UPDATE: This contest is now closed and we're in the process of notifying the winners. More info coming...

On Saturday May 12, the Buckhead Heritage Society, in partnership with the Millennium Gate Georgia History Museum in Midtown, will bring to life the story of the Orly tragedy through the works of several nationally and regionally renowned artists.

The artists have contributed original works interpreting the Orly air crash and its transformative effects on the cultural scene of Atlanta.

The art exhibit will be free and open to the public from noon until 5 p.m. It will be followed by a private cocktail reception and art auction beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets for the private reception and art auction are $25 for Buckhead Heritage members and $35 for non-members. They can be purchased at www.buckheadheritage.com/events, but Patch is giving away two pairs of tickets to this exciting event.

Entering this contest is easy. All you have to do is post an answer below to the question, “What is the most culturally stimulating venue or attraction in Atlanta?”

There’s no need to write a lot. Just a sentence or two will do. We’ll conduct a random drawing from among the comments entered by noon on May 10.

We've attached the legal rules in case you're the sort who likes to read all the fine print. And please be aware that the winner must be willing to be named in a follow-up on Midtown and Buckhead Patch.

This event has been planned to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Orly air crash.

On May 9, 1962, a group of Atlanta’s cultural and civic leaders, including many Midtown and Buckhead residents, embarked on a three-week European adventure and ambassadorial mission organized by the Atlanta Art Association. On June 3rd, the group’s chartered Boeing 707 crashed upon takeoff from the Orly Field near Paris, France.

One hundred and twenty-two passengers died, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in history up until that time. Many who formed the heart of Atlanta’s art and cultural establishment perished, including many Atlanta artists. On June 3, 1966, exactly four years after the Orly crash, ground was broken for the Atlanta Memorial Arts Center, now part of the Woodruff Arts Center, which celebrates multiple art forms in one location.

Participating artists at the May 12 event include Todd Murphy, Meg Aubrey, Bonnie Beauchamp-Cooke, Dennis Campay, Carolyn Carr, Debbie de Juan Keating, Ben Jennings, Morgan Kendall, Hailey Lowe, Margaret Motley, Steve Penley, Peter Polites, Serge Raffato, Dawne Raulet, Rossin, Serge Ruffato, Tracy Sharp, Jill Steenhuis, Lou Steed and Katherine Bell McClure.

The price of entry will include valet parking, light appetizers, access to a donation bar and an opportunity to purchase an original piece of Atlanta history. Bar donations are welcomed and encouraged. Proceeds from the auction will support the Cultural and Historical Resources component of the Buckhead Collection Greenspace Plan. For more information on the Buckhead Collection, visit www.livablebuckhead.com.

In addition, Buckhead Heritage will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Orly air crash by hosting a lecture on Friday, May 11, by Ann Uhry Abrams, author of Explosion at Orly: The Disaster that Transformed Atlanta, and Chris Moser, the producer of the 2001 GPB documentary film, The Day Atlanta Stood Still, as well as a screening of the film at 6:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Philip at 2744 Peachtree Road.

Through a release, Buckhead Heritage President, W. Wright Mitchell, commented, “The Orly crash was truly a watershed moment in Atlanta history. While it was a tragic event, Atlantans bounced back, as they always do, and used it as a catalyst to develop Atlanta into the arts and culture capital of the South. As the 50th Anniversary approaches, it is important to not only remember the many prominent Atlantans who lost their lives in the crash, but also to acknowledge the citizens who picked up the pieces and turned tragedy into triumph.”