At United Way of King County’s Eat, Drink & Be Generous event on Thursday night at the Paramount Theatre, hundreds of attendees got their grub, their drink, their dance, their swerve, their groove, their give, their freak and their flaunt on. By the looks of things, it appeared to be the most fun you could have with one day remaining in the workweek.

Between downing delectable morsels from nine local, top-shelf chefs and partying to a pulsating half-hour concert by hip hop legend Sir Mix-A-Lot, attendees gave more than a half million dollars to commemorate the launch of United Way’s new campaign, Fund an Equitable Future, ensuring that everyone has a safe place to call home, enough to eat and a job that pays a livable wage.

The $12 million campaign will run through June of 2024.

The event gave hundreds of Seattleites opportunities to connect with others seeking to make a difference in our community while enjoying tapas-sized treats from restaurants such as Ethan Stowell Restaurants, COMMUNION, Jerk Shack, Musang, Meesha, Sea Creatures, Mammon and Tom Douglas and Co.

Then there was the entertainment: DJ Eva Walker of the Black Tones and Seattle radio station 90.3 KEXP-FM was spinning the 1s and 2s, warming up the crowd with a finger-popping assortment of tunes (mostly old school R&B).

Then Seattle’s own Sir Mix-A-Lot got the floor thumping and the crowd dancing to several of the hits that made him famous, including “Posse on Broadway” and “Baby Got Back.” Sir Mix-A-Lot surprised and delighted the crowd by polishing off his set with a tribute medley to the late Kurt Cobain.

The event ensured that our Fund an Equitable Future campaign is off to a blazing start. And now we need your help to keep it going. Click here to donate and be sure to revisit our website to learn more about our giving campaigns and future events. Thanks to everyone who made Thursday night’s Eat, Drink & Be Generous event a success. See you at our next outing!