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This year’s fashion Shivoo is all about the spirit of Old Havana. It is a battered city, anchored in the past in which it was, undoubtedly, the queen of the Caribbean deck. It is a country full of color and rich in history with a long list of illustrious visitors, among them Marlon Brando, Errol Flynn, Winston Churchill and of course Ernest Hemingway. Old Havana today feels like a tunnel of time, a journey to our most immediate past, the 50’s era of classic automobiles & buildings standing tall with such dignity they refuse to crumble completely. Havana is a busy city full of artists, architecture, galleries, gardens, nightclubs, fedoras, cigars and long pours of Havana Gold Rum. Our SHIVOO will be like strolling through a panoramic garden or stumbling across a street corner bathed with the sounds par excellence of local musicians in Cuban key. People are friendly, dancing, smiling and eager to start up conversations. You may have only wanted a quick lunch but the music is so infectiously joyful that you end up staying half the afternoon. You walk away wishing you could prolong the experience. You will imagine yourself driving in a 1958 Pontiac hot pink convertible. You look up at the passing palm trees. The air is warm and a relaxing stop for the fresh taste of Sangria on your lips is a welcoming thought. You walk the narrow streets and eyeball the old women trying to sell you fat cigars. You make purchases to remind you of the moment. This SHIVOO Havana Fashion Show brings a bit of that Cuban flavor to the Sarasota Hyatt Ballroom on February 09, 2018. The boisterous event begins with a silent auction and social hour, opportunity for selfies in front of our flower wall, drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Live Cuban music will fill the halls by Renesito. Dancing is an option. Marcos Carvajal, artist and sponsor, will be our key note speaker on topics related to the gardens of Cuba. The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School opens our runway show followed with Havana inspired fashions by local clothiers Scout & Molly’s and Martin Freeman. There will be fashion, there will be color, there will be music, there will be dancing, there will be Sangria, there will be a chance to win a free trip to Havana and there will be opportunity to support our local community. The world over people strive for the betterment of their communities. Sarasota Garden Club strives to keep Sarasota a wonderful place to live. Our mission: To preserve our tranquil botanical gardens and historic landmarks while fostering appreciation of gardening principles, floral design, and civic beautification through educational programs. We give high school students scholarships for college, help seniors with garden therapy, develop gardens for Habitat for Humanity, maintain gardens throughout the city, arrange horticulture programs, support coral reef restoration, the Girl Scouts, and so much more. SGC invites you to support our community while enjoying an afternoon in Old Havana. Visit the website, SarasotaGardenClub.org for more information, to get tickets, and to sponsor! Don’t miss this one! It is NOT your average fashion show. Let’s Shivoo!