Charles Bulfinch (1763-1844)

Coming up Wednesday is the ceremony at the Massachusetts Statehouse for the Fifth Annual Bulfinch Awards. The winners are known. You can may see their entries here. But you may applaud them on that evening from 6 to 9 p.m. by clicking here to buy tickets at a price that speaks volumes to the growing popularity and influence of the Bulfinches and the big party where each winner gets a newly struck Bulfinch Medal.

The award program from the New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art aims to reward and publicize the work of regional designers, this year in 11 categories. The ceremony will again take place at the foot of the Grand Staircase, an addition to the Statehouse as first designed by Charles Bulfinch himself back in the 1790s. Aaron Helfand, an architect at the Boston firm of Albert Righter & Tittmann and author of a spectacular design for a classical new Boston City Hall, will present an illustrated lecture, titled “… But Is It Really Classical?” Everyone will be encouraged to nosh on the delightful hors d’oeuvres piled on groaning tables that charmed the palettes of attendees last year.

This year’s Bulfinches will be the first under the presidency of Sheldon Kostelecky, who was elected following the retirement of John Margolis, who took a new job with a firm in Los Angeles, where his influence is sorely needed. The Bulfinches are as much a product of John’s energy and leadership as anyone’s. And the chapter looks forward with confidence to Sheldon’s tenure, as he was among the chapter’s founders a decade ago.

If you think old Boston or old (fill in your city or town) bring more pleasure to you and credit to your community than what has arisen in our built environment over the past half century, you can do something concrete to promote its return in the form of high-quality contemporary traditional architecture, art and urbanism. They are as valid – no, they are more valid – no, they are a lot more valid today and tomorrow than what has been inflicted upon us, with which its advocates vow to torture us all without letup. You can help slow, even stop, even reverse this ugly state of affairs by attending the Bulfinch ceremony on Wednesday, and maybe even by joining the chapter.

No, you need stuff no ballot box to help bring about a more radiant future!