Upcoming Events 
Calling all Red Hatters!
You are cordially invited to the 2016 Red Hat Gala
hosted by the
Florida West Coast Queens’ Council
April 14-17, 2016
SHERATON TAMPA EAST
10221 Princess Palm Avenue
Tampa, FL 33610
813-623-6363
http://www.sheratontampaeast.com
Come join your sisters at the Red Hat Gala where you will enjoy a themed event every day – a great place to meet old friends, make new friends, share excellent meals and fun things to do while creating new memories.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
A CELTIC GATHERING
Wear your Tartan or your Regalia.
3:00-5:00 PM ~ Registration Table in Lobby.
5:00-6:00 PM ~ Meet n’ Greet in the Grande Ballroom Foyer & Pavilion (weather permitting).
Cheese & Crackers for nibbling ~ Cash Bar for imbibing.
6:00-11:00 PM ~ Dinner, dancing with our favorite DJ Stu, raffles, fun!
There are three meal choices:
Chicken Piccata: Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast with a Lemon Caper Butter Sauce.
Braised Sirloin Tips: w/Cabernet Demi-Glaze.
Grilled Salmon: w/Lemon-Beurre Blanc.
All meals will include a Caesar Salad, Wild Rice Pilaf, Italian Roasted Vegetables, Warm Rolls w/butter, Chocolate Cake w/Ice Cream, Coffee, Decaf and Iced Tea.
Friday, April 15, 2016
GREAT GATSBY CASINO NIGHT
Breakfast on your own at Panfilo’s Restaurant, off the Hotel Lobby, until 10:30 AM, or perhaps you like room service.
9:00 AM – 10:00 PM Red Hatter Boutique – Palm Room just off the Lobby.
Optional Tour:
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Take a bus ride from Tampa to St. Petersburg and the beautiful Vinoy Renaissance Hotel. Please note: travelers must be able to walk up and down the motor coach steps on their own. After touring the hotel and learning about its history, you will lunch at Marchands Restaurant
Marchand’s Bar & Grill Menu
Starter
Arugula with Watermelon, House-made Feta and Pistachio Brittle
Entrées – (Pick One)
Crispy Salmon with Grilled Corn, Chive Vinaigrette and Pea Shoots
~or~
Chicken with Wild Mushroom, Cornmeal Stuffing and Garlic Shoot Emulsion
~or~
Slow Braised Pork with Herb Farrow, Elderberry Jam and Sumac
Dessert
Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse with Whipped Cream
After lunch, you will visit The Chihuly Collection, a stunning, permanent collection of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly’s unique artwork in a magnificent 10,000 square foot setting, designed by award-winning architect Albert Alfonso. The Collection is located on the city’s waterfront in downtown St. Petersburg on Beach Drive in the heart of the most vibrant tourist area in St. Petersburg, within walking distance of the Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, the Museum of Fine Arts, a multitude of galleries, restaurants and shops.
Not Going on the Tour
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Not going on the tour? Visit the Red Hatter Boutique in the Palm Room just off the Hotel Lobby. Our preferred vendors will be with us all day Friday and Saturday.
Games will be played in Overlook 1 or just come by to visit. There is also a complimentary hotel shuttle that will take you to shop at the famous Westfield Brandon Mall.
6:00 PM – 11:00 PM – The Great Gatsby Casino Party gets underway in the Grande Ballroom. Wear your best vintage dress or your dressiest purple with lots of Bling. A Cash Bar will open for your pleasure. This casino experience will be something you’ll remember long after the party is over. Gaming will begin at 6:30 PM. Upon entering the beautiful “Gatsby Casino”, you will be given “money” for gambling. Games like Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, Texas Hold-em, Big Wheel, and of course the Slots will be available. Play as long as you like and when you get hungry, visit the Carving Station where the attendant will slice Slow Roasted Beef served with fresh Horseradish, Natural Jus, Caramelized Red Onion Jam and Mini Ciabatta Rolls AND Honey Glazed Ham served with Dijon Mustard and Hawaiian Rolls. Don’t forget to visit the Mashed Potato Martini Bar with all the toppings. Finish off your repast at the Chocolate Fountain or pick up other dessert goodies that are waiting for you. A Beverage Station is available for Coffee, Decaf, Iced Tea and Ice Water.
At 9:30 PM all gaming will end and you will turn in your chips to record your winnings with the Pit Boss. Will you be a member of the High Rollers Club? There are many prizes and beautiful gifts to choose from based on highest winnings. You must be present to win. We know you are lucky so be prepared to win big and eat heartily.
Saturday, April 16, 2016
HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD
Dress as your favorite actor or in Red Hat Regalia
9:00 AM – 10:00 PM Red Hatter Boutique – Palm Room just off the Lobby.
10:30 AM – 4:00 PM – Hooray for Hollywood Gala – Grande Ballroom
Plated three course luncheon, entertainment, dancing, raffles, more fun!
There are three meal choices:
Grilled Grouper with a Vanilla Bean Mango Coulis.
Sliced NY Strip with a Bordeaux Red Wine Demi Glaze.
Chicken Marsala – Chicken Breast w/Marsala Wine and Mushrooms.
All meals will include Iceberg Wedge w/Grape Tomatoes, Light Croutons, Crumbled Blue Cheese and Bacon, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Julienne Vegetables, Red Velvet Cake w/Buttercream Icing or Lemon Raspberry Mist Cake, Coffee, Decaf, Hot Tea and Iced Tea.
Entertainment
Introducing Don Merritt and Annette Moreau, two of the most thrilling voices you will ever hear. They captivate their audience with warmth, excitement, and humor. Merritt & Moreau have performed at the Waldorf Astoria, NYC; Harrah’s Atlantic City; Trump Plaza Casino; Catskill Resort Hotels, NY; Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami; Holland America Cruise Lines; and Norwegian Cruise Lines, just to name a few. Enjoy their magic.
Line dancing will follow the Merritt & Moreau performance, so we can work off all the wonderful food we have consumed. Following dancing you will meet our preferred vendors for door prize distribution. Other raffles will be awarded and you must be present to win.
6:00 PM – 11:00 PM – After Party Picnic – Grande Ballroom
Change out of your Hollywood costume into something comfy and join us in the Grande Ball Room for a Picnic Buffet and dance the night away. DJ Stu is back to help us keep our motors running. Our Picnic Buffet will include Hamburgers & All Beef Hot Dogs (with buns and appropriate toppings and condiments), Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Assorted Freshly Baked Cookies and Brownies, Coffee, Decaf, Hot Tea and Iced Tea.
Sunday, April 17, 2016
PJ SUNSHINE BREAKFAST
PJs – not too risqué please
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM – PJ Farewell Breakfast – Grande Ballroom
Your plated breakfast will include Fresh Scrambled Eggs, Crispy Applewood Bacon, Home-Style Potatoes Lyonnais, Assorted Pastries & Muffins, Orange Juice and Cranberry Juice, Coffee, Decaf and Hot Tea.
Join us for some extra special entertainment which is sure to put a smile on your face, along with Red Hat parody songs to sing and games to play, raffles to enter ~ a perfect time to share our last few Red Hatter moments together.
Early Registration
For those Hatters who PAY IN FULL for Package One by November 30, 2015,
deduct a 10% discount of $25 from your event fee check.
Must be received by November 30, 2015.
Discount does not apply to budget payments.
EVENT PACKAGES
We are offering two (2) packages for the 2016 Gala so you can choose what you would like to include in your celebration of Red Hatting.
For your convenience we will accept three budget payments on package one only.
· Send $90 with your registration form,
· Second payment of $87.00 by 1/14/16
· Final payment of $86.00 by 3/14/16.
Please use the Registration Form below for your reservation. Make your reservations early as seating is limited.
Package #1 – $263.00 – (Early registration – $238.00) includes:
Thursday, 4/14 – Meet ‘n Greet & A Celtic Gathering – 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Friday, 4/15 – Red Hatter Boutique – 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Great Gatsby Casino – 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Saturday, 4/16 – Red Hatter Boutique – 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Hooray for Hollywood Gala – 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM
After Party Picnic – 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Sunday, 4/17 – PJ Sunshine Breakfast – 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Package #2 – $60.00 includes:
Saturday, 4/16 – Red Hatter Boutique – 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Hooray for Hollywood Gala – 10:30 AM-4:00 PM
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Please Note: The optional Vinoy/Chihuly tour is not included in Gala Event Fee.
A separate registration form is attached and must be accompanied with full payment of $82.
HOTEL INFO:
Sheraton Tampa East Hotel, 10221 Princess Palm Avenue, Tampa, FL 33610 is conveniently situated off I-75 and slightly south of I-4 near Brandon, Florida. Our Tampa hotel is the newest, upscale hotel featuring the best accommodations among hotels near Brandon with free guest parking. Choose from our 266 guest rooms, which includes 46 suites, each of which has one king or two double Sheraton Sweet Sleeper™ Beds. Get a workout on our tennis courts or in our Sheraton Fitness Center, featuring breakthrough training programs from Core Performance. Hang out by the outdoor pool or shop at Westfield Brandon Mall. Our hotel near Brandon is located just three miles from this shopping haven that features every store from Coach, Talbots and Macy’s to the Disney Store, GameStop and As Seen On TV.
Special Group Rate: $114.24/night (includes all taxes and fees) – 1-4 persons.
This Traditional Double room rate will be in effect three days prior and three days after the event. Make your hotel reservations toll free by calling 1-800-325-3535 and ask for the WCQC Red Hat Gala group rate.
To make reservations online, copy and paste the following link into a web browser – https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/WCQCGALA2016. Please use code name WCQC RED HAT GALA
We have three King Rooms with Accessible Roll In Showers for those with disabilities. We also have two Double Rooms with Accessible Grab Bars. When making your reservation, be sure to emphasize your special needs or your special room requirements.
Five (5) Junior suites are available that feature separate living and bedroom areas and include a refrigerator, and a pull-out sleep sofa. Please note that our upgrade room rate for Junior Suite is $136.64 (includes all taxes and fees) 1-4 persons.
Hotel Accommodations must be booked separately.
We suggest you make your room reservations as early as you can by calling 1-800-325-3535.
We have booked a limited number of rooms that will be available at the special group rate.
Rooms must be booked no later than March 14, 2016.
We are looking forward to a most happy Gala and hope you can join us.