The 14th Annual Catkins Ball is just around the corner! This fundraiser is truly a staple in our county, with just about everyone in the area attending. This year, we will all be dressing in white for our Rio de Janeiro theme. Let’s chat about why you should mark your calendars and join us this year!
What is the Catkins Ball?
The Catkins Ball is a fundraising event that has been held in San Saba, Texas since 2008. This dazzling event is held by The Community Foundation of San Saba County, an organization founded and still run by city officials and San Saba locals. Their goal in holding this fundraiser is the beautification of San Saba for the purposes of attraction and tourism. Each year, the ball is held at Risien Park, just east of historic downtown San Saba.
The Results of the Catkins Ball
In 2019 alone, the event raised over $150,000 in proceeds, all of which funded major projects in our community. Perhaps the most significant is the complete restoration of the Estep-Burleson Building to its earliest known appearance from a 1911 photograph. It now stands as a beautiful piece of history in the center of our downtown square.
The proceeds from this event also went towards the modernization of the San Saba visitor center. The building, which was the former Menchaca service station, was converted to the Visitor Center to guide tourists to the top attractions in San Saba and to provide public restrooms for downtown visitors. Other efforts have included building retaining walls for Mill Pond Park, the Garden Club building remodel, and preserving our beloved Wedding Oak tree.
This Year’s Theme
Every year, there is a fun theme for the Catkins Ball. This year, it’s Rio in White! On New Year’s Eve in beautiful Rio de Janeiro, the locals have a tradition of wearing all white to attract peace and protection for the new year. Although the Catkins Ball is taking place on April 29th, we too will be celebrating our beautiful town in all white to invite growth and prosperity throughout the rest of 2023. You can expect themed entertainment, gourmet food, and a live auction.
Live Auction and Entertainment
Many vendors and donors will be at Risien Park for people to place bids on merchandise. In previous years, people have placed bids on Yeti coolers, cabin vacations, Dallas Cowboys tickets, and even helicopter rides. You can see the full list of items up for auction here. Additionally, there will be a raffle for attendees to win prizes. When bidding, you can feel great knowing your dollars are going straight to the beautification of San Saba.
For entertainment, guests will enjoy listening to the country band, Branded Heart, back by popular demand! This band is made of five veterans playing music you can’t help but dance to! Additionally, guests can look forward to unique, themed entertainment which has previously included live performances, fireworks, casino games, an open bar, and fire dancers. What will this year’s unique entertainment be? It’s a surprise, so come and find out!
Will We See You There?
Help The Community of San Saba County get an accurate headcount and register your family for the ball. This helps them get a great idea of how much food to order, the number of drinks they will need, and how to best serve the attendees. If you would like to attend the 14th Annual Catkins Ball, please register here. You can also register a table if you have a business, and you can purchase raffle tickets from the same link. We’ll see you there!