Ste-Justine’s ball sizzles and shines

You know the spring social season is officially upon us when a thousand-plus young professional Montreal Social Gals and Gents don their black-tie trendiest for one of the hottest tickets of the year, the much-anticipated Sainte-Justine’s Ball, a.k.a. the grown-ups’ ball for the children.

Proudly presented in 2017 by Bloomberg and organized masterfully by devoted Young Leaders Circle committee chairs Vanessa Poulin Bouffard and Éric Laberge, president/CEO Maud Cohen, and committee members, Jean-François Blaquière, Stéphanie-Kim, Cérat Émilie Charbonneau, Victor Charlebois, Véronique Déry, Marie-Eve Desrochers, Mike Furino, François Jacques-Cantin, Caroline Khangi, Stéphanie Laberge, Audrey Lapointe, Véronique Leblanc, Vanessa Lord-Dextradeur, Andrée-Anne Paiement, Daphné RobertCareau, Sarah Saunders, Nicolas Schulman, Rachel St-Amand, Andréane Beaumier and Melissa Martin, it’s no surprise that this 16th edition was their best ever, enjoying early pre-event support from such high-profile ambassadors as spokesperson/ founder Francisco Randez, Amélie B Simard, Camille DG, Kim Sullivan, Sally Folk, Marie-Josée Gauvin, Pierre-Olivier Beaudoin, Andy Pressoir, Carolane Stratis, Josiane Stratis, Debby Doktorczyk, Patrice Groleau, Nicolas Urli, Ethan Song and Éliane Gamache Latourelle.

SUPER START! The always fashionable festivities, boasting a unique “Bigger than Nature” theme, got underway at Le Salon 1861, at 7:30 p.m. with a National-Bank-sponsored VIP cocktail dinatoire on the majestic second floor of the refurbished church, where, yes, the view bathed in multihued-pastel lighting was stunning, but the VIPeeps, food and bevs were arguably, more so.

Caught at this early juncture, swishing bubbles, chatting animatedly, and sampling impressive fare from the generous likes of gastronomically-inclined event suppliers including Atlantic Shellfish, Botsis Importers of Fruits and Vegetables, Flyjin, Groupe Antonopoulos — Maggie Oakes, Juliette & Chocolat, Kampai Garden, L’Assommoir, Lecavalier Petrone, Parreira Traiteur, Pâtisserie Petit Lapin, Poissonnerie La Mer, Robert Alexis Traiteur, Scarlet Exclusive, Traiteur Brera and Viandes Dunham were the sartorially savvy, high influence, oft celebrity likes of Roseline Filion; the Dufour-Lapointe sisters, accompanied by superagent Karim Leduc, president of Dulcedo Management; Jean Airoldi with squad Jean-François Ethier and Jean-Sebastien Herr; Herby Moreau (in Hugo Boss) and pal Pascale Bourbeau; Angelo Cadet, sporting his own brand, with Genevieve Plante; Groupe Park Avenue’s dashing Norman John Hébert and stunning wife Jaclyn; new MVP Groupe International founder/ president Simon Arsenault with love, Valerie Naud; well suited bromancers Antoine Boule (in Tiger of Sweden) and Marc Tremblay (in Jack Victor); good gal pals Annie-Claude Roy and Groupe Millesime founder Chloe Teasdale; Chanel-clad glam gals Sabrina Koussake and Houda Mafhoum; and so many more supporters, equally fabulous, but far too numerous to mention.

Post-creative ’tails and amuses-bouches, VIP partiers floated downstairs for the main soiree, where fresh entertainment awaited.

Think animators perched on stilts in larger-than-life maquillage with oversized personalities to match — like magnificent Midnight Myriam — and a pair of operatic maestros representing Opéra de Montréal. Also not too shabby in the party verse: gifted DJs Donald Lauture and Ness who continued to inspire much dancing and revelry well past the witching hour.

WAY THEY ROLL: Most impressive, however, was the final tally of the night, a wow $280,000 for the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation that will go the distance in supporting the CHU SainteJustine Centre of Excellence in Neonatal Intensive Care, a milestone underscoring yet again all that keen determination on the part of the organizing team to make a difference for our children, in collaboration with dedicated event partners including Intact Insurance, McGill Real Estate, Engel & Völkers, Lexus, Lasik MD, Montreal Exchange / TMX, Yves Légaré Complexes funéraires, Ask Marketing, CPA Comptables professionnels agréés de Montréal, National Bank Financial — Parent Paiement Wealth Management Group, National Bank Financial — Schulman Group Wealth Management, Groupe Park Avenue, Innovative Medecines Canada and Produktions K.

Cheers to you Sainte-Justine dream team. You do us proud.

JIMMY HAMMELIN ONE HAWT BALL: A thousand-plus young revellers enjoy the magic of a great night while raising funds for the CHU Sainte Justine Foundation at the recent Saint-Justine’s Ball.

JIMMY HAMMELIN GO BIG OR GO HOME: Committee members rejoice in their big number for the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation.

GGIGUERE CALLING ALL CHOCOHOLICS! Marc Tremblay and friends enjoy Juliette & Chocolat’s utterly perfect sweet confections at the Sainte-Justine’s Ball.

CHU STE-JUSTINE FOUNDATION DANCING DUFOUR-LAPOINTES: The Dufour-Lapointe sisters, Justine, Chloé and Maxime, hit the dancefloor.

JIMMY HAMMELIN GLITTERY AMBASSADORS: Patrice Groleau, Debby Doktorczyk, spokesperson/founder Francisco Randez, and Pierre-Olivier Beaudoin.

JIMMY HAMMELIN THAT KIND OF PARTY! Guests let loose at the SainteJustine’s Ball.

JIMMY HAMMELIN OPREA TOUCHES THE SOUL: Operatic masters from Opéra de Montréal entrance at the SainteJustine’s Ball.

JIMMY HAMMELIN KISSYTIME! Ambassador Camille DG plants one on her man, Marc Noël, at the Sainte-Justine’s Ball.

GGIGUERE JEAN AIROLDI IN THE HOUSE! Sporting Balmain and Zara, the beloved celeb attended the eve with a spirited squad.

JIMMY HAMMELIN BACK2BACK: Pascale Bourbeau (in BCBGMAXAZRIA) and Herby Moreau (in Hugo Boss) amp up the style and sass at the recent Sainte-Justine’s Ball at Le Salon 1861.

CHU STE-JUSTINE FOUNDATION DRESSUP AND MAKEUP were all part of the sizzle as animators entertained the crowd at the recent Sainte-Justine’s Ball.

JIMMY HAMMELIN SITTING PRETTY: Geneviève Plante hangs with Angelo Cadet, sporting his own brand, at the SainteJustine’s Ball.