Photography by Jim Prisching

Jetta Boschen, Lisa Madlener, and Jackie Gibbons

We’ve all received them. The invite requesting our presence to a grand fund-raising gala with those two little words in the bottom right corner: black tie. Well, the organizers of Party on the Pier, Winnetka’s biggest summer bash, do want you to come dressed a certain way to their event on July 22. Their attire recommendation? Beach chic!

Considered one of the North Shore’s most amusing and raucous summer events, Party on the Pier will barrel into 2011 for the eighth year in a row, promising not to disappoint. Friends of the Winnetka Parks Foundation take over Tower Beach for an evening of live music, catered food, spirits, dancing, and neighborhood camaraderie. “What makes Party on the Pier so special is the simplicity and fun of it all,” explains Lisa Madlener, event chair. “It’s a party where our neighbors can enjoy the comforts of home, all within our own shared backyard.”

That “backyard” is preserved thanks to the efforts of events like Party on the Pier and the work of the Winnetka Parks Foundation. Each year, the Foundation sets it sights on various projects encompassing their mission to aid in park facility improvements and programs. One project of note is the recent renovation of the Tennis Shack, located in the Skokie Playfield in Winnetka. This facility is used by 18 different community groups, and is host to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Challenger, a professional tournament, as well as home to the New Trier Boys and Girls Tennis teams.

Sheridan Road is proud to be this year’s media sponsor again, along with several other local supporters. Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Gourmet Garden Catering, Gray, Hudson Group, Little Ricky’s, North Shore Community Bank & Trust, and ’scilla will all be a part of Party on the Pier. Most notably, partygoers will be able to raise a glass in celebration thanks to The Winnetka Wine Shop, who will be handing out a glass of bubbly upon guests’ arrival during the Champagne Hour from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Madlener, with her co-chairs Jetta Boschen and Jackie Gibbons Czyzynski, believes that this is the perfect time to celebrate the community’s shared coastal lifestyle. “Party on the Pier is so well received because it is close to home and highlights the beauty of where we live…right here on the lake.”

Tickets to Party on the Pier on July 22 are $75 per person in advance, or $85 after July 15. Purchase tickets at partyonthepier.org.