Friends of the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center will stage its annual holiday gala at C’est Si Bon restaurant tonight, Dec. 17.

The gala is the traditional year-ending celebration of the center’s accomplishments set in a glittering atmosphere of holiday décor at the French eatery above the strait.

"It’s a grand opportunity to spruce up and bask in the holiday lights," exclaimed Maja Cox, the gala chairwoman. "Evening dress is admired, but not at all required. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere of fine dining, stimulating conversation and amazing entertainment."

The evening will be made more magical than ever with the wizardry of Port Townsend sorcerer Joey Pipia. A featured performer of the New Old Time Chautauqua, Pipia continues the tradition of awesome illusions of such conjurers from Olympic Peninsula history as "Alexander, the Man Who Knows" and "The Great Virgil" and is sure to bring a lively cabaret atmosphere to the gathering.

"Guests will have the opportunity for close encounters with virtuosic showmanship made all the more remarkable by the intimacy of the setting," said PAFAC director Jake Seniuk. "This is the gala’s 11th installment and it has become a dependable and familiar slice of the center’s funding pie. It’s a terrific party and an opportunity for friends, old and new, to enjoy each other’s company and pledge their ongoing support for the center. We know that Joey Pipia’s presence will help greet the coming year with a magical sense of renewal as the center perseveres to continue its mission as the Olympic Peninsula’s art museum."

"The gala has always proved to be a highlight of the holiday season," noted PAFAC development director Rob Sorensen. "Its dual function as a celebration of the year passed and a launching of the year to come is especially significant this year as the center strives to persevere in tough times and continue its maturation as a prime element of the north peninsula’s lifestyle. We invite all to come enjoy and boost the progress of one of the Northwest’s great cultural venues."

A limited number of tickets still are available. Tickets cost $95 per person and are partially tax deductible. For more information, call Vicki Gronvall at 360-928-0164.