Flip-Flop Festivus Brings Fun, Food And Ravens Players To Harbor East
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Saturday marks the start of fall, but you'll have one more chance to wear your flip-flops and it's all for a good cause.
As Ron Matz reports, Saturday night's Flip-Flop Festivus at the Four Seasons in Harbor East will include fun, food and even some former Ravens.
Sean Hull has his flip-flops ready. In 1998, he founded the Life and Breath Foundation in memory of his mother, who died of sarcoidosis -- an inflammatory disease -- two years earlier.
"Unbeknownst to the family, she was suffering for 13 years," said Hull. "I went over to Johns Hopkins to find out more about the disease and what they were doing about it. I knew I wanted to do something in her memory."
According to Flip-Flop Festivus organizers, the party will feel like a resort vacation.
"This is an event that is something to bring a smile to everyone's face. It was meant to create the same ambiance that's found in the Caribbean and the islands of Hawaii," said Hull. "You have your Tommy Bahama shirts, your flip-flops, your shorts and sundresses. You're on vacation. You have no worries."
"We have raffles and we have live auctions. It will be a fabulous evening," said committee member Susanne Radek.
Raffles will include a trip to New York City, which includes theater tickets for two, train fare both ways, hotel accommodations and dinner.
A relaxing summer day in Harbor East will also come with some good barbecue, Four Seasons-style.
"We have some slow-smoked chicken breasts with our own secret barbecue sauce and made into sliders," said executive chef Oliver Beckert. "Being in Baltimore and in Maryland, you need to have a crab cake so we have crab cake sliders."
Event-goers can also munch on Old Bay chips, parmesan popcorn, Berger cookies and macaroons.
"Every party needs some good food. And I think we have a very nice spread for tomorrow night. Tomorrow night will be great and Sunday night will be even better when the Ravens win," said Beckert.
Attendees will also see famous faces, including former Ravens players, and be able to take home some signed helmets.
"With my other job as an NCAA referee, I was able to acquire some friendships with some of the Ravens who participated in the Super Bowl-- Qadry Ismail, Matt Stover, Jonathan Ogden and Brad Jackson," said Hull."They're going to partner with me by celebrating Festivus."
The Life and Breath Foundation is also auctioning off an afternoon with former University of Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams.
"For a Terrapins basketball fan, it's really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Radek.
