A New Frontier Gala at Frontiers Of Flight Museum

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Frontiers of Flight Museum (6911 Lemmon Ave., Dallas) is announcing a new era and will launch its Destination: Frontiers platform at its 2023 event, “A New Frontiers Gala.” With a record-setting astronaut as the guest speaker and community builder and leader Toni Brinker hosting the night, it will be one to remember. Presenting sponsor JSX, the museum’s next-door neighbor at Love Field, will host a VIP reception prior to the main event, then guests will enjoy gourmet cuisine from Chef Peja Krstic (Mot Hai Ba and Ichi Ni San), live music from Ricki Derek & Band and a Wings, Watches and Whiskey live auction. Tickets start at $250 at FlightMuseum.com.

During the gala, Frontiers of Flight Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate that provides aerospace STEM education through exhibits, including airplanes and spacecraft, will host space pioneer Dr. Sian Proctor as guest speaker. Proctor is a geoscientist, educator, explorer, and artist – and the first black woman to pilot a spacecraft, the SpaceX Inspiration4, the first all-civilian orbital mission.

Proctor believes that we need to actively strive for a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive (J.E.D.I.) space, both on Earth and beyond. Her talk will focus on equity and equality in space exploration.

The gala will also serve as an introduction to Frontiers of Flight Museum’s new Chief Executive Officer Abigail Erickson-Torres, who will conduct a Q&A with Proctor, as well as outline DESTINATION: Frontiers, the museum’s plan to enter into a new era. The DESTINATION: Frontiers initiative will provide three pillars of focus that will allow the museum to sustain operations, re-ignite interest and build capacity for future generations to enjoy. The changes include bringing more diversity and inclusion to exhibits, focusing on aerospace STEM education, and improving the guest experience while at the museum.

“Frontiers of Flight Museum was created to capture the awe of the past, present, and future of aviation and space,” Erickson-Torres said. “Through the fundraising at events like our 2023 gala, we will sustain this great community resource and be the pathway for young kids, teens, and adults from diverse backgrounds, with a focus this next year on girls, to connect to careers in the aerospace industry through our mentoring, workforce solutions, education programs and so much more.”

The menu from celebrity chef Peja Krstic will begin with passed hors d’oeuvres that include big eye tuna tartare wrapped in a shiso leaf with sushi rice, mini poke bowls, and Foxley River oysters with brown butter vinaigrette and mint. The hors d’oeuvres will be followed by a three-course menu featuring delectable surprises from the chef.

There will be silent and live auctions during the evening. Online bidding for the silent auction is already underway at flightmuseum.com/auction. Prizes in the live auction include a luxe trip for two to the Bahamas on JSX, a Tudor timepiece from de Boulle, and a flight of whiskey varieties from Still Austin.  The gala will end with dancing to the sounds of Ricki Derek & Band, known for channeling the greats of past and present with their own unique style.

“We can’t wait to share a magical evening with guests, all to raise awareness and funds as we build a stronger community,” event chair Brinker said. “We need a fun place for families to connect over the love of aviation and space travel. You can sense the excitement as we move forward to create opportunities to play, work, learn, and experience joy and belonging in our community.”