2024 Play Date
Event Information
Play Date, the signature annual gala benefiting St. Louis Children's Hospital, is headed into its 11th year. This event turns the typical black-tie event on its head, encouraging adult guests to enjoy a fun, interactive evening while remembering the joys of childhood. Each year, Play Date has a new theme with exciting interactive games and activities, followed by a seated dinner, program and fantastic after-party with live music. The theme for 2024 is Destination Discovery!
Doors will open at 6 p.m. for an extended cocktail reception with pirate games and jungle safari photo ops! Our program, hosted by Today in St. Louis co-anchor Rene Knot, will begin at 8 p.m. and feature our physician chair and patient ambassador. Following our program, we hope you will stick around for the after-party with live music from Griffin and the Gargoyles!
Attire is party casual, but don't be afraid to recreate your favorite adventure look! You can check out the outfit inspiration tab below for ideas and inspiration.
If you have questions about Play Date 2024, please contact Annie Earlysmith at Anne.Earlysmith@bjc.org or 314.273.3460.
Acoustic guitar signed by Taylor Swift
This Taylor Swift autographed acoustic guitar is a must-have for any true music lover or Taylor Swift fan. The 38-inch Sunburst guitar features an autographed cover of Taylor Swift's album, folklore, repurposed into a pickguard. This unique guitar will make a great addition to any music memorabilia collection.
In addition to the guitar, the winner will receive a custom guitar case designed by artist Diane Katzman with the help of patients at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
The winner will be announced at Play Date on Saturday, November 16. You do not have to be present to win. We will ship the guitar anywhere in the contiguous United States if the winner resides outside the St. Louis area.
Tickets: $100 each, available on-site at Play Date.
The guitar has a James Spence Authentication (JSA) tamper proof hologram attached to the item and the Taylor Swift signature is registered in their database. JSA is one of the premier third-party authentication companies in the world.
| 6 p.m. | Registration begins Drinks, hors d'oeuvres, games and activities |
| 8 p.m. | Program and dinner Mission video featuring our physician chair and patient ambassador |
| 9:45 p.m. | After party begins |
| 11 p.m. | Event concludes |
Platinum Sponsors
- Jessica and Jacob Herschend
Gold Sponsors
John and Barb Hummel
Silver Sponsors
- Warner and Cindy Baxter
- Cigna Group
- I Buy STL
- In Honor of Jack Pimmel
- KeeleyCares
- Koch Development
- Midwest BankCentre
- Reinsurance Group of America
Bronze Sponsors
- Lindsay and Manish Aggarwal
- Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
- John and Debbie Capps
- Marni and Jeremy Deutsch
- Madeleine and Oliver Dimit
- Edward Jones
- Enterprise Bank and Trust
- GoEngineer
- Hunter Family Foundation
- KPMG
- Luxco
- Prep Baseball
- Seeger Toyota
- Steve and Denise Riek
- Stifel
- Subtext
- Suntrup Volvo Cars West County
If you have questions about sponsoring Play Date 2024, please contact Maria Rehkemper at Maria.Rehkemper@bjc.org.
Need some adventurous outfit inspiration? Check out the photos below.
Play Date raises funds in support of pediatric research through the Children's Discovery Institute (CDI). The CDI is the result of a shared vision to change the way pediatric research is conducted through a collaboration between St. Louis Children's Hospital, its Foundation and Washington University School of Medicine. Together, there is an intense commitment to bring about dramatic results in pediatric care to offer innovative therapeutic treatments for patients who were previously considered untreatable.
For a look back at the 2023 Play Date Event, CLICK HERE.
Four Seasons
999 North 2nd Street
St. Louis, MO 63102
