Of all 32 Swan Balls she's attended, Elizabeth Nichols said there's still nothing like her first one. It was 1986, and the air on a June evening in Belle Meade was full of magnolia.
"I'll never forget it. It was so glamorous. The tent, the flowers, the people, the dresses — everything seemed magical. I was in my early 30s and I just remember how awestruck I was by it all."
Nichols, who together with Betsy Brittain would eventually take a turn as ball co-chair in 2005, has only missed two Swan Balls since '86. This year's ball would have been her 33rd, but the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The annual philanthropic event held at Cheekwood's Swan Gardens typically raises around $1 million each year through its ticket sales, auction, jewelry sales and sponsors. The event, started by Nashville socialite Jane Dudley in 1963, benefits Cheekwood Gardens and raises approximately 12% of Cheekwood's annual budget. The funding is used for outreach, as well as care of the gardens, the historic mansion, museum and historic collections.
Cheekwood CEO Jane MacLeod said canceling the ball because of COVID-19 will definitely affect their operations this year — one of their best financially prior to the pandemic.
"We are hopeful that those associated with the ball who understand its financial importance to Cheekwood will maintain their philanthropic giving to the ball despite its cancellation," MacLeod said in an email.
She remains optimistic that strong visitor attendance at the gardens will help Cheekwood recoup losses from the Swan Ball cancellation and being closed for 10 weeks during peak season.
Co-chairs Anne Maradik and Jane Anne Pilkinton have been working on the 2020 Swan Ball for over a year. Maradik said even though it was a difficult decision to cancel, they didn't want to keep spending on the event and end up unable to host it.
"We want to be sure we fulfill the mission of Swan Ball, to support and sustain Cheekwood. And especially right now with so much uncertainty, the best way to fund Cheekwood is to cancel the ball and hope that our sponsors and guests will send their support directly to Cheekwood," Maradik said.
Maradik said that even without the white-tie evening, the chairwomen still hope to support Cheekwood, thus successfully chairing the ball.
"Swan Ball is much more than one night," Maradik said. "We do feel that we will be able to fulfill the mission of the ball this year, in spirit."
Still, Nichols said she'd miss seeing the women's satisfaction in having their own magical evening, the culmination of all their work.
"I’m going to miss seeing those families celebrate what their moms have done," Nichols said.
Every year during the ball, Nichols walks to the wisteria arbor outside the drawing room, where an outdoor bar is set up, to look out over the surrounding Tennessee hills. Inside, she always sits with a group of friends.
"It’s a social event," Nichols said. "That's always been the spirit of the Swan Ball. Rather than individual reservations, you're looking for groups of people being together. And that's hard when you're social-distancing."
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'Much more than one night': Women haven't given up on canceled Swan Ball's mission - The Tennessean
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