Washington National Cathedral — Sacrilegious Prom Dance in Nave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what would happen if say, President Trump or Senator Warren wanted to hold a fundraiser in the Cathedral Nave? They would need to allow that right?

Nope. Here is the reservation policy:

Each year Washington National Cathedral approves a limited number of proposals from outside organizations to hold special events at the Cathedral. Events rentals are scheduled by the Office of Event Management (OEM) which can be reached at [phone] [e-mail].

Proposals are accepted from corporations and non-profit organizations (as described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code)

Cathedral Spaces are not available for:

Events of a primarily personal, political, or fund-raising nature.
Events where the Sponsor is planning to charge admission fees, make collections, seek contributions, give door prizes, have auctions, or raffles.
Events where the Sponsor intends to use the Cathedral space for advertising or promoting any product or service for profit.
Events where the Sponsor intends to display or promote commercial products or sell items.
Events where the Sponsor intends to conduct lobbying activities, hearings, press conferences, or recurring meetings.
Events scheduled in public spaces between the hours of 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, Monday through Saturday, or for events scheduled on Sunday or holidays.
Exceptions may be made by OEM. Please submit your request for a variance in your event proposal.

The Cathedral reserves the right to review all use applications to determine if the event is appropriate to be held in the Cathedral or its related facilities. In cases where there is doubt or uncertainty about the nature of the event, as it relates to the guidelines or customary practices not specifically mentioned here, the Dean or his delegated representative shall decide the matter and all individuals and groups shall abide by the final decision.

Presumably, the Cathedral itself may host its own events and charge admission or have an auction, which would explain the Second-Chance Prom and the NCS auction, but they don't rent it out for those purposes.

What about the Butterfly Bash?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what would happen if say, President Trump or Senator Warren wanted to hold a fundraiser in the Cathedral Nave? They would need to allow that right?

Nope. Here is the reservation policy:

Each year Washington National Cathedral approves a limited number of proposals from outside organizations to hold special events at the Cathedral. Events rentals are scheduled by the Office of Event Management (OEM) which can be reached at [phone] [e-mail].

Proposals are accepted from corporations and non-profit organizations (as described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code)

Cathedral Spaces are not available for:

Events of a primarily personal, political, or fund-raising nature.
Events where the Sponsor is planning to charge admission fees, make collections, seek contributions, give door prizes, have auctions, or raffles.
Events where the Sponsor intends to use the Cathedral space for advertising or promoting any product or service for profit.
Events where the Sponsor intends to display or promote commercial products or sell items.
Events where the Sponsor intends to conduct lobbying activities, hearings, press conferences, or recurring meetings.
Events scheduled in public spaces between the hours of 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, Monday through Saturday, or for events scheduled on Sunday or holidays.
Exceptions may be made by OEM. Please submit your request for a variance in your event proposal.

The Cathedral reserves the right to review all use applications to determine if the event is appropriate to be held in the Cathedral or its related facilities. In cases where there is doubt or uncertainty about the nature of the event, as it relates to the guidelines or customary practices not specifically mentioned here, the Dean or his delegated representative shall decide the matter and all individuals and groups shall abide by the final decision.

Presumably, the Cathedral itself may host its own events and charge admission or have an auction, which would explain the Second-Chance Prom and the NCS auction, but they don't rent it out for those purposes.

What about the Butterfly Bash?

Seems to comply since it was for charity and did not include an auction or raffle.
https://www.fairchancedc.org/event/2019-butterfly-bash/

[Anonymous]

It they charge admission and the purpose is fundraising.

[Anonymous]

I went to this last night. The nave was decorated for the under-the-sea theme. We were admiring the decorations for successfully combining arty, tasteful, and probably fairly cheap as befitting a fundraiser. So, long blue and green streamers, balloons (clear, white and blue) to look like bubbles, party lights and even a disco ball or two and the sparkles helped with the underwater theme.

