Smiling Hospital Charity Gala, Budapest Marriott

Never let it be said that Albert Royaards, always a gracious host at events close to his heart, lacks spunk or imagination, as he ably demonstrated bicycling into the Budapest Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel on Saturday February 3 to welcome everyone and peddle the Smiling Hospital Foundation’s Grand Fundraising Gala.

An international gathering of some 200 guests dressed in evening finery flocked to fill the Foundation’s coffers for the fourteenth year in order to contribute to the Gala’s higher purpose: raising funds in order to raise seriously ill children’s spirits in hospital wards across the country.

The evening program certainly provided plenty to smile about—welcome champagne, master of ceremonies Hans Peterson’s equally adroit English and Hungarian joie de vivre, musical interludes by winners of MTV’s “Virtuoso” series, and much more as you can see below.

Just before the pics, a final mention here needs to go to the Marriott Hotel’s generous HUF 500.000 contribution thanks to general manager Rick Enders. Text by Amy Módly

We hope you enjoy the photos below by Russell Skidmore for XpatLoop - the event media sponsor.