Fayetteville is fortunate to be home to a true gem, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, the oldest continuously funded orchestra in North Carolina.

As the FSO celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, it is hosting its annual Champagne & Diamonds event on Sunday, May 6, from 5:30-7 p.m. at SkyView on Hay. Tickets to the event are $50, and in just its second year, the fundraiser already requires a larger venue.

“The first year we did it, we held it in Dr. Richard and Susan Shereff’s home,” said Christine Kastner, president and CEO of the FSO. “We had such a large turnout. There were about 250 people, and that’s asking a lot to host such a large group in your home. So this year we decided we needed to move it to a different venue, SkyView.”

The $50 ticket provides each attendee with admission to the event and entry into the drawing for an elegant ring, appraised at more than $9,000. The ring features a stunning square-cut 1.77-carat emerald from Colombia and two diamonds in a 14 carat gold setting. The ring’s precious gemstone is in honor of the FSO’s emerald anniversary.

“We were fortunate to obtain the emerald and then to get it set in a ring,” Kastner said.

In addition to the main event of the evening, the drawing, guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and champagne for the price of admission.

“That’s a pretty good deal,” said Kastner. “We’ll have a Fayetteville Symphony String Quartet performing, and there will be additional door prizes.”

Among the door prizes are gift certificates for a foursome of golf at Baywood Golf Club, picture or art framing, packages of dinner and symphony concert tickets for two and a massage. Attendees must be present to win the door prizes but need not be present to win the ring.

“It’s a fun way to come support the symphony. Even if you haven’t been able to make our concerts this year, you can come to this event,” Kastner said. “It has a broad cross-section of people who attend. Obviously it was so successful last year that we decided that this is going to be our signature fundraiser.”

And celebrating with champagne and diamonds offers a most fitting approach to help ensure the FSO continues to sparkle and shine in our community. For more information, contact the FSO office at (910) 433-4690 or visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

Top photo: As the FSO celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, it is hosting its annual Champagne & Diamonds event.