Don’t miss NEMPAC’s annual Soirée on the Prado as we bring you Cabaret in the City, with live performances, delicious food, and great company, all under a grand tent and canopy of trees on the Paul Revere Mall. Join us for an unforgettable night connecting with fellow arts enthusiasts and supporters while contributing to NEMPAC’s mission.

This year’s Soirée will honor two distinguished contributors to the arts:

Traci Walker Griffith, Executive Director of the Eliot K-8 Innovation School, is retiring this summer after more than 34 years of leadership advancing equity, arts education, and student success in Boston.

Robin Sidell, Chef and Owner of North Street Grille, a beloved North End restaurant, and a longtime community leader whose support of local organizations, including NEMPAC, has helped strengthen Boston’s cultural and civic life.

Single tickets are now on sale!

– Cabaret Seating Ticket @ $250 – Includes reserved table seating, live entertainment, libations at our ‘walk-up’ bar, buffet-style dinner by DePasquale Ventures, and auction.  After-party to follow at MIA Roof Deck.

– Mix & Mingle Ticket @ $175 after – Includes live entertainment, libations at our ‘walk-up’ bar, buffet-style dinner by DePasquale Ventures, and auction.  After-party to follow at MIA Roof Deck.

Purchase Soirée Single Tickets

INFORMATION FOR TICKET HOLDERS

Attire: The recommended attire is festive cocktail style.

Weather: This is an outdoor tented event, with a beautiful fall evening forecast in the low 70s. As we know, the weather forecast may change, and we will update you with any changes.

Program: We will have a brief but meaningful program to celebrate our two honorees – Traci Walker Griffith and Robin Sidell – starting at 7 PM. Live entertainment and dancing will follow. Details of our program are a surprise!

Auction: The live auction will take place during the program portion of the evening.

Cuisine & Beverage: DePasquale Ventures will be cooking on-site and catering our event. Italian cuisine will be abundant from several of their restaurants served buffet style. Our bar will be serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages by 90+ Cellars, Boston Bottle.

Directions: If coming from Hanover Street, walk into the park, past the Paul Revere Statue and you will see our registration tent area on the right next to our NEMPAC Prado Studios. If coming from Unity Street, past the public water fountain and walk towards the registration tent on your left. Note, in Google Maps, enter “Paul Revere Mall, Boston MA 02113”.

Parking: Parking lots in the North End nearby include North End Garage (600 Commercial Street, Boston MA 02113) or Sargent’s Wharf Parking Lot (269 Commercial Street, Boston, MA 02109).

Rideshare: If ride-sharing please ensure “Paul Revere Mall” as your destination.

Registration: Upon arrival, look for the registration table for checking in. For your convenience and to ensure that the line moves as quickly as possible, we request that you add your email and phone number and register your credit card before arrival. Note: pre-registration allows you to participate in the Silent Auction and other donation opportunities, but no charges will be made unless you authorize a donation/payment.

Text Communications: We will be sending you notification prior to the event, as well as night-of important information in order to support the best guest experience possible. To opt into text messaging, please text “nempac2025” to 855 800 4975.

Accessibility: The Prado/Paul Revere Mall is fully accessible, as it is a flat park space with access on both ends of the park. If you require any special assistance at the event, please inform our Facilities and Operations Coordinator Steve Allen at least 48 hours prior to the event at sallen@nempacboston.org.

Traci Walker Griffith
(she, her)

Traci Walker Griffith is the Executive Director of the Eliot K-8 Innovation School in Boston, and after more than 34 years of transformative leadership in education, she will be retiring this summer.

Throughout her career, Traci has been a passionate advocate for equity, excellence, and the power of the arts, weaving music into the very fabric of the Eliot’s culture and creating a vibrant learning environment where students are inspired to take creative risks, express themselves authentically, and develop the confidence and empathy they need to thrive.

Under her leadership, the Eliot earned recognition as one of Massachusetts’ top schools, celebrated for its inclusive and robust arts programming. NEMPAC has been an invaluable partner in making that vision a reality — providing rich, high-quality programming both during the school day and through afterschool offerings that have expanded access to the arts for Eliot students and families.

Traci’s belief that nurturing the whole child — socially, emotionally, and creatively — is the foundation of student success has shaped countless young lives across the Boston community.

Her connection to NEMPAC is also a personal one: her children, Joey and Elizabeth, were both proud Eliot students who experienced the joy of NEMPAC’s programming firsthand — a testament to the lasting partnerships that have made her life’s work so meaningful.

Robin Sidell
(she, her)

Robin Sidell has been a proud resident of Boston’s North End for more than 30 years and the chef and owner of North Street Grille, a beloved neighborhood staple, for more than two decades, creating a place where people come together, neighbors become friends, and everyone is treated like family.

With family roots in the West End and having grown up in Lynn, Robin’s connection to Boston runs deep. The North End is where she chose to build her life and where she truly feels at home.

Through hard work, resilience, and dedication, she and her team have grown the restaurant into one of the city’s premier brunch destinations, earning accolades from Good Morning America as Best Breakfast in Boston, The Washington Post, Yankee Magazine, Phantom Gourmet, The Boston Globe, and countless other local and national publications.

Her commitment to that sense of community extends far beyond her restaurant doors. Robin has long been a dedicated supporter of local organizations, including NEMPAC (North End Music and Performing Arts Center), ABCD (Action for Boston Community Development), FOCCP (Friends of Christopher Columbus Park), the North End Athletic Association, the North End Youth Organization, and North End Cares.

Through her work with NEMPAC, she has hosted neighborhood nights with proceeds supporting scholarships and sponsored concerts. In recent years, she has also supported the Jazz in the Park summer series, helping to strengthen the cultural fabric of the neighborhood she loves.

She has also used her role as a chef to support local food security efforts, hosting neighborhood dinners, donating holiday meals, and providing dinners and snacks for the elderly.

Robin never forgets how much this neighborhood has given her. Her gratitude is evident in everything she does, and her generosity reflects a genuine belief that communities are strongest when people take care of one another.