Georgina Bloomberg, Ariana Rockefeller, Lili Buffett, and More Brought the Glamour to the New York Botanical Garden

Ask any of New York’s social butterflies, and they’ll tell you: the charity gala that you actually want to attend takes place in the Bronx, more specifically, at the New York Botanical Garden. It happens every year, timed just before the holiday break and it’s dubbed the Winter Wonderland Ball. Hosted by the NYBG, the annual event lures glamorous guests to its iconic grounds for the holiday train show (which is currently celebrating its 30th year) and a gala dinner set within it.

The format goes like this: guests get gussied up in black tie and make their way to the NYBG. Before this, gala attendees tend to congregate for a pre-party and some even rent party buses (for the most part, they’re commuting from Manhattan and/or Brooklyn) to get the festivities going before they walk in the door. Upon arrival, you drive through a Christmas light-filled Joyland and get deposited at the entrance of the marvelous Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Inside, a glamorous procession appears as gowns snake their way through the greenhouse to view replicas of iconic New York landmarks and trains chugging by.

During this cocktail hour, ​​’tis time to mix and a-mingle—and admire the attire of your fellow partygoers. This year, that was Ariana Rockefeller (member of the Winter Wonderland Ball Leadership committee) in a ballet slipper pink dress by Vassilis Zoulias, Georgina Bloomberg in a slate grey velvet number, and Ivy Getty in a gossamer citrone-colored gown—a wedding gift that serendipitously arrived at her a couple of days prior to the event. Then there was Lili Buffet, who sparkled in a starry Oscar de la Renta gown, Julia Loomis who dazzled in Armani Prive, and Alessia Fendi in a vintage 1964 mink column gown from Sarmi that earned the top ranking for best dressed in this writer’s book. Also in attendance were Olivia Palermo, Tina Leung, Ezra Williams, Gillian Hearst, Larry Ross Milstein, and Kit Keenan.

For many, this was not the first time at this event—Rockefeller has been involved for over half a decade and always does a superb job curating her tables with an eclectic group of bon vivants and creative spirits. While Palermo is practically a fixture (an incredibly chic one) at all NYBG events. 

Hosted with the support of Saks Fifth Avenue, De Beers Jewellers, and Veuve Clicquot, the event eventually leads to a dinner and dance floor—and the latter is such as much a thing to behold as the train show.

Midway through a dinner of braised beef and sweet potato puree, Jennifer Bernstein, CEO and President of the NYBG, took to the stage. She reminded guests of the year off the event experienced due to the pandemic, expressing her appreciation and gratitude that the 2021 gala could take place. “It’s so nice to be with all of these festive people tonight,” she said. “We are thrilled to welcome you back in person to this year’s Winter Wonderland Ball. While the garden is always beautiful. It’s better when people are here to enjoy it.” Cheers to that.

Following her remarks, the Buffetts helped to open the dancefloor, which would remain open until midnight or so, but who is counting? The Veuve was flowing and DJ Mei Kwok knew just what everybody wanted to hear.