An event that has always commanded the attention of Torontonian partygoers’ social calendars, the annual Mount Sinai Hospital’s Soirée took place this year on Halloween night, a refreshing spin on the gala’s usual summer date. Dubbed the “ultimate haunted house party,” the sold-out event took place at Casa Loma, a more than suitable venue that perfectly fit the party’s spooky-chic and opulent theme. The castle played the part flawlessly, housing 600 young professionals as they danced into the early hours of the morning.
The Sinai Soirée was a wickedly sexy party filled with wide-eyed patrons in their Hollow’s Eve best. Catered by the Liberty Group, the 6th Annual Sinai Soirée was just the right mix of traditional costume party and extravagant fundraising gala combined. As guests made their way through the ornately decorated rooms, the castle transformed into a glossier version of the Adams’ Family residence, with a very convincing Lurch greeting guests at the door with his proverbial grooooaaaaan.
The event raised $94,000 and will support the capital redevelopment of the Schwartz/Reisman Emergency Centre at Mount Sinai. Emergency visits have increased by 60% since the hospital’s facility was designed. Helping with both the planning and execution of the event was Mount Sinai Hospital’s Future Sinai group – a Young Professionals division at the hospital for philanthropists aged 20-30 working towards fundraising and promoting the hospitals initiatives.
The Sinai Soirée continues to strike the imaginations of attendees by introducing thematic touches to their parties. I attended the inaugural Soirée back in 2010 at the Sheraton Centre Hotel, where I covered the event on behalf of SDTC. Lionel Ritchie graced the stage and guests were treated to a dance-worthy music set all night long (yes, pun intended). My grandmother had attended the same gala (2010 marked the first year of the young professional component to the event) in 1960, benefiting the hospital’s fundraising initiatives, so it was a wonderful feeling to be able to attend and give back to a worthy cause just as she had done before me.
In 2012, the Soirée was held at Maro in Liberty Village and included burlesque dancers and liquid nitrogen chocolates. The following year, Future Sinai changed it up with a Gatsby-themed gala at Casa Loma, transporting guests back in time as they decked themselves out to the nines in their roaring twenties best. And last year, the event took place in the Fermenting Cellar for a black-tie affair in the city’s Distillery District.
Back to 2015’s monster mash, between the flowing cocktails, updated appetizers, the trick-or-treat bar, which provided guests with a sense of nostalgia, a crystal ball reader and a never-gets-old photo booth, we all let out our inner child as we filled our bags with sweets donated by SQUISH candy. Guests were also provided with a $20 taxi chit from Crown Taxi to get home safely and a refreshing bottle of water from Flow Water.
The Sinai Soirée has come a long way since its introduction onto the Toronto social circuit and it is one of those parties not to be ignored. Truthfully, the only thing missing from the seamlessly executed fête was a flash mob of attendees breaking out into Thriller.
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