St. Louis, MO, May 11, 2022—Kris Hogan and Bola Taiwo-Akande will co-chair the 31st Annual Forest Park Forever Hat Luncheon, which supports the nonprofit conservancy’s work maintaining and sustaining Forest Park in partnership with the City of St. Louis. The two community leaders will co-host the single largest annual fundraiser for Forest Park on June 9, 2022. 

Similar to last year’s luncheon, which was rescheduled and modified to adjust to the pandemic, the 2022 event will have a twist: In addition to the traditional cocktails and lunch at World’s Fair Pavilion, Forest Park Forever will also offer a picnic-style experience with pop-up bar and live music at the picturesque Pagoda Circle. Tickets for either experience can be purchased at ForestParkForever.org/hatluncheon.

Originally established as a fundraiser by the Forest Park Forever Women’s Committee with a theme of bringing your fanciest hat, today’s Hat Luncheon has evolved to encourage guests to arrive sporting any favorite hat and expression – of personal style, cultural heritage, even sports fanfare.

“We are so excited to have Bola and Kris co-chair the 31st edition of this storied celebration,” said Lesley S. Hoffarth, P.E., President and Executive Director of Forest Park Forever. “Their community leadership and efforts for Forest Park reflect why it was recently named ‘Best City Park’ by USA TODAY: So many in our region visit the Park and work throughout the year to see it continue to thrive.”

A former special education teacher, Hogan has been active throughout the St. Louis community while serving on the board of Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital and with Friends of St. Luke’s Hospitals, among other organizations. She and her husband, Brian, Forest Park Forever board vice chair and treasurer, enjoy all the Park has to offer with their children and grandchildren. She grew up in St. Louis and has attended the Hat Luncheon for many years. 

Taiwo-Akande is a long-time St. Louis resident and pharmacist with over 25 years of practice. She has been an active member of the National Charity League, a philanthropic organization committed to community service throughout the St. Louis region. She also volunteers with organizations such as Angels Arms, Food Outreach and Variety, among others. Bola shares this commitment to philanthropic causes with her husband, Forest Park Forever board member Benjamin Ola Akande, and their three daughters.

The 2021 Hat Luncheon’s combined support of sponsorship and ticket sales raised $350,000 to support the nonprofit conservancy’s work to restore, maintain and sustain the Park as a free, welcoming space. The Park’s 1,300 acres encompass woods and waterways, recreational paths and prairies, beautiful landscaping and world-class cultural institutions that combine to attract 13 million visitors to the Park each year. Overall, more than $2.1 million was invested by Forest Park Forever in Park maintenance projects in 2021.

World’s Fair Pavilion Experience (tickets/sponsorships for tables of 10)

• Guests at the World’s Fair Pavilion will enjoy a cocktail and networking hour will be held under the Pavilion and on the overlook. The experience continues with a delicious lunch, tasty libations and the Hat Luncheon program under an adjacent tent.  

Picnic Experience at Pagoda Circle (individual tickets, picnic table seating)

• The picnic experience at Pagoda Circle includes a delicious lunch, a pop-up bar, live music and the Hat Luncheon program. Picnic table seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, with a table or seat guaranteed for anyone who has purchased a ticket.

Purchase tickets for either experience at ForestParkForever.org/hatluncheon. Both experiences take place from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 9.

About Forest Park Forever

Founded in 1986, Forest Park Forever is a private nonprofit conservancy that works in partnership with the City of St. Louis and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry to restore, maintain and sustain Forest Park, as one of America’s great urban public parks for a diverse community of visitors to enjoy, now and forever. Forest Park Forever has led major fundraising efforts to restore many landmark destinations in Forest Park, including the Emerson Grand Basin, the Boathouse and the Jewel Box. 

In 2017, the organization completed a major fundraising campaign securing $139 million for Park restoration projects and an expanded endowment.

Today, Forest Park Forever maintains Forest Park with the City of St. Louis; raises funds for and helps manage capital restoration projects called for in the Forest Park Master Plan; delivers experiential educational opportunities to teachers, students and adults; and provides information and guides for the Park’s 13 million annual visitors. Not part of the Zoo-Museum Tax District, Forest Park Forever is supported by private donations from throughout the community, including its 7,000 members, 1,100 volunteers and many leading community and corporate partners.

Connect with Forest Park Forever at facebook.com/forestparkforever, twitter.com/forestpark4ever and instagram.com/forestparkforever.

About Forest Park

Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri, is considered one of the nation’s greatest urban public parks. The Park’s 1,300 acres feature beautiful landscapes sprinkled with forests, ecosystems, nature reserves, lakes and streams, as well as five of the region’s major cultural institutions and endless opportunities for recreation. Forest Park attracts 13 million visitors each year, making it the sixth most visited urban park in the United States. In 2022, Forest Park was voted the Best City Park in the country in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.