NATCHEZ — The time is near for that one part of Natchez Spring Pilgrimage when the hoop skirts are exchanged for evening gowns for a night of dancing and fine dining that lasts until breakfast.

The fifth annual “Save the Hall Ball” begins at 9:30 p.m. this Saturday at Stanton Hall and The Carriage House Restaurant and lasts through the midnight hour, with live music performed by a returning favorite band, “Loose Chain” from Atlanta and a cocktail buffet and breakfast by Carriage House chef Bingo Starr, Pilgrimage Tours coordinator Luke Cockerham said.

The black-tie party will also include a silent auction with a luxurious variety to bid on, Cockerham said, including jewelry, weekend getaway trips, hunting trips and local artwork.

Tickets are $100 each and help provide funding for the preservation of both Stanton Hall and Longwood.

Cockerham said attendees will get to see the now completed $1 million restoration project at Stanton Hall, which includes structural maintenance as well as the repair of masonry and stucco.

Proceeds from the “Save the Hall Ball” over the past four years have contributed $300,000 towards repairs, Cockerham said, and an additional $700,000 is needed to fully-fund the project.

“The Save the Hall Ball has been very well attended,” Cockerham said. “We had 400 people last year and it keeps getting larger every year. … It’s a really fun party with a lot of great music, and we always have a really fun mixture of all ages — college students and so on. It’s unlike anything else you can attend in Natchez, for both tourists and locals.”

Tickets may be purchased online at bontempstix.com. For more information, call 601-445-4420.