From glamorously couture costumes to otherworldly looks catering to the night’s theme of Garden of Earthly Delights, Bette Midler’s annual Hulaween bash was a celebration fit for the gods. The Broadway star hosts her star-studded Halloween party every year to benefit her foundation, New York Restoration Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to beautifying New York’s urban environment. At this year’s Hulaween extravaganza, NYRP honored David Evans Shaw as the night’s Green God Award recipient along with Eric Schmidt with the Wind Beneath My Wings Leadership Award.
Guests flooded into the majestic Cathedral of St. John the Divine in East Harlem and were transported to a Garden of Earthly Delights, an ethereal design created by Douglas Little, the visual storyteller behind Bergdorf Goodman’s signature window displays. Midler donned a sky-high blonde wig laced with flowers and a matching green floral pantsuit–a true earthly delight.
Michael Kors and Bette Midler attend the Bette Midler’s 2017 Hulaween Event Benefiting The New York Restoration Project at Cathedral of St. John the Divine. (Photo by Mark Sagliocco/FilmMagic)
The night featured nostalgia-inducing performances by Midler and friends. David Hyde Pierce joined the Divine Miss M for a rendition of her Broadway number “Hello, Dolly!” entitled “Hello Dollars,” playfully thanking the night’s donors. From there, guests enjoyed comedic relief from Judy Gold and a costume contest judged by none other than style mogul Michael Kors, who praised contestants sporting hand-made, avant-garde flowers from head-to-toe.
A view of the venue at Bette Midler’s 2017 Hulaween event benefiting the New York Restoration Project at Cathedral of St. John the Divine. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Porcelain-skinned Dita Von Teese, who had been barred by the Bishop of New York from performing inside St. John the Divine due to the raciness of her show, dazzled on the red carpet looking angelic in a form-fitting old Hollywood-style gown. Other guests included Anna Camp, Skylar Astin, Naomi Campbell and Bernadette Peters.
Following an indulgent, biblical-themed dinner, which included “Rib of Adam” as a main course, guests enjoyed a special performance from Jon Bon Jovi (dressed as an inmate) who belted hits like “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” along with the crowd-favorite and another of Midler’s classics, “I Put a Spell on You.” The night closed out with cocktails and dancing as DJ Runna spun us late into the evening.
