A festive graphic with gold and blue colors, featuring a train labeled Polar Express moving across snow, with a background of glittering lights and a sign that reads 'Discover the Wonder.' The word 'All Aboard!' appears with holly leaves and berries.

Discover the Wonder:

The Polar Express

All aboard for our biggest and most magical party of the year!

This year’s theme, The Polar Express, is an invitation to an evening of pure imagination that directly supports our mission. Join us for an inspiring night of dinner and auctions to help keep the museum vibrant and accessible for every family in our community.

Event & Ticketing Information

When: December 6, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Where: The Spinning Room at Willamette Heritage Center

Early Bird Tickets (Oct 5–1): $80 Individual / $60 Member

Standard Tickets (After Oct 19): $100 Individual

Table Sponsorships: $1,000

Your Seat at the Table Makes a Difference

Prepare your taste buds for a delicious dinner, your paddles for an exhilarating live auction, and your bids for a spectacular silent auction.

Why We Celebrate

This isn't just a fundraiser; it’s a chance to invest in the future of play. Your attendance directly fuels our daily operations and exhibit updates, helping us keep ticket prices low and our doors open wide for more children to explore and learn.

Thank You Sponsors!

A winter scene featuring multiple houses with snow-covered roofs, a leafless tree, and a radio tower, painted in a watercolor style.

To learn more about sponsorship or to reserve your table: Email Alicia Bay at executivedirector@acgilbert.org

Decorative banner with gold snowflakes and the words 'Believe in the Magic of Learning' on a dark blue background.
  • A woman in a red and black dress standing next to a man dressed as Santa Claus holding a staff, with a background of gold and blue balloons and a glittery, gold winter scene with a white tree.
  • Group of seven people seated at a round table during a celebration or event, with string lights and festive decorations in the background.
  • Group of people gathered at a festive holiday party with decorations, including Christmas trees and balloon arrangements, in a decorated indoor space.
  • A woman speaking at a wooden podium with conducting microphone, and a man holding a microphone and pointing upward, standing on a decorated stage with gold and blue balloons, blue curtain backdrop with gold dots, and a large gold glitter circle with branches in the background.
  • Bottles wrapped in white paper decorated with colorful dots, tied with ribbons, on a wooden table, likely for a celebration or event.
  • Assorted fruit-topped pastries with whipped cream and chocolate drizzles on a platter
  • A decorated table at a formal event with a framed photo of a man holding a child, surrounded by pine branches, pinecones, and shiny ornaments, with candles and empty glasses on the table.
  • A table with a variety of desserts including a large chocolate cake, cupcakes, fruit-topped cake, and assorted cookies and chocolates, decorated with small candles and a decorative figure.
  • A man in a black suit and red tie standing next to a woman dressed as Mrs. Claus in a red velvet outfit with white fur trim, against a festive backdrop with gold and blue balloons and a gold circle, celebrating the holidays.
  • A woman playing a cello while seated next to a decorated Christmas tree, with presents underneath.
  • Indoor holiday party with decorated Christmas tree, string lights, and multiple round tables with guests in festive attire, bottles of beer, and table numbers, in a rustic brick-walled venue.
  • Woman in a black dress speaking into a microphone on stage decorated with gold, blue, and white balloons and a gold glitter backdrop at the Hillmont Heritage Center.
  • Chafing dishes with various hot foods on a buffet table, including sliced beef in the foreground.
  • A woman playing a cello on a decorated Christmas-themed stage with two snow-covered Christmas trees on the left, colorful balloons, a glittery gold sphere, and white lights on the right.
  • A woman in a black dress speaking into a microphone at a decorated event with blue, white, and gold balloons and a glittery gold backdrop at WIlliamette Heritage Center.
  • A man in a green sweater signing or writing on a table covered with a navy cloth at a public event, with other people around him and decorative lights in the background.
  • People selecting food from a buffet at a social gathering or event.