The Planting Fields Foundation in Oyster Bay, New York hosted its “Deck the Halls Annual Benefit” in historic Coe Hall on Saturday, December 4th, 2021. This year, the celebration was dedicated to supporting the restoration of the Olmsted Brothers’ vision for the designed landscape of Planting Fields in order to solidify it as a vibrant and singular historic site. The event raised close to $200,000 in sponsorship and ticket sales for Planting Fields Foundation.
Each holiday season, the magnificent Coe estate is decorated to the hilt and hosts festive events. This year, it is decorated with birch, white pine, holly, spruce, poinsettia and southern magnolia gathered from around the property and used throughout the house.
Highlights from the evening included a cocktail reception, full-service catering, a live band, and beautiful views of the lush holiday décor of each room.
Executive Director Gina Wouters and Event Chairs Duncan Sahner, Michael Kempner and Alexis McAndrew hosted the evening, with a record 350 guests in attendance. Some of this year’s guests included: Debra and Claudio Del Vecchio, Valerie and Wright Ohrstrom, Brenda and Karyn Van Der Mije, Ashley and Brian Dooley, Kirsten and Jay Benjamin, Elizabeth and James Watson, Hal Davidson and Sally Peters, Mary Elizabeth Andriotis, Lauren Andriotis, S.J. Tilden, Jody and Hannah Burns, Anne and Stephen Watters, Nelson DeMille, Peter and Amy Xu, Sen. James and Carol Gaughran, Susan and Jack Foley, Michelle and Tim Gokey, John Casaly and Louise Parent, Bruce Addison and Michael Foster, Kathryn Curran and Noel Gish, Tom and Ellen McPartland, and Diego and Carolina Fuschetto.
Planting fields is a magnificent Gold Coast Estate from the 1920s. Located in Oyster Bay, New York and originally landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers, the grounds feature 409 acres of greenhouses, rolling lawns, formal gardens, woodland paths and outstanding plant collections. Planting Fields is one of only a few surviving estates on Long Island with its original acreage intact, as well as its buildings, including Coe Hall, a 65-room Tudor Revival mansion designed by architects Alexander Walker and Leon Gillette.
Founded in 1952 by William R. Coe, the Planting Fields Foundation is a not-for-profit, public educational foundation, chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and tax exempt under the status for a 501(c)(3) organization. The Foundation receives grant funding to support ongoing landscape and architectural preservation, education programs, exhibitions and community engagement.
Photographs by Lancine Jenneh/BFA.com
