Keep the cymbal splashy, take the bass line for a walk: that was the mood at the Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre last Saturday night, but behind the brass and cocktails, volunteers carried on a 30-year tradition of supporting the Shaw Festival.
About 200 guests gathered for the annual Shaw Shivaree, a fundraiser chaired by local real estate agent Weston Miller that directs proceeds to the festival’s artists and productions, and serves as an informal start to the 2026 season, which opened April 2 and runs through Dec. 23.
The event transformed the theatre into a Gatsby-esque dinner and gala with the new theme, “a feast for the eyes,” to mark the 30th anniversary and refresh the experience for repeat donors and ticket holders.
Inside the studio, the 26-piece Toronto All-Star Big Band performed from the stage while guests moved between two open bars and food stations hosted by five Niagara culinary partners. The silent auction featured travel packages, theatre memorabilia and private experiences donated by businesses and residents.
Planning began months earlier with a five-member committee of local volunteers.
“We work for about six to eight months pretty tirelessly gathering auction items, sponsorship, and coming up with the concepts,” Miller said.
The fundraiser traces its origins to the 1990s, when local volunteers first organized the Shivaree at the courthouse.
“It’s always been designed to celebrate the local connection to the Shaw Festival and it’s always been volunteer organized,” he said.
Many attendees have supported the event for years, said Miller, with a mix of board members, donors and regular theatre patrons filling the room.
“It’s part of the fabric of Niagara-on-the-Lake as far as I’m concerned, and I think that’s what entices people to come out and support and celebrate,” Miller said.
Organizers monitored how guests responded to the redesigned space as they entered, treating the anniversary as a test of how the event can evolve while keeping its base of returning supporters.
“For me, it’s seeing the reactions of the guests as they walk in, and judging by that, it seems we succeeded in giving them something different this year,” he said.
Planning for next year’s edition will begin after this season’s run, with organizers set to confirm a 2027 date in the months ahead.
