Cumberland University announced today that the Phoenix Ball will be postponed to June 5, 2021 in response to COVID-19.

The event was previously scheduled for June 6, 2020, and was later rescheduled to August 1, 2020 due to the pandemic. 

The decision was made by CU officials to ensure the safety and health of donors and guests, and to continue the practices of social distancing.

“A great deal of consideration and discussion took place before coming to this decision, and due to the challenges presented by COVID-19, we believe postponing Phoenix Ball is in the best interest of our attendees and our faculty and staff,” said Cumberland University President Paul Stumb. “This is an event Cumberland looks forward to hosting each summer and we are disappointed it will not happen this year, but I know Committee Chairs Ray and Stephanie Hubner will work hard to ensure an exceptional event in 2021.” 

Ray and Stephanie Hubner’s chair position will roll over to next year’s event and the theme of, “Phoenix Ball: Draped in Decadence, Masked in Mystery” will remain the same.

“Months of hard work goes into planning Phoenix Ball each year and we are of course saddened by the news that this year’s event will not happen,” said Phoenix Ball Chairs Ray and Stephanie Hubner. “We believe this is the right decision to keep all attendees safe, and we look forward to making next year’s event the best one yet.” 

The smaller, outdoor event, Patrons’ Party, is still scheduled for July 11, 2020. The event will be hosted at the home of Lynotte and Denise Moore.

Guests who have already purchased tickets can either receive a full refund, roll over their tickets to be used at next year’s event, or donate the funds as a contribution to CU.

For more information on the Phoenix Ball, or to purchase tickets to the Patrons’ Party, visit phoenixball.com. 

For ticketing questions, please email Executive Director of Community Relations and External Affairs Rusty Richardson at rrichardson@cumberland.edu.