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The Great River Gathering:
Celebrating Saint Paul on the Mississippi
Saint Paul’s Best Night of Networking
Each year, our community’s best and brightest come together for the annual Great River Gathering, formerly known as the Millard Fillmore Dinner. Policy makers, corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, environmentalists, elected officials, philanthropists, artists and citizens from all walks of life gather to celebrate the ecological, economic and historic significance of the Mississippi River. The Pioneer Press editorial page has called the event a “party with a purpose.” In fact, no other event brings together such an influential and diverse group of civic leaders and community members – all deeply committed to the ongoing renaissance of Saint Paul and the Mississippi River valley.
Attendance doubled every year for the first four years, from 125 in 1995 to 1,000 in 1998. Today, a sell-out crowd of more than 1,200 people attends each year. Sponsors play a critical role in making Saint Paul’s signature civic event possible – and in offsetting ticket pricing to ensure full community participation.
To become a sponsor, email Caroline Mehlhop at mehlhop@riverfrontcorporation.com or contact her at 651.293.6863.
Formerly known as…
For fourteen years, this annual community event was known as the Millard Fillmore Dinner, named in preparation for the 2004 Grand Excursion – a re-enactment of the Grand Excursion of 1854, featuring US president Millard Fillmore as its featured guest. In 2009, we rebranded the event to better reflect its purpose and role in the community. A new name – The Great River Gathering: Celebrating Saint Paul on the Mississippi – was officially launched in 2009 in conjunction with the event’s 15th anniversary.
From the Pioneer Press OpEd Pages:
City’s Annual Dinner Gets Fitting New Name
For the past 14 years, there has been an annual gathering on a great river in St. Paul. That great river is the Mississippi, which, of course, St. Paul is on, which is worth celebrating. That gathering has until just now been known as the Millard Fillmore Dinner, for reasons that made perfect sense at the time. But, for 2009, this big annual celebration organized by the Riverfront Corp. has been renamed. Its new name: The Great River Gathering, followed by the tagline, Celebrating Saint Paul on the Mississippi. Our comment: Home run! Touchdown! Swish! Goooooal! There’s no better way to say it.
