Under Colorado’s snowy skies on Saturday night, the Aspen Snow Ball took place at the local St. Regis. In its first edition, the annual gala, hosted by the Children’s Oncology Support Fund, raised more than $1.5 million for the fight against pediatric cancer. It was an evening that brought together film producer, fund founder and gala chair Thomas Pierce, actress and honorary chair Marcia Gay Harden and singer and songwriter Denise Rich amid a major contingent of guests from Los Angeles.

With a Narnia theme and top sponsorship from Chopard and Farfetch, the night brought together celebrities, donors and socialites. Said Pierce, explaining the choice of Narnia, “During World War II, four English children took cover in a house to stay safe from bombings. The children stumble into a wardrobe to find a magical forest called Narnia. They join a magical Lion in the fight against the evil White Witch, Jadis. In this case, the White Witch we’re fighting is cancer. Aspen is like Narnia, a magical place filled with oversized wardrobes and talking lions.”

The evening, where women dressed in elegant gowns and men in black tie, was made possible by the local Aspen community and people like Carly Weber and her Christie’s International Real Estate husband Scott, who Pierce noted was “the first to get behind me, and after a successful committee event last year I had even more confidence to move forward with a gala.”

The night started off with a red carpet and cocktail hour. As guests were ushered into the ballroom, Asher Monroe performed and then the live auction began. Pierce spoke about how a close friend passed away from cancer, which propelled him to get active around the disease. “When [cancer research organization] Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation approached me to help start a young professional committee in New York, I found my outlet. I put my grief into action. I support the fight against cancer to keep my friend’s name alive; I do this work in the name of Pamela Cooper.”

Harden took to the stage also, bringing an uproar of laughter to the room when she shared how her flight from Denver to Aspen was cancelled, necessitating a seven-hour Uber ride through a snow storm. The So Help Me Todd actress made it, though luggage-less.

“Have you guys seen White Lotus?” Harden asked the crowd. Guests, many of whom had themselves encountered travel hiccups from flight cancellations and delays to baggage issues, yelled out, “Yes.” 

“So, I was like Jennifer Coolidge falling out of that Uber,” continued Harden. Mimicking Coolidge’s distinct accent, she joked, “I was like, ‘Thank God, where’s the gays? Where’s the champagne? Geez — everybody is so skinny.”

Speaking seriously, she noted why cancer is a cause that’s important to her. Telling the story of when she was an actress waiting tables in Washington, DC, she was called by the Make-a-Wish Foundation to dress as Snow White and meet with a little girl who had cancer — on the same day that Oliver Stone wanted to consider her for his film, Born On The Fourth Of July. She couldn’t move the Stone meeting and decided to instead meet with the dying girl. Full of emotion and almost breaking down, Harden related how the girl asked her whether when she died, would she get kissed and wake up. “I knew I couldn’t lie to her,” Harden recalled. “I didn’t know her family’s beliefs, but the doctor was in the room wearing a kippah and there was a nurse with a cross, so I said ‘Honey, when you die, God kisses you and you wake up.’”

William Abadie, the Emily In Paris actor, shared his sentiments of the importance of the evening. “I’m here because my friend Thomas [Pierce] invited me, but I’m an actor and a performer. I happen to have a little sunshine in my career now and it has only so much significance. What can I do with it, that has a bit more meaning so I can recycle that in a way that is productive. I’m here because I want to keep being inspired and surrounded by people that act to help others. I help City Harvest in New York City, and I don’t know that much about pediatric cancer, but I have appreciation for those that extend themselves to help others. I can’t think of anything worse than having your child being sick. I’m a newbie in this endeavor, but I’m looking forward to the next edition.” 

American singer and songwriter Denise Rich, who lost her daughter to Hodgkin’s lymphoma, also took to the stage during the evening, which was held on her daughter’s birthday. “Through our [Gabrielle’s Angel] foundation, we have funded over $39 million dollars to 300 researchers to date. Survival rates and quality of life continue to increase thanks to innovative new drugs and treatments. I believe my daughter would be alive with all of these advancements,” stated Rich.

During the dinner, Pierce’s Children’s Oncology Support Fund presented Rich’s Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation with $25,000. 

Noting why cancer research is key, the L.A.-based Pierce (whose credits include Tu me manques and the upcoming The Blue Mauritius) said, “When COVID-19 hit, many scientists lost their research. Labs were shut, human trials needed a new start and foundations around the world depend on fundraisers like these to fund groundbreaking research. Many had no choice but to close their doors, making access to grants even more competitive. I thought now is the time to double down and start my own foundation, Children’s Oncology Support Fund to host fundraisers like these to support organizations like Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research, our chosen beneficiary.”

Diana Ross closed out the evening singing classics from her Supremes days like “Baby Love” to her 1980 hit “I’m Coming Out.” Wearing a flamboyant, poufy purple long jacket and a sparkling sleeveless gown, she bought the room to their feet. Later, singer Macy Gray headlined the afterparty.

“The most significant thing is that they’re trying to raise awareness and the more influential people that can spread the word, the more it can snowball literally down the line,” added Eugenia Kuzmina, model, actress, comedian and wife to Miramax’s Bill Block, regarding the evening. “I don’t know what the organic cure for cancer is, but I think it’s always about if you have the chance to bring something to the surface then do that. Hopefully next year it will be bigger and snowball and that creatives and people with power will come forward and support pediatric cancer.”