LEAP Year Event 2021

— The 26th Anniversary —

LEAP Year Event is our annual fundraiser when the community comes together to make LEAP's free programs for youth from low-income neighborhoods possible. This year it will be on February 25th, 2021. LEAP Year Event normally starts with a cocktail reception followed by dinners at elegant homes and restaurants in and around New Haven. A different notable Guest of Honor joins each dinner party, providing a special theme for each gathering. Guests of Honor are academics, authors, artists, activists, performers, elected officials, media personalities, journalists, and a range of other talented individuals who lead a conversation on a topic of their expertise.

Due to COVID-19, LEAP Year Event 2021 will be virtual. Though different than usual, the fundamental ingredients that make it such a special event will stay the same; it will still be an evening of fascinating conversation, rich learning and connecting as a community! With everything changing around us, we are thrilled to continue this cherished tradition for our LEAP family via a high-quality virtual experience!

Scroll down to see more updates about this year's event!

This year's LEAP Year Event will happen on Thursday, February 25th, 2021 and it will be virtual! We will have 16 conversations to choose from (three of which will take place on Saturday, February 27th) and tickets can include dinners from local restaurants.

The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST with a virtual reception followed by your choice of 16 conversations with fascinating Guests of Honor at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets will go on sale towards the end of this month, but we wanted to share some details with you now as things are slightly different this year!

There are two options for this year's event.

OPTION 1: Intimate Conversations

Each Intimate Conversation will be limited to 15 participants on Zoom, including the Hosts, Guest of Honor, and a technology coordinator.
Participants are invited to join a conversation with the Guest of Honor, Hosts, and other guests, following a presentation by the Guest of Honor.
The only ticket option for Intimate Conversations is the Dinner-Included Ticket. Plan to pick up your dinner from the restaurant your host has paired with the conversation on the afternoon of the event.

OPTION 2: Large Group Presentations

Guests of Honor will present to as many as 100 attendees.
Attendees may submit questions to the Guest(s) of Honor via chat during a Q & A following the presentation.
Dinner-Included Tickets are available. Guests can choose from a participating local restaurant or caterer and pick their dinner up the afternoon of the event.
First Time Attendee Tickets and Non-Dinner Tickets are also available.

There are multiple ticket options for this year's event.

TICKET TYPES:

All tickets include admission to the virtual reception.

First Time Attendee Ticket ($75)

Curious about LEAP Year Event but haven’t joined before? This year we are offering a First Time Attendee Ticket at a significant discount. Ticket does not include dinner.

Non-Dinner Ticket ($95)

Want to join LEAP Year Event without a dinner? Tuning in from far away? This ticket will get you the LEAP Year Event experience, sans dinner.
- Coupling up? If you and a loved one are tuning in together, buy your tickets together for a total of $180.

Dinner-Included Ticket ($150)

You love LEAP, you love the event, and you love supporting local restaurants. This ticket will get you the traditional experience of fine dining and engaging topics! Pick up your dinner the afternoon of the event.
- Coupling up? If you and a loved one are tuning in together, buy your tickets together for a total of $290. PLUS, a bottle of wine will be included, courtesy of The Wine Thief. You can also pay for this ticket as a contribution to LEAP even if you don’t want the dinner.

Tax-deductible portion of Ticket Types:

First Time Attendee: $75

Non-Dinner: Single $95/Couple $180

Dinner-Included: Single $125/Couple $250