Literary Encounter

Dave Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, welcomed over 175 members and supporters to the 19th annual season of Culture & Cocktails, “a writers’ reunion,” on Feb. 5.

The first part of the Culture & Cocktail season, themed “Looking Back, Looking Forward,” was a revealing conversation between bestselling author James Patterson and Palm Beach Post columnist Leslie Gray Streeter in the beautiful rooftop ballroom of The Ben.

The season’s final Culture & Cocktails, “A Conversation with Music on the Jazzy Past & Future of the Legendary Sunset Lounge” takes place on April 1.

Alisha R. Winn, Ph.D., applied cultural anthropologist, historian and consultant for community and heritage education projects and adjunct professor at Palm Beach Atlantic University’s School of Ministry will be one of the participants.

Avery Sommers, who appeared on Broadway in “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and was in the first national tours of both “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and “Chicago” (for which she won a Los Angles Ovation Award for Best Supporting Actress) will also attend, as will

Emmy-nominated pianist Copeland Davis.

Barbara Cheives, president and CEO of Converge & Associates Consulting serves as the event’s moderator.

All proceeds from Culture & Cocktails go to support the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s mission to champion, engage and grow the arts in Palm Beach County.

For more information, contact Gary Schweikhart at 561-756-4928 or visit palmbeachculture.com.