After fourteen years of running Australia’s favourite celebrity gala, Starry Starry Night, Thrive has gone out on a high saying goodbye to the event we started for The Alannah & Madeline Foundation.
Starry was born after Thrive’s founder and managing director, Leilani Abels, read Walter Mikac’s book about losing his family in the Port Arthur massacre. Both she and Adelaide Crows coach, Brenton Sanderson, were inspired to use their connections to stage what became a fixture on the calendar of hundreds of entertainment and sporting stars.
Over the years, guests have enjoyed show-stopping acts performed by an impressive list of talent at Crown’s Palladium. Big names have hosted tables such as Curtis Stone, Julia Morris, Cathy Freeman, Damien Oliver, Nathan Buckley and others.
Last year’s event was attended by the Foundation’s International Patron HRH Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. In yet another coup, superstar songstress Delta Goodrem was the opening act. Other performers included celebrity chef Manu Feildel, the X-Factor’s Andrew Wishart and the first live performance by Timomatic.
Over the years, Starry has raised over $7 million for The Alannah and Madeline Foundation and has attracted nearly 1000 big name stars, an achievement that Thrive is very proud of.