Frequently asked Questions
Q. is there a dress code??
A. since this is a private event and we know that people may be coming from the Husky game or Mariners game, we understand that people will be coming in game attire. Which is fine. Let your conscience be your guide regarding the attractiveness of your knees . 😀
Q. Can I just come and hear the band and not go to the dinner?
A. The price will be the same if you come for dinner or not. Because the fixed costs are the same, whether there are only a few people or 150. This includes the permits, the building rental, the band, the web page, programs, the PA system, the decorations, the photographer , staffing costs, parking etc etc.
Q. How is it possible to have at the same price as it was 10 years ago even though 10 years ago it was a skimpy buffet and no band?
A. Two reasons . One is that one of our classmates has given the committee a generous donation. The other is that the fixed price of the Elks room rental is much higher than the Women's University Club AND they had to rent tablecloths, dishes, stemware, tableware and pay for flowers, as well as pay the caterer.
Q. Are there hotels nearby?
A. Yes! The Vintage Hotel is right behind the Women's University Club on 5th Avenue and Spring . The Crowne Plaza Hotel is right next door on 6th Avenue. Half a block away is the Hilton . About a block and a half away down 6th Avenue is the Washington Athletic Club which is also a hotel, and across the street from that is the Sheraton Hotel. Between 4th and 5th at University is the Olympic Hotel. (FYI, The Olympic Hotel is dog friendly if you require that ). At 5th and Madison is the Renaissance Hotel.
Q. Is a Women's University Club handicapped accessible ?
A. Yes, it is. The door from the garage leads directly into the building and there's a small ramp to the elevator up to the main floor. If you are mobility challenged, please contact the organizers and we will reserve a space near the door with your name on it.
Q. Is the building safe?
A. First of all, the building is nowhere near 3rd and Pike or any center of criminal activity. Secondly, it's completely surrounded by hotels with doorman and security cameras. Thirdly, this is a security building. You can only enter the front door by being buzzed in. (Try to spot the small window where they can see you at the front door ! ) You can only enter the building to the garage while staff is opening the door. Once the garage is full, you can exit the garage with your car, but there's no way to enter it from the street again. So the only two ways into the building are through the front door or the parking garage and once everyone's checked in, no one else can come inside.
If it's safe enough for 80 and 90-year-old women to take night classes, it should be safe enough for our classmates.
Q. What about parking?
A. There's a limited amount of parking underneath the building in the garage. We would ask that our classmates kindly reserve them to be available to our handicapped friends and unaccompanied women. Try to carpool! We have arranged for overflow parking at the Hilton garage, half a block away. There's also parking at BECU across the street but it doesn't have the same security as the Hilton.
To park at the Hilton, you will need to get a piece of paper with a QR code on it from registration, that you will scan at the exit scanner at the Hilton garage.
Q. What time does it get dark?
A. Sunset on September 7th is at 7:37 PM. "Civil"Dusk is sometime after 8:07 PM. "Nautical" dusk is at 8:42 PM. Our event starts at 5:00, dinner should start at 6:30 to 7 :30 followed by a couple brief speeches a few awards. After that we will have dancing!
Q. What's the schedule of events?
A. Doors open at 5:00 for registration and cocktails. We will have passed hors d'oeuvres shortly thereafter. At about 6:15, we will convene in the library by grade school class for elementary school pictures. (Alphabetically by school, starting with Adams.)
At 6:30 we will start dinner which is a plated 3-course dinner. We will have two speeches during dessert and a couple awards. After about 7:30 we will have the band strike up for dancing!
Q. I'm hard of hearing and I don't really want to hear the band that much. Is there somewhere quiet I can go to talk to my friends?
A. Yes! We have the entire first floor of the Women's University Club which includes a beautiful Drawing room with a fireplace and piano, couches, chairs, etc, as well as the Library, ditto. We also have the Gold room next to the dining room with highboy tables, a slide show of our senior year on the big TV , and it's next to the bar.
Q. What's up with the picnic at Golden Gardens? And why did it say 8:00 AM originally?
A. We have the first picnic shelter and two additional tables from 8:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. at night. But really the picnic is going to start at noon. It's a potluck so bring food to share! We will provide paper plates and plastic forks, charcoal briquettes and possibly some hot dogs and hamburgers, depending on the budget.
Remember that alcohol is prohibited at Golden Gardens.
Q. How will I get photos?
A. We will post photos to a gallery here on the website and they will be up for a year.
We will also post them on the Ballard High School 50th Reunion facebook page.