Autumn Moon Festival Rises in October

Over hors d’oeuvres and cocktails at the Pasadena home of Georgianna and Paul Erskine, the trustees of Pacific Asia Museum announced what is a Southland annual--the Festival of the Autumn Moon on Oct. 5 at the Biltmore.

The affair feted patrons, and the chat was all about what to wear to the gala--Japanese kimonos, Chinese imperial headdresses and antique silk vestments. Designer Peter Lai alleviated some of the doubt with his show of Asian ensembles.

Patrons, of course, will be expected to bid on those rare art works--Chinese funerary urns from the Song dynasty, a pottery camel from the Tang dynasty, a Japanese byobu (screen), and pearls and emeralds, as well as stays at the Peninsula Hong Kong and at the Palace Hotel in Beijing and a week at Kaanipali, Maui.

Andrea Van de Kamp is honorary chairwoman. Patron party chairs were Marilyn Brumder and Rita Getzelman. Planning the affair--Peg Palmer, Lilly Lee, Elaine and Peter Adams, Nancy Neal Davis and Kathy Offenhauser.

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Red Letter Date: Aaron and Candy Spelling will be saluted at the Fulfillment Fund’s “Courage to Dream” dinner at the Beverly Hilton on Sept. 29. Viacom’s Sumner Redstone chairs the dinner with his wife, Phyllis. The Spellings’ offspring--actors Tori and Randy Spelling--will be part of the night to help disadvantaged young people fulfill their dreams through education. The steering committee includes Judy Ovitz, Sherry Lansing, Ava Fries, Cyd Charisse, Susan Dolgen and Arline Gluck.

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Glittery, Too: Audrey Skirball Kenis and Charles R. Kenis will be honored at the Regent Beverly Wilshire on Saturday at USC University Hospital’s fourth annual gala benefiting the USC Center for Arthritis and Joint Implant Surgery. Invitations for dinner, Monte Carlo gaming and the silent auction come from Drs. Lawrence