Gilded Legacy: Celebrating 125 Years of Impact
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Cipriani South Street | 10 South Street, New York, NY
On Saturday, February 28th, the New York Junior League will host its 74th Annual Winter Ball at Cipriani South Street in New York City. This year marks a remarkable milestone — 125 years of service, leadership, and impact in New York City. In honor of this anniversary, we proudly celebrate our community projects and the incredible women volunteers whose dedication continues to strengthen both the NYJL and the communities we serve.
This year’s Winter Ball theme, Gilded Legacy: Celebrating 125 Years of Impact, honors the New York Junior League’s enduring commitment to service, leadership, and community, while paying tribute to the organization’s founding in 1901. Rooted in compassion and civic engagement, the NYJL has shaped generations of women leaders dedicated to improving the lives of New Yorkers.
Since 1952, the Winter Ball has brought the New York community together to raise vital funds for the NYJL’s programs. Last year’s sold-out black-tie fundraiser broke attendance records with nearly 1,000 guests and raised over $850,000. We look forward to another record-breaking celebration this year as we toast to the next 125 years of the NYJL!
WINTER BALL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
6:00 p.m. • Harriman Circle Benefactor Reception
7:00 p.m. • Cocktails for Dinner Guests
8:00 p.m. • Dinner, Presentation, Live Auction
9:30 p.m. • Dessert, Dancing, Silent Auction
12:00 a.m. • Evening Concludes
Tickets
As the NYJL proudly celebrates 125 years of service, leadership, and impact, this signature black-tie event serves as the centerpiece of a year-long commemoration of this historic milestone. The theme, A Gilded Legacy: Celebrating 125 Years of Impact, pays tribute to the organization’s 1901 founding while honoring its enduring commitment to advancing women’s leadership and strengthening the New York City community.
What began in 1901 with 19-year-old Mary Harriman’s visionary belief that women could be a powerful force for good has grown into a movement that has inspired nearly 300 Junior League organizations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, Kenya and the United Kingdom. For its part, the NYJL now stands as one of the world’s oldest, largest, and most influential women-led volunteer organizations. For 125 years, thousands of NYJL volunteers have consistently worked to strengthen communities, champion equity, and respond to the city’s most pressing needs—from settlement house support in the early 1900s to child welfare reform, literacy, anti-trafficking efforts, and today’s rapidly evolving challenges. The NYJL has cultivated generations of civic leaders, including Eleanor Roosevelt, who have advanced social progress in the city and beyond.
Since 1952, the Winter Ball has brought the New York community together to raise vital funds that power the NYJL’s mission-driven work. Proceeds from the beloved event directly support the NYJL’s community partnerships, advocacy initiatives, and volunteer training programs. NYJL President Jeri Powell reflected on the milestone, noting, “Our collective service, and our mission as an organization, is as relevant today as it was at the time of our founding in 1901. At the forefront was a drive to make an immediate impact on the lives of women, children and families in our community. Today, the needs of our city have grown ever more complex. Yet the NYJL remains poised at the center of meeting the challenges of our times.”
Building on the success of the 2025 Winter Ball, which saw record-breaking attendance of nearly 1,000 guests and raised more than $850,000, the NYJL expects this year’s celebration to be another record breaking year as tickets are already selling at an unprecedented pace. By the end of November, fewer than half of VIP and dinner tickets remained available. Guests are encouraged to secure their tickets early to be part of this milestone event, which includes a live auction featuring a vintage Hermès Birken and pre-loved Chanel handbag from What Goes Around Comes Around, a New York institution for authenticated vintage luxury since 1993.