, and will feature live music from the Sweetbeats Band alongside a full open bar, a raffle, curated small plates, and decadent desserts. The library building itself will be transformed into an immersive three-ring circus spectacle for the night. Ticket prices follow a tiered structure that has already climbed with the calendar: $180 through July 31, $200 through August 31, and $220 starting September 1 until the event sells out, according to the Boston Public Library Fund. Refunds on ticket purchases end September 21, and every ticket includes a portion that counts as a tax-deductible donation.
A Fundraiser That Keeps Outgrowing Itself
A Fundraiser That Keeps Outgrowing Itself Night in the Stacks has a fundraising history. An inaugural event raised $111,000. Attendance is expected to reach up to 1,000 this year.
The circus theme is the latest entry in a run of concepts the Emerging Leaders board has used to pull in younger donors. A previous edition was associated with a Halloween return, while this year's theme is Midnight Circus. The organizing group behind the concept, per its own description, is a network of young Boston professionals who meet quarterly, run book clubs, and get private tours of the library's special collections between galas.
Where The Money Actually Goes
The Fund describes its support as helping provide free programs and services. The Boston Public Library Fund supports the library's free programs and services. The Boston Public Library is the institution behind the gala and offers free programs and services.
The venue for the gala carries its own weight. The event will take place in the McKim Building at the Central Library in Copley Square. The Boston Public Library is the institution behind the gala.
Rules For The Big Night
Organizers have laid out a few restrictions for the circus-themed crowd: full-coverage face masks and costume weapons are both banned from the building, according to the Fund. Beyond the party circuit, the event places the Boston Public Library's Copley Square building in the city's civic and cultural life beyond one night of circus acts.
