If you had a chance to walk around Rittenhouse Square at any time last week, you probably noticed a giant white tent in the middle of it. Your first thought was probably “Wow! I wonder what that tent is for.” And your second thought was probably, “Wait! Why cant I walk through the park!?!?” Well, the answer to both these questions is the annual Ball On The Square.

The Ball on The Square is held in the heart of “The Square” on the 3rd Thursday of June. This year’s gala, hosted by Mary Parenti and Rich Castor & Lynn and Howard Shecter, was particularly special as it marked the 30th Ball on The Square and the 100th anniversary of Paul Cret’s elegant design of the park itself.

Before The Ball, COOK hosted an intimate reception where guests enjoyed Cava, a raw bar featuring East and West Coast Oysters and – the real crowd pleaser – pigs in a blanket. Here are a few photos of our gussied-up guests at the event.

On that note, “stay classy, Philadelphia!”

Bart Blatstein

Chef Michael Schulson