• The Gala is a fundraising event supporting renovation of the Historic Ford Theatre.
The Salt River Arts Society is hosting their First Annual Gala for the Arts this Saturday, February 24 at the Don Wooden Civic Center in Alpine at 6 p.m. The Gala is a fundraising event supporting the continued renovation of the Historic Ford Theatre in Afton.
Featuring a Gatsby 20’s theme for its inaugural year, the evening offers hors d’oeurves, a fully catered buffet dinner, adult and family beverages, non-stop entertainment, a spacious dance floor, games and a silent auction.
“We are transforming this space,” said organizer Lauren Preston. “It’s going to be like stepping into another world! It’s just going to be an absolute escape from reality, a spectacle for your eyes! And for your mouth, we have Stuft catering. Shaun is amazing!”
As guests arrive, they will receive a souvenir pouch with three golden coins that they can use to purchase drinks or activities or they can put the value of their coins towards bids on auction items. Each guest will be introduced to the event by a guide who will escort them into the space and introduce them to seating and activities.
Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will circulate on trays for guests to enjoy before dinner. Two stages will offer non-stop entertainment presented by local performing artists. The meal is scheduled to begin around 7:30, and games, music and dancing will continue throughout the evening.
“We have so many beautiful, local vocalists that are going to be doing various songs from the era, and some songs will be more contemporary,” said Preston. “We’ll have a string quartet and a few bands. We might have a DJ playing music to fill in the gaps. We’re also going to have a murder mystery escape room puzzle for people who want to do that. We’ll also have a photo booth with a professional photographer there taking pictures.”
As a Gala, the event warrants formal attire, but Preston assures guests that they should come in whatever makes them feel amazing! “Essentially, what formal attire means here is, if you feel fabulous in it, then it’s appropriate. A lot of people are planning to wear 20s theme attire, and there are really stunning dresses around the valley. Rustic Rose has some, and the Alpine Mercantile has tons of gorgeous dresses that are proper 1920s ball gowns. It’s really been awesome to see the variety and depth, and how wonderful the offerings are here in the valley.”
Silent auction items that have been donated for the fundraiser promise to be of great interest. “We’ve had so many really generous donations for our silent auction. People have been donating $600 items. It’s really, really impressive, the level of generosity that we have seen.”
Seating is limited to 150. At press time, VIP tables, which are selling as a table of eight seats at a price slightly above the price of eight individual tickets, were nearly sold out. Preston encourages the community to secure their reservations very soon. “I think this is really going to be an event that people will go on and on about.” She believes that attending the first Gala will be something exceptional and memorable.
Individuals or businesses interested in donating an item for the silent auction are encouraged to choose something that “features their business in a positive light,” and establishes them in the community as a “patron of the arts. The donation can act as an advertisement.
“This event is going to be absolutely amazing and fun, and more importantly, it will breathe life into the arts in Star Valley,” Preston concluded. “We have such an opportunity right now to generate culture within the valley and to make the valley a cultural destination of its own.”
For reservations, visit SaltRiverArts.com. Guests will want to bring their checkbook or plenty of cash.
