Evert Classic adds carnival
By DIANNA SMITH
DELRAY BEACH — The Delray Beach Tennis Center will have a carnival feel this weekend, so fans can be captivated not only by the matches, but by what is lingering outside the stands as well.
Acrobats, pony rides, games, a calypso band and a $2 million Piper Jet on display are all activities organizers hope will help lure locals to The Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic, which begins today and ends Sunday afternoon.
18th Annual Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic glance
Begins at 11 a.m. today and Sunday at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, 201 W. Atlantic Ave.
General admission tickets are $20 per day. Series tickets are $70 and individual day club seats are $40 a day. Box seats range from $90 to $900. Free admission for children 10 and younger.
Parking is free at the South County Courthouse parking garage and Delray Beach Public Library parking lot.
The gala black-tie dinner and auction will be held today at the Boca Raton Resort andClub. Reception begins at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. KC &the Sunshine Band will be the featured entertainment. Tickets are $750 per person.
For information, call (561) 394-2400 or visit http://www.chrisevert.org
Celebrities and athletes including tennis star Anna Kournikova, comedian Jon Lovitz and British musician Gavin Rossdale are donating their time this weekend to raise money for abused and neglected children in South Florida.
Evert has raised more than $15.6 million since starting the event 18 years ago. This is the event's 10th year at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.
"It's more than good tennis," said Tip Nunn, Chris Evert Charities spokesman. "We're doing this for the kids. It's all for the kids."
The charity tournament is expected to attract more than 8,000 people to the city. Assistant City Manager Robert Barcinski said the city will likely spend about $20,000 this weekend, mostly for overtime for police and parking attendants. The event gives the city national exposure, and hopefully fans in town for the event will want to return for vacations, shopping or simply relaxation, he said.
Besides the celebrity tennis matches, other activities include a motorcycle display, clowns, face painters and performances by groups such as the Miami Heat Cheerleaders and the Florida Atlantic University Marching Band. A Jumbotron screen will provide tennis coverage, a preview of the 2008 Miami Fashion Week and scenic shots of Palm Beach County.
palmbeachpost.com
DELRAY BEACH — The Delray Beach Tennis Center will have a carnival feel this weekend, so fans can be captivated not only by the matches, but by what is lingering outside the stands as well.
Acrobats, pony rides, games, a calypso band and a $2 million Piper Jet on display are all activities organizers hope will help lure locals to The Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic, which begins today and ends Sunday afternoon.
18th Annual Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic glance
Begins at 11 a.m. today and Sunday at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, 201 W. Atlantic Ave.
General admission tickets are $20 per day. Series tickets are $70 and individual day club seats are $40 a day. Box seats range from $90 to $900. Free admission for children 10 and younger.
Parking is free at the South County Courthouse parking garage and Delray Beach Public Library parking lot.
The gala black-tie dinner and auction will be held today at the Boca Raton Resort andClub. Reception begins at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. KC &the Sunshine Band will be the featured entertainment. Tickets are $750 per person.
For information, call (561) 394-2400 or visit http://www.chrisevert.org
Celebrities and athletes including tennis star Anna Kournikova, comedian Jon Lovitz and British musician Gavin Rossdale are donating their time this weekend to raise money for abused and neglected children in South Florida.
Evert has raised more than $15.6 million since starting the event 18 years ago. This is the event's 10th year at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.
"It's more than good tennis," said Tip Nunn, Chris Evert Charities spokesman. "We're doing this for the kids. It's all for the kids."
The charity tournament is expected to attract more than 8,000 people to the city. Assistant City Manager Robert Barcinski said the city will likely spend about $20,000 this weekend, mostly for overtime for police and parking attendants. The event gives the city national exposure, and hopefully fans in town for the event will want to return for vacations, shopping or simply relaxation, he said.
Besides the celebrity tennis matches, other activities include a motorcycle display, clowns, face painters and performances by groups such as the Miami Heat Cheerleaders and the Florida Atlantic University Marching Band. A Jumbotron screen will provide tennis coverage, a preview of the 2008 Miami Fashion Week and scenic shots of Palm Beach County.
palmbeachpost.com
