Long, short, red, black, fashionistas put their best foot forward for the glamorous Port Goes… Shanghai Nights, Gala. Red was a particularly prominent colour for the annual affair along with traditional Chinese silk gowns, called Cheongsam. The body-hugging long dresses were effortless and stylish and certainly on theme. The men were also dressed to the nines in Dapper suits with several teal and black ties identifying the team’s players amongst the sea of people inside the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
The gala is the major annual fundraising event for the club and this year’s Shanghai Nights theme was dazzling and exotic.
This year’s event celebrated the recent Multicultural Round and the clubs latest adventure, which will see them travel to China to play for Premiership points in 2017.
Dazzling dancers at the Port Goes Shanghai event
The recent announcement of the unique partnership with Port Adelaide Football Club and China has seen a major television deal come about. Each week, one AFL game is broadcast in China, with one third of those being Port Power games. The broadcasts have been attracting up to 4 million views, which will continue to increase through the partnership.
David Koch, media personality and Port Adelaide Football Club Chairman stated he believed this made Port Power, “the most popular club in the world” as he addressed guests during the evening.
The room was illuminated by red lights, with lanterns hanging from the ceiling and a wishing tree hanging from the stage, giving guests the feeling they were in China during the early hours of the morning.
Taylah wears a stunning frock by Couture Love Madness
A stunning performance, created especially for the evening, titled ‘Illusion,’ perfectly combined the two worlds of dance and technology. The piece was an imagined world of Chinese dance and artistry, which saw the dancers interact with a projected image using movements perfectly executed on time to a dynamic and powerful soundtrack.
Serafino Wines provided a wonderful choice of wines, which perfectly matched the Oriental inspired three-course meal we were served. I was particularly fond of the vanilla pannacotta lychee dessert and I am ashamed to admit I did not wait for the rest of my table to receive theirs before I had finished mine. #tableetiquette
During the night there was also a silent and live auction with incredible prizes up for grabs including holidays and corporate packages.
Congratulations to The Port Adelaide Football Club on their exciting venture, which will help to share Australia’s wonderful sport to the rest of the world and to remind them football, or ‘footy’ is not the appropriate word for soccer. As footy fans would say, Carn’ the Pear!
Images: PAFC Facebook, Taylah Minchington