Grevenmier sentenced to 60-95 years on sexual abuse and kidnapping charges
July 29, 2026
Christopher Gravenmier, 31, of Kemmerer was sentenced Wednesday, July 29 in Lincoln County District Court for a total of 60 to 95 years in prison for charges related to kidnapping and sexual abuse of a minor. District Court Judge Joseph... Read More
Missing man thought to possibly be in Star Valley has been found in Logan
July 29, 2026
A former Afton resident who went missing in northern Utah has been found following search efforts in Utah, Idaho and Star Valley. Family members say Doug Walker, 61, went missing on Tuesday, July 28. He was last seen on Utah... Read More
SVI Radio Interview: Tim Hale, LCSD2 Education Foundation
July 29, 2026
https://svinews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/7-29-Tim-Hale.mp3 Read More
SVI Radio Interview: Senator Eric Barlow - Candidate for Governor
July 29, 2026
https://svinews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/7-29-Eric-Barlow.mp3 Read More
Oil prices jump following fighting in the Middle East, while US stocks drift
July 29, 2026
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices are back to jumping on Wednesday, while the U.S. stock market is holding relatively steady ahead of a Federal Reserve decision on what to do with interest rates.... Read More
Whitney Lusk opens for Ian Munsick at Lincoln County Fair
July 29, 2026
• Limited tickets still available at LincolnCountyFair.info. The Lincoln County Fair Board has announced that country singer Whitney Lusk will be the opening act for Ian Munsick this Friday night on the opening day of the fair. Lusk was... Read More
Commissioners approve budget for fiscal year 26-27
July 29, 2026
• Roughly $1.5 million less than previous year Lincoln County Commissioners approved a more than $27 million budget during the county commission meeting on Tuesday, July 21 in Kemmerer. The total proposed budget is $27,023,981.22, down from the... Read More
Lower Valley Energy rolls out new rate structure on October 1
July 29, 2026
Bear Prairie, CEO of Lower Valley Energy (LVE), said the cooperatives Board of Trustees approved a new rate structure to better match costs with how electricity is actually used. “We did change rates,” Prairie said. “The board did approve... Read More
Alcohol suspected in pair of Alpine accidents
July 28, 2026
*Editor’s Note: The original version of this story noted that the injuries from the SUV collision were minor. Further clarification indicates major injuries took place as a result of the collision. This correction has been made to reflect that. A... Read More
SVI Radio Interview: Nate Wilson - Wyoming State Forestry Division
July 28, 2026
https://svinews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/7-28-Nate-Wilson.mp3 Read More
SVI Radio Interview: Matt Erickson & Ryan Lyman - LCSD#2
July 28, 2026
https://svinews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/7-28-Matt-Ryan-LCSD2.mp3 Read More
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake shakes part of southern Japan but no tsunami detected
July 28, 2026
By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — An earthquake registering a magnitude of 7.1 shook Kumamoto on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, causing damage and injuries, officials said. The second floor at the Aeon Mall... Read More
Joe Biden interviews with memoir ghostwriter reveal him discussing sensitive information
July 28, 2026
By BILL BARROW Associated Press Newly released audio tapes, disclosed by a conservative activist group, appear to show Joe Biden sharing classified information with a biographer and sometimes claiming memory lapses during interviews that occurred before his election to the... Read More
Utah man dies while in custody at Lincoln County Justice Center
July 28, 2026
A Utah man died on Saturday evening after being booked into the Lincoln County Justice Center. According to Lincoln County Sheriff Shane Johnson, the man, identified as Tyson J. Alvares, 38, from Smithfield, Utah, was attending the Oyster Ridge Music... Read More
Still Missing: More than 50 years later, two of four girls abducted from Rawlins in 1974 have yet to be found
July 28, 2026
By Joshua Wood Saratoga Sun Via- Wyoming News Exchange SARATOGA — “Four girls disappeared over the course of six weeks. For those of you who lived here during that time, that must have been completely unnerving.” On July 17,... Read More
New data forecasts not enough workers to fill new Wyoming jobs
July 28, 2026
• Businesses already struggle to find workers with projected job growth on the horizon. By Calla Shosh, WyoFile.com Many Wyoming businesses already struggle to hire and retain workers. Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and... Read More
Star Valley lawyer charged with solicitation in Bear Lake County
July 27, 2026
Via EastIdahoNews.com PARIS — A lawyer who practices law in Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona and Utah has been charged with solicitation in Bear Lake County. John Dennis Bowers, 66, is charged with one misdemeanor count of soliciting commercial sexual activity. Officers... Read More
Flaming Gorge levels down 12.5 feet from this time last year
July 27, 2026
ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) — Fire conditions remain critical, and the Flaming Gorge Reservoir pool elevation level is currently at just over 6,000 feet. At the Sweetwater County Commission meeting last week, Fire Warden Allen Adams told commissioners that fuel... Read More
UW joins research to improve forecasting of dangerous storms
July 27, 2026
LARAMIE (WNE) — Planette AI, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Wyoming have launched DL4MCS, a jointly led Genesis Mission Phase I project supported by the U.S. Department of Energy to improve forecasting of large clusters of... Read More