Sip your drink, tap your feet, and bid on fabulous auction items, all for a good cause!
Raise a Virtual Paddle
Ticket sales have closed for our World of Jazz Soiree, but even if you won’t be there in person, you can still be there in spirit.
During World of Jazz, we’ll invite our guests to support the Council through a special 95th Anniversary paddle raise. You don’t have to wait —or be there in person—to make your gift.
Visit our virtual paddle raise page and make your 95th Anniversary gift today to help us enter the celebration with momentum.
Whether you’ll be with us in the room on Friday or cheering us on from afar, know that your support sustains the programs, conversations, and opportunities that bring people together across generations and difference. And it helps ensure that our team at the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh continues this work well into our next 95 years.
Whether you join us Friday, make a gift,,or have supported the Council in any of the countless ways that brought us to this milestone: thank you.
World of Jazz: A note to remember
Wynton Marsalis once referred to jazz as “the perfect metaphor for democracy.” Democracy has truly been at the heart of our work this year, so there can be no better soundtrack for the occasion than jazz.
The night’s hot licks, blue notes, and swing rhythms will also honor the pivotal place that Pittsburgh’s Hill District holds in jazz history. From the legacy of the Crawford Grill to Billy Strayhorn’s collaborations with Duke Ellington, “Little Harlem” played a huge role in the global ascension of jazz.
Finally, the Soiree will channel what Herbie Hancock described when he said, “We all want to live in a jazz world where we all work together, improvise together, are not afraid of taking chances and expressing ourselves.” Join us in that world for a night and celebrate everything we’ve accomplished so far, while at the same time, refilling our cups in preparation for the work still to be done. Evening includes global jazz and entertainment, dinner, live auction, and an after party.
When:
Friday, October 9, 2026
5:30 PM | VIP Reception
6:30 PM | Cocktail Reception
Where:
The Duquesne Club
325 Sixth Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
What to expect:
- Jazz from around the world with cats from around the way
- Dinner and drinks to send you
- A high energy, live auction with lots to make your paddle twitch
- Photo moments that give heat, groove, and get down
- VIPs will enjoy an exclusive reception, valet parking, and more
Wondering what a Soiree with the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh is like? Watch our Radiating Rhythms Soiree recap video to find out.
Dress Code:
Colorful cocktail attire – that’s anything that sings, swings, or sends you. If you feel fabulous and vibrant wearing it, then you’ve found it! If it captures the aura of your favorite jazz artist or inner hep cat, even better.
Presented in partnership with: MCG Jazz and the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact Brian@worldpittsburgh.org for questions or more information.