Sanfilippo Estate to host Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser

Thirty adults perched on a whirling carousel, speed-calling friends on their cellphones. Sounds like a bunch of busy parents making business calls at an amusement park.

But, no. This will be the scene at the Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser at the Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills from 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3.

Dressed in evening wear, guests will ride the carousel on the Eden Palais, which was built in France in 1890. It also included stages for live performers, several bars, booths for perimeter seating, music and hundreds of electric lights.

As they ride their horse or gondola, guests will make calls to collect pledges — and they won’t be let off the ride until they have all the money they promised to raise.

Along with the rides, there also will be cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a chance to tour the magnificent Sanfilippo “Place de la Musique.”

Tickets to the event cost $150 for general admission; $2,500 for a carousel gondola sponsor; $5,000 for a carousel horse sponsor; and $10,000 for event sponsorship.

To purchase tickets, visit www.festivalofchildren.org.

Net proceeds from the event go straight to the Festival of Children Foundation, the group that dreamed up the event last year.

The foundation, in turn, will donate the money to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House Charities for Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.

Festival of Children, based in California, is “always on the lookout” for unique carousels to host the event. They contacted the Sanfilippo family’s fundraising group, Sanfilippo Foundation, said Beverly Morgan, spokeswoman for Festival of Children.

The Sanfilippo family has a collection of antique machines — including the Eden Palais — old steam engines and antique instruments.

Almost $250,000 was raised at the Sanfilippo event last year, which is the most money raised at any Carousel of Possible Dreams since the event’s birth in 2009, Morgan said.

This year, both foundations hope to raise at least $300,000 and expect that 20 to 30 people will buy rides on the carousel, said Jim Sanfilippo, business owner and organizer for the Sanfilippo Foundation.

But you don’t have to be a rider to join in. Anyone can buy tickets at festivalofchildren.org to attend the event and ride the carousel later at night after pledging wraps up, Sanfilippo said.

The Sanfilippo Foundation is always looking for ways to give back, Sanfilippo said, and this event donates to organizations that are “close to (its) heart.”

The carousel event was first held in 2009 at a shopping center carousel in Costa Mesa, Calif., and again at Central Park in New York City.

The Festival of Children Foundation will celebrate its 10th birthday by hosting Carousel of Possible Dreams at Disneyland’s King Arthur’s Carrousel in Anaheim, Calif., this November, Morgan said.

After two consecutive years of commitment, it’s possible the Carousel of Possible Dreams could return to Barrington Hills as an annual event, Jim Sanfilippo said.

“As long as all the other participants are ready, willing and eager, the Sanfilippo Foundation would be more than happy,” he said.

If you go

If you go

What: Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser

When: 5-9 p.m. Aug. 3; includes estate tours, carousel rides and a reception.

Where: Sanfilippo Estate, Barrington Hills

Tickets: General admission, $150; carousel gondola sponsor, $2,500; carousel horse sponsor, $5,000; event sponsorship, $10,000

To buy tickets: www.festivalofchildren.org