The altar/sanctuary area was blocked off by black curtains and then a bank of lights before it. So you couldn’t see, for example, the crucifix over the altar.

Crowd was a few hundred (I’m bad at guesstimating crowds)? Crowd was surprisingly diverse—many races, I knew a few people who were Jewish and Hindu, some gays and trannies, and a guy in a mermaid outfit.

Many people were dancing to the DJ in the center of the nave. Music from Brick House to Beyoncé and very occasional EDM with lots of 70s and 80s faves. Nothing risqué or anti-religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to this last night. The nave was decorated for the under-the-sea theme. We were admiring the decorations for successfully combining arty, tasteful, and probably fairly cheap as befitting a fundraiser. So, long blue and green streamers, balloons (clear, white and blue) to look like bubbles, party lights and even a disco ball or two and the sparkles helped with the underwater theme.

The altar/sanctuary area was blocked off by black curtains and then a bank of lights before it. So you couldn’t see, for example, the crucifix over the altar.

Crowd was a few hundred (I’m bad at guesstimating crowds)? Crowd was surprisingly diverse—many races, I knew a few people who were Jewish and Hindu, some gays and trannies, and a guy in a mermaid outfit.

Many people were dancing to the DJ in the center of the nave. Music from Brick House to Beyoncé and very occasional EDM with lots of 70s and 80s faves. Nothing risqué or anti-religion.

I should add: it was a good time, really. People were having fun. The under-the-sea-effect was really effective and striking in the nave. Although if your thing is frat or EDM parties then this wasn’t it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to this last night. The nave was decorated for the under-the-sea theme. We were admiring the decorations for successfully combining arty, tasteful, and probably fairly cheap as befitting a fundraiser. So, long blue and green streamers, balloons (clear, white and blue) to look like bubbles, party lights and even a disco ball or two and the sparkles helped with the underwater theme.

The altar/sanctuary area was blocked off by black curtains and then a bank of lights before it. So you couldn’t see, for example, the crucifix over the altar.

Crowd was a few hundred (I’m bad at guesstimating crowds)? Crowd was surprisingly diverse—many races, I knew a few people who were Jewish and Hindu, some gays and trannies, and a guy in a mermaid outfit.

Many people were dancing to the DJ in the center of the nave. Music from Brick House to Beyoncé and very occasional EDM with lots of 70s and 80s faves. Nothing risqué or anti-religion.

I should add: it was a good time, really. People were having fun. The under-the-sea-effect was really effective and striking in the nave. Although if your thing is frat or EDM parties then this wasn’t it.

Sounds very creative and a clever way to fund raise while providing a good time. Thanks for the description.

[Anonymous]

Hey OP, the National Cathedral is Episcopalian, and they are a pretty liberal bunch. I highly doubt anyone except you has their panties in a bunch over holding events at the Cathedral.

Also, they are desperate for money, and I'm sure this is one of the ways they are trying to bring it in.

Also, the lego thing is cool!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to this last night. The nave was decorated for the under-the-sea theme. We were admiring the decorations for successfully combining arty, tasteful, and probably fairly cheap as befitting a fundraiser. So, long blue and green streamers, balloons (clear, white and blue) to look like bubbles, party lights and even a disco ball or two and the sparkles helped with the underwater theme.

The altar/sanctuary area was blocked off by black curtains and then a bank of lights before it. So you couldn’t see, for example, the crucifix over the altar.

Crowd was a few hundred (I’m bad at guesstimating crowds)? Crowd was surprisingly diverse—many races, I knew a few people who were Jewish and Hindu, some gays and trannies, and a guy in a mermaid outfit.

Many people were dancing to the DJ in the center of the nave. Music from Brick House to Beyoncé and very occasional EDM with lots of 70s and 80s faves. Nothing risqué or anti-religion.

I suspect that the altar/sanctuary is what's considered sacred, and that the area is blocked off in some way during non-religious events, or at a minimum, not used.