Mar. 28: Celebrity Fight Night

 
 
 

Celebrity Fight Night

If the words “Celebrity Fight Night” trigger images of Hollywood’s A-list duking it out in a boxing ring, you’d only be slightly off the mark.  

When the philanthropic event first debuted in 1994, celebrities were pitted against one another wearing oversized, inflatable gloves for healthy bouts of harmless, ego-smashing fun. Things have grown more civilized over the years, but the fight remains strong. Since its founding, Celebrity Fight Night has raised more than $100 million for various charities.

This year, the event celebrates its 21st anniversary on Saturday Mar. 28 at the JW Marriot Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. The festivities coincide with Reba McEntire’s birthday, who will return as emcee for the tenth consecutive year. As always, the executive team is striving for excellence. Says Executive Director Sean Currie: “[We want to] leave guests feeling like they had a great night of awesome, impactful dollars being raised.”

It’s too early to say for sure, but we’re betting that round 21 will be one for the books. After a gourmet dinner prepared by esteemed JW Marriot chefs, music biggest starts like Blake Shelton, Josh Groban, Ronnie Dunn and Kelly Clarkson, will perform a two-hour concert led by 16-time Grammy winning music producer, David Foster. Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on once-in-a-lifetime items during both the silent and live auctions. Several exciting packages include a Valentine’s Day Weekend in Miami complete with an exclusive concert from Andrea Bocelli, a private dinner at Reba McEntire’s home and a trip to the Himalayas with Bobby Kennedy Jr. and Cheryl Hines.

Extravagance aside, Celebrity Fight Night proudly upholds its original philanthropic vision.

Proceeds from the event advantage more than 14 different charities, the primary beneficiary being the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute. The center, established in 1997 by Ali himself, has become the most comprehensive Parkinson’s facility in the country thanks to the dollars donated by Celebrity Fight Night.

Surprisingly enough, “we never set a [monetary] goal,” says Currie. “We just do the best we can…and see how it all lands. We’ve been fortunate enough [to raise] between $5 and $9 million every year, so we just keep hoping to raise the bar.”

Let’s keep our fingers are crossed for another knockout year. celebrityfightnight.org/