Early bird tickets on sale for Sugar Plum Tour of Holiday Homes
Live and virtual tours of decorated homes will benefit the Gay Community Endowment Fund
Tickets are on sale for the Gay Community Endowment Fund's 24th annual Sugar Plum Tour of Holiday Homes, Greater Akron's premier holiday home tour. This year's live tour will feature five festively decorated homes on Sunday, Dec. 7, from noon to 5 p.m. The virtual tour will feature seven intimate video tours, including two homes filmed exclusively for the virtual tour, and can be viewed throughout the holiday season from Dec. 13 through Jan. 4.
Among the homes showcased on this year's live tour are an 1876 Folk Gothic Victorian in Hudson; a 1983 Colonial Revival overlooking a lake in Bath; and a 1917 Tudor in West Akron that was once part of the Stan Hywet estate. For more information about the homes featured on this year's tour, visit sugarplumtour.org/about.
General admission tickets are $45 each for the live or virtual tours, or $75 for both, and can be purchased at sugarplumtour.org. Guests who purchase tickets before Nov. 1 will receive a special early bird discount. For more details, visit sugarplumtour.org/tickets.
On Dec. 6, the evening before the live tour, sponsors are invited to a private party at a custom-built 1928 Roy Firestone home. Later dubbed the "Jackson House," this historic property was once home to Lee Jackson, the former president of Firestone Tire & Rubber Company. A limited number of Patron Party bundle tickets, which include admission to the live and virtual tours and the private Patron Party, are available for $250.
Sponsorships are still available and must be received by Nov. 1 to be included in the printed tour guide. Sponsorships start at $750 and include tickets to both the live and virtual tours, admission to the private Patron Party, a commemorative holiday ornament, and many other benefits. All proceeds from the event benefit the Gay Community Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation.
Major sponsors of the 24th annual Sugar Plum Tour of Holiday Homes include Raymond Dental Group – Dr. Kate Raymond & Michelle Krocker, Gregory Hail & Matthew Culler, and The Read Family. For a complete list of this year's sponsors, visit sugarplumtour.org/current-sponsors.
Last year's Sugar Plum Tour raised more than $160,000 for the fund, which supports the Greater Akron LGBTQ+ community by providing grants and scholarships that advance the right to live safely, openly and authentically. A full list of recent grants is available at akroncf.org/GCEFgrants.
About the Gay Community Endowment Fund
Founded in 2001, the Gay Community Endowment Fund is a permanent philanthropic endowment of Akron Community Foundation. The fund supports the Greater Akron LGBTQ+ community by providing grants and scholarships that advance the right to live safely, openly and authentically. Since its inception, the fund has grown to nearly $2.7 million while reinvesting nearly $920,000 into the community. Contributions of any amount are welcome and support future grantmaking. Checks should be sent to Akron Community Foundation, 345 W. Cedar St., Akron, OH 44307, with Gay Community Endowment Fund in the memo line. Donations may also be designated for the GCEF Scholarship Fund. For more information, or to contribute, call 330-376-8522 or visit gaycommunityfund.org.
About Akron Community Foundation
For 70 years, Akron Community Foundation has been our community's champion and generator of enduring philanthropy. In 1955, a $1 million bequest from the estate of Edwin Shaw established the community foundation. It is a philanthropic endowment of $330 million with a growing family of more than 900 funds established by charitable people and organizations from all walks of life. The community foundation and its funds welcome gifts of all kinds, including cash, bequests, stock, real estate, life insurance and retirement assets, just to name a few. To date, the community foundation's funds have awarded $263 million in grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. For more information about Akron Community Foundation or to learn more about creating your own charitable fund, call 330-376-8522 or visit akroncf.org.