The Alliance Française de Chicago’s Gala BIARRITZ: LE BAL Will Return to the Four Seasons
The event is on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.
One of Chicago’s most anticipated cultural evenings will return this spring as the Alliance Française de Chicago will present its biennial gala, “Biarritz: Le Bal,” on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.
Inspired by the refined elegance and artistic heritage of Biarritz, the iconic seaside destination of France’s Basque coast, the evening will transport guests into a world where Haute Couture, Haute Gastronomie, and Grand Art converge.
Chaired by Mika Devonshire and Cheryl Sandner, the gala serves as the Alliance Française’s premier biennial fundraiser, supporting French language education and cultural programming across Chicago and the Midwest, including the organization’s Étoile Scholars Program, which provides French language and cultural enrichment opportunities to students from Chicago Public Schools.
Executive Director Mary Ellen Connellan will be honored following her recent distinction as Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite (Knight of the National Order of Merit), awarded by the French government on December 30, 2025. This prestigious honor recognizes individuals for outstanding civic and professional contributions.
Connellan’s relationship with the Alliance spans nearly three decades, beginning with her involvement on the Woman’s Board in 1997. Since her appointment as Executive Director in 2019, her leadership has played a defining role in expanding the organization’s reach and deepening its impact across Chicago’s cultural ecosystem.
The evening will also honor Jeffrey and Carol Horvitz in recognition of their transformative contribution to the Art Institute of Chicago and their unparalleled stewardship of French Old Master art.
Over four decades, the Horvitzes have assembled one of the most significant collections of French Old Master works in the United States, comprising nearly 2,000 drawings, 200 paintings, and 50 sculptures spanning the 16th to 19th centuries. Their landmark gift to the Art Institute has enabled the museum to present an unprecedented 300-year panorama of French art, an offering described as “wholly unique outside of France.”
Their continued partnership and philanthropic leadership ensure that French artistic heritage remains accessible to generations of Chicago audiences, scholars, and visitors.
An Immersive Evening of Culture and Community Guests of “Biarritz: Le Bal” will experience a Basque-inspired gourmet dinner, a curated auction featuring luxury travel and cultural experiences, an immersive environment inspired by the French Riviera, and a gathering of Chicago’s cultural leaders, philanthropists, and international community.
As Chicago continues to assert itself as a global cultural capital, the Alliance Française de Chicago remains a vital bridge between local and international communities—creating spaces where language, art, and culture intersect.
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