Why Guests Wore Sneakers to This Black-Tie Gala

LOS ANGELES—Black-tie met game day at the California Science Center’s 26th annual Discovery Ball. The star-studded gala—with a "sneakers optional" dress code—welcomed 600 guests and raised more than $1.6 million to support the center’s educational programming and exhibitions, which serve 1.7 million visitors and more than 16,000 students, families, and teachers annually.

This year’s theme? A spirited celebration of "Game On! Science, Sports & Play," the center’s latest exhibition. Developed with support from the Walter Family Foundation, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, and LA84 Foundation, Game On! takes visitors inside the physics, biology, and innovation behind sports and play. Guests at the Discovery Ball got an exclusive first look, along with a chance to meet some of the mentor athletes featured in the exhibition, including legendary performer Debbie Allen, Olympian Rachel Garcia, and more. The blue carpet arrivals area featured custom carpeting printed with the “Game On!” logo provided by Primo XL, plus a sporty fabricated step-and-repeat by Happy Times Event Co.—embellished with sculpted floral arrangements by CJ Matsumoto & Sons that incorporated sports equipment.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena Photography

Christina Sion, the museum’s vice president of food and event services, said she was immediately inspired by the exhibit’s theme. For the event, "We channeled the luxe way the sports industry provides hospitality to their players and top VIPs, and wanted to deliver that same level of service and style to our gala guests," she explained. "Our goal was to ensure that every guest felt like an MVP."

That spirit was front and center from the moment guests hit the “blue carpet.” The cocktail reception channeled a high-energy fan fest with playful nods to LA sports culture—think “Blue Heaven” margaritas, iconic Dodger Dogs, and surprise cameos by the Dodgers’ mascot and Sam the Eagle from the 1984 Olympics. On display were pieces of sports history, including the 1984 Olympic torch and the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series Commissioner’s Trophy. During cocktail hour, guests enjoyed ballpark-inspired tray-passed hors d’oeuvres served by the Good Gracious! Events waitstaff, who were dressed as referees carrying stadium-style concessionaire’s trays.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena PhotographyBar partner Flair Project’s bartenders sported Nike-supplied “Team USA” outfits while pouring “Blue Heaven” margaritas and “Buzzer Beater” bourbon sours under a truss canopy reminiscent of a sports bar. Multiple big-screen TVs featured iconic sports reels provided by the center's lead exhibit sponsors, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and LA84.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena PhotographyOther food options during cocktail hour included Dodger Dogs (the popular hot dogs served at Dodger Stadium) and a hot gourmet pretzels and beer stand.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena Photography"Another fun component was working with Happy Times Event Co. to custom-fabricate two lounge backdrop vignettes—one decked out with sports equipment and iconic mementos from our exhibit partners, LA84, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, and Nike—and the other styled to resemble an imagined 'Owner’s Lounge' complete with Chesterfield couches and fun displays," said Sion.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena PhotographyOther fun on-theme details included baseball bats incorporated into floral displays.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena Photography"A challenge we faced when designing the flow of this year’s event was that we wanted to start the festivities by immediately directing gala guests to preview the new exhibit—but bouncing basketballs and soccer balls would not mix well with stemware!" said Sion. "Feeling compelled to offer some hospitality at arrivals, we proposed a playful nod to 'soccer moms' whose game-day snacks regularly included Capri-Suns, by developing a 'spill-proof' arrival cocktail." The result, created with Flair Project, was a grown-up version of a Capri-Sun, with alcoholic and nonalcoholic cocktails served in a reusable neon blue drink flask donated by Vapur.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena Photography

As dusk fell, the Divas and Drummers of Compton—alums of America’s Got Talent—led a high-octane procession to the dinner tent. "Drummers played guests into the tent with a cadence reminiscent of a classic HBCU drumline," said Sion. "The sparkly-attired drill team amped up the excitement with a customized 'Let’s go, game on!' cheer while also performing a high-energy mix of choreography and tumbling routines as flag girls waved vibrant flags rallying guests to follow their lead." "The high-energy procession set the tone for a dynamic evening, blending game-day sports spirit with gala sophistication," said Sion.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena Photography

Inside, the custom-built tent had been transformed into a miniature sports arena, an idea Sion says came from the team's desire to maintain the elegance and sophistication of a black-tie gala while also fully immersing guests in a high-energy, sports-themed environment. "We wanted attendees to feel like they were VIPs dining on the 50-yard line or courtside at a championship game," she explained.

Tables were set up on a green turf surrounding a basketball court-inspired dance floor. Other details included a functional jumbotron-style statement decor piece and an LED podium that flashed “player's cards” for each of the speakers, complete with their name, photo and “stats.” "Speakers were asked to preselect their own 'walk-on music' that helped usher them to the stage like true pros!" added Sion. In the main tent, dinner tables were set up on a green turf surrounding a basketball court-inspired dance floor.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena PhotographySome of the tables were built to resemble basketball nets. "They included actual basketballs with a glass top that diners could see while eating," said Sion. "It took a clever addition of a gold spandex covering to mask the table hardware to make it elegant and all come together."Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena Photography

The menu, created by Good Gracious! Events, brought a gourmet twist to stadium staples. Tables swapped florals for tiered seafood towers on wooden lazy Susans, heaped with gold-dusted crab claws, oysters, and prawns. An elevated steakhouse dinner followed, with ribeyes and a parade of favorite sides served family style. For dessert? Individual bottles of Champagne paired with a custom “Game On!”-branded chocolate ball filled with rich mousse and gourmet Cracker Jack. "Envisioning how the industry would entertain sports teams’ owners led us to the idea of creating an elevated steakhouse dinner," noted Sion. During the salad course, the lazy Susans featured elegant, tiered seafood towers, complete with edible gold-dusted crab claws, oysters on the half shell, and jumbo prawns. For the main course, the towers were replaced by “Everyone’s Favorite Steakhouse Sides,” which were served family style.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena Photography"Every guest received a branded foam finger, doubling as an auction paddle or simply a playful way to cheer from the sidelines," said Sion.Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena Photography

A standout performance from the Debbie Allen Dance Academy brought even more star power to the program, followed by a “7th Inning Stretch” that led into a spirited fundraising auction. Guests raised stadium-style foam fingers in place of paddles, bidding on experiences including a behind-the-scenes tour of Nike’s LeBron James Innovation Center and the chance to throw the first pitch at a Dodgers home game.

The celebration wrapped up on a basketball court-themed dance floor, with DJ Kara spinning the soundtrack. As they departed, guests received swag bags filled with sporty keepsakes including a Freddie Freeman bobblehead. "Our halftime entertainment was provided by the incredibly talented Debbie Allen Dance Academy DADA Ensemble, choreographed by AuDrya Clayton," said Sion. "Their dynamic piece, 'Move,' energized the crowd and paid homage to the movement section of the exhibition."Photo: Leroy Hamilton"One of our favorite parts of the exhibit is a Dodgers tribute mural painted on site by artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr.," she added. "Gustavo generously gave us his approval to photograph the mural and project it on the exterior of the 'Game On!' gallery for guests to enjoy as they left the event. Gustavo plussed the experience by arriving to the gala in a cherry-condition Dodger Blue 1960 Impala, similar to the car featured in his mural, which became a popular photo op with guests."Photo: Dina Douglass/Andrena PhotographyThe event had a black-tie dress code—but bow ties and sneakers were optional. (Pictured: Gala guests inside the new exhibition.)Photo: Courtesy of the California Science Center

VENDORS