Friday night, attendees of the Gatsby fundraiser for the Niagara Jazz Festival were ushered out of the chill and in to the warm speakeasy atmosphere of a transformed Corks Winebar & Eatery in Niagara on the Lake.
The event, in support of the 2nd annual Niagara Jazz Festival set to take place July 23-26, 2015, transported guests back in time with a popular theme wholeheartedly embraced by everyone in attendance.
Talented local pianist, Peter Shea, led a jazz trio through nostalgic cabaret-song stylings and classic standards of the swing era. The band was joined for several songs by the ever lovely Juliet Dunn, jazz festival maven and celebrity Niagara vocalist, who took to the flapper fashion of the Roaring 1920s as though she’d been born in the era.
The upstairs at Corks Winebar & Eatery, already evocative of a 1920s juke joint, set the perfect mood for the night with a mock casino, a silent auction, and hits of the 20s and 30s playing. A remarkable number of the guests got in to the spirit of the evening with terrific fancy dress and several local swing dancers hit the floor, completing the setting of the era.
