Formal attire was not necessarily required on Tuesday night at Chelsea Piers’ majestic Pier Sixty space, despite an A-list guest list of celebrity stature. In fact, blue jeans were the purposefully casual wardrobe preference of the 2013 “Fisherman’s Ball” benefit hosted by Riverkeeper, a not-for-profit organization tasked with protecting the integrity of the Hudson River and look after the drinking water of its surrounding residents. With a full dinner and cocktails, an awards presentation, and a very special performance by Lyle Lovett, some of New York City’s most notable advocates for the clean water movement descended upon the west side venue in their finest duds (or dungarees) for an incredible and star-studded evening

 

 

The red carpet was creatively shaded green on this night as the 6:30pm start time welcomed in some of Hollywood’s most distinguished guests. Oscar nominated actor Mark Ruffalo would be the evening’s guest of honor as the 2013 “Big Fish” award winner for his efforts in co-founding ‘Water Defense,’ a movement to create safe drinking water and utilizing clean and sustainable energy sources to power our growth. His presence on the red carpet was one of the most eagerly anticipated of the entire evening, surrounded by the likes of the aforementioned Lovett, attorney for Riverkeeper Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his girlfriend- actress Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm). Also in attendance were guests from the world of sports like former New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter and tennis legend John McEnroe, designer Nicole Miller, the iconic Yoko Ono (Benefit Co-chair), and actors Glenn Close (Damages) and David Chokachi (Baywatch). As the event kicked off, the paparazzi flashbulbs illuminated in a frenzy for the arrival of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal who briefly walked the green carpet solo, before heading inside the gala event.

 

   

With perhaps the cleanest drinking water available anywhere in the world, New Yorkers can sometimes take for granted the opportunities we are afforded. We never worry about having to boil water to utilize it for our daily needs, nor grabbing a drink from a water fountain or from our sinks during a particularly humid afternoon. And while Riverkeeper is hardly the only organization helping to safeguard the upkeep of our local environment, their work toward the maintenance and cleanliness of the Hudson River is unparalleled. For more information on how you can help the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Yoko Ono, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., or to simply do your part in helping out by making a donation or learning more about the good deeds being done by the folks at Riverkeeper, check out riverkeeper.org.

– Jane Van Arsdale