Make-A-Wish Invites Guests to “Rediscover Wonder” at San Francisco Gala

On March 20, Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area held their annual gala and benefit, Evening of Wishes, at the historic Palace Hotel in downtown San Francisco. The 2025 theme, Rediscover Wonder, invited guests to reflect on the magic childhood, and what it’s like to experience the world’s wonder with fresh eyes. The night’s program highlighted the stories of two special wish grantees: 10-year-old Eero, who wants to be a paleontologist, and 9-year-old Joshua, who will soon fulfill his wish to meet capybaras in San Diego. The night also offered some magic for the grownups, as everyone got to enjoy seeing Eero’s and Joshua’s wish granted live, complete with inflatable dinosaurs, capybara costumes and loads of fun and fanfare. 

After a sumptuous dinner, complete with kid-friendly desserts like donut chiffon cakes and chocolate caramel eggs, the festivities continued with a boisterous live auction, and an afterparty under the iconic glass dome of the hotel’s Garden Court. Since 2019, the Evening of Wishes gala has been Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area’s signature benefit event, raising necessary funds to grant wishes for children with critical illnesses.