Saturday, March 6, 2027, at 6:30 p.m.
Honoring the Past. Inspiring the Future.
For fifty years, Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens has been a bridge between the United States and Japan.
We will celebrate this milestone during an unforgettable evening beneath the stars: a champagne and sake reception with passed hors d’oeuvres and curated silent auction, performance by world-renowned jazz pianist Keiko Matsui, lakeside dinner brought to life by trumpeter Dr. Courtney Jones and his jazz quintet, with artist Kei Murakami painting live, and a breathtaking finale as hundreds of lanterns drift across Morikami Lake to the thunder of Fushu Daiko taiko drumming.
Learn MoreGala Co-Chairs
Robin May, Christine Carton, and Anna Janover
2027 George Morikami Cultural Arts Award Recipients
- Michael Sonnenreich, Philanthropy
- Gary Russell Libby, Collecting & Cultural Stewardship
- Jun Kaneko, Artistic Achievement
- Chieko and James Mihori, Lifetime Achievement
Keiko Matsui
Jazz Pianist & Composer – Tokyo-born Keiko Matsui trained at the Yamaha Music Foundation before her 1987 solo debut, A Drop of Water. Across some thirty albums, she has woven Eastern melody into Western jazz with singular grace. Her album Deep Blue topped Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart for three straight weeks, a first for a Japanese artist. She has worked alongside Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Bob James, and Hugh Masekela. A committed humanitarian, she has performed at United Nations Headquarters and donated album royalties to the UN World Food Programme.
Dr. Courtney Jones
Trumpeter with his Jazz Quintet – Dr. Courtney Jones is Associate Professor of Trumpet and Artistic Director of Jazz Ensembles at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. A Conn-Selmer (Bach) recording artist, he earned his UCLA doctorate under Jens Lindemann, former lead trumpet of the Canadian Brass. He has shared the stage with B.B. King, Kenny Burrell, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Rihanna, recorded for Glee and Criminal Minds, and played Carnegie Hall in the Gateways Orchestra’s historic 2022 debut. A passionate mentor, he champions music education for underserved youth.
Kei Murakami
Shodo, or Japanese Calligraphy, Artist – Miami Beach artist Kei Murakami practices shodo, the centuries-old Japanese art of the brush, and gives it a vivid new voice. She paints in bold, Caribbean-bright color laced with ultraviolet-reactive pigments that, under blacklight, reveal a second painting hidden within the first. Through her studio, Kei’s Smile Factory, founded in 2018, she creates live, interactive works for clients including Suzuki and Nobu, often rendering guests’ names in kanji as keepsakes. Rooted in tradition and joyfully modern, her art has one purpose: to make people smile.
Sponsorship Details
Every sponsor and underwriter is celebrated on the Gala invitation, website, printed program, OneCause mobile bidding site, and in post-event acknowledgments — and receives Morikami’s 50th Anniversary commemorative publication for you and every guest household.
Purchase Sponsorship OpportunityRISING SUN $100,000
Presenting Sponsor · Lakeside Table · Ten Seats
Presenting Sponsor recognition across all media, video, & podium · premium champagne & sake service · full-page ad, back/inside front cover · press-release quote · Phoenix Founding Member of The Yamato Circle · automatic Lifetime Membership in The George Morikami Legacy Society.
GOLDEN MOUNTAIN $50,000
Premier Sponsor · Premier Table · Ten Seats
Premier recognition across all media, video, & podium · premium champagne & sake service · full-page ad, premier placement · Phoenix Founding Member of The Yamato Circle · automatic Lifetime Membership in The George Morikami Legacy Society.
SILVER MOON $25,000
Premium Sponsor · Premium Table · Ten Seats
Premium recognition across all media, video, & podium · premium champagne & sake service · full-page ad · Chrysanthemum Founding Member of The Yamato Circle.
COPPER PINE $15,000
Table Sponsor · Reserved Table · Ten Seats
Recognition on the Gala invitation, signage, & printed program · half-page ad · Ginkgo Founding Member of The Yamato Circle.
BRONZE LANTERN $5,000
Four Seats
Recognition on the Gala invitation, signage, & printed program · quarter-page ad.
SHINING STAR $2,500
Two Seats
Recognition on the Gala invitation, signage, & printed program · quarter-page ad.
FALLING WATER $1,250
One Seat
Recognition on the Gala invitation, signage, & printed program · quarter-page ad.
Individual Tickets
Will not be released for general sale until January 2027, subject to availability.
Underwriting Opportunities
Every sponsor and underwriter is celebrated on the Gala invitation, website, printed program, OneCause mobile bidding site, and in post-event acknowledgments — and receives Morikami’s 50th Anniversary commemorative publication for you and every guest household.
Purchase Underwriting Opportunity- DINNER LAKESIDE — $60,000
- DECOR — $35,000
- ILLUMINATIONS — $20,000
- ENTERTAINMENT – $15,000 SOLD! …With the generous support of Michael Sonnenreich and Kana Johnston
- COCKTAILS — $15,000 SOLD! …With the generous support of Christine Carton
- FLORALS — $15,000
- ART — $10,000
- DINNER ENTERTAINMENT — $5,000
- LANTERN LAUNCH — $5,000
- OMIYAGE (Gifts) — $5,000 SOLD! … With the generous support of Randal Baker and Michael Gallacher
- VALET — $5,000
- INVITATION & PROGRAM — $5,000
Journal Ads
The Golden Gala program journal is a keepsake of this historic evening.
Purchase Journal Ad- Full Page – $1,000
- Half Page – $500
- Quarter Page – $250
Journey to Japan with Mitsui Ocean Cruises
Our 50th Anniversary Raffle offers a once-in-a-lifetime Journey to Japan with Mitsui Ocean Cruises – a five-star, all-inclusive voyage for two in Veranda Suite accommodation. This Japanese-owned luxury cruise line specializes in specially curated itineraries built around Japan’s hidden gems, historical sites, and natural landscapes with an intimate level of omotenashi (unparalleled hospitality) and authenticity that Western cruise lines simply cannot match.
*Does not include airfare. Limited quantities available. Drawing to be held at the Golden Gala on March 6, 2027. Need not be present to win.
Please Note: Raffle tickets are not available online. Kindly call 561-233-1316 or buy in person at Morikami
Raffle Tickets — $150 each
