Poynter’s annual Bowtie Ball celebrates significant contributions to journalism and the essential role of a free press in democracy. It’s also a fusion of fashion, fun and community.Lester Holt, a preeminent journalist and anchor of "Dateline NBC" and "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt," the network's flagship broadcast and America's most-watched evening newscast, will be honored at Poynter’s 2018 Bowtie Ball. He will receive the Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism for his award-winning work and contributions to the craft.If you watch NBC, you hear Lester Holt’s voice every night telling you the news. But you won’t hear him talk about what it ’s like moderating the most-watched presidential debate in history, cutting his teeth in local TV news, interviewing world leaders or traveling the country before President Trump’s inauguration to talk to everyday Americans about their hopes and fears. At Poynter’s Bowtie Ball, you’ll get to meet the man behind the news, helping you make sense of it all. We promise you’ll leave inspired.By attending the Bowtie Ball, you also support the work of The Poynter Institute, a nonprofit school for journalism that teaches over 100,000 journalists from more than 70 countries each year about leadership, ethics, fact-checking, digital tools and local news sustainability.Please wear cocktail attire. Bowties are encouraged.Sponsorships are available for this event. Please contact Wendy Wallace, director of advancement at Poynter, at (727) 553-4311 or wwallace@poynter.org.To purchase a table of 10, place an order for 10 tickets and we will seat you together. For priority seating and greater visibility before, during and after the event, show your support for Poynter as an event sponsor.