Story by Karen Parr-Moody
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – For the Laying Low fundraiser, ladies won’t have to squeeze into Spanx and men won’t have to tie ties. Laying Low puts the “fun” in fundraising for The Customs House Museum, complete with moonshine, a bonfire, grilled chicken and music by The Beagles.
The event will take place at 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12 at the 2100 Madison Street home of Garnett and Nancy Ladd, Daffodil Hill. To purchase tickets call 1-648-5780 (RSVPs needed by Friday, Oct. 11).
“You can wear your jeans and your boots if you want to,” Nancy Ladd said. “If you want to wear four-inch heels, you can too.”
Local suppliers Budweiser and Ajax will provide beer for guests, who will also get a choice of wine and specialty moonshine. The event’s caterer, Mark Weakley, will whip up grilled chicken, a baked potato bar, some savory chili and hot dogs. Members of the Museum Guild will provide homemade desserts. After dinner, guests can play corn hole or sit by the bonfire while listening to The Beagles, the local band that will play from 7 to 10 p.m.
In its third year, Laying Low is in contrast in attire, entertainment and even price to the elegant spring fundraiser, Flying High. Laying Low is $50 per guest, whereas Flying High tickets are $125 for museum members and $175 for non-members. The Customs House Museum hosts a third fundraiser in the winter, An Evening of Champagne and Chocolate, in its galleries.
Laying Low is a spirited yet casual way for guests to enjoy an evening out on the beautiful grounds of Daffodil Hill, which Ladd says is “downtown, but you feel like you’re in the country when you’re up there. It’s just a very nice, calm setting.”
And while there isn’t a silent auction, there will be a sign up for the upcoming “On the Town” party, which will be a progressive dinner in which guests are driven from studio to studio of local artists. The artists who are participating are Jim Diehr, Mike Andrews and Melody and Ken Shipley.
Who knew art could be so un-stuffy? Past guests of Laying Low know.
Karen Parr-Moody began a career as a New York journalist, working as a fashion reporter for Women’s Wear Daily, a beauty editor for Young Miss and a beauty and fashion writer for both In Style and People magazines. Regionally, she has been a writer at The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper and currently writes about arts and culture for Nashville Arts magazine each month.
There won’t be a silent auction at Laying Low, but there will be a sign up for the upcoming “On the Town” party, during which guests will visit the studio of artist Jim Diehr, whose work is seen here.