BENTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — With a $10,000 Benton County property tax bill looming on October 15, one family-owned event venue is going all out to pay that bill and keep their business alive.
The Ravington on Main Street in Centerton is a 113-year-old historic building renovated in 2015 by Amber and Eric Gustafson, and prior to covid, the venue supported them and their two children, ages 9 and 5. But weddings and event bookings in 2021 and 2022 have not been enough for the Ravington to recover from the loss of business during covid lockdowns, according to a press release.
According to the World Economic Forum, 34% of small businesses in America have closed since 2020. But Amber, formerly a celebrity wedding planner in LA, and Eric, the artist behind the renovation of the Ravington, are determined that the business they built with their own hands will not become another casualty of covid without a fight.
For one night, the Ravington will be transformed into “a fairy woodland, complete with fantasy cosplay, live music, and entertainment, including a fairy queen, a mermaid, a bagpiper, fire spinner, aerialist, and more; professional dance instruction; and gourmet catering.” All staff will be in full costume and character, including the TCB martial arts team dressed as medieval warriors to escort guests from the parking area across Main Street.
Tickets for the Queen’s Ball are available at www.theravington.com. A limited number of VIP packages are available, and additional donations to meet the tax bill are welcome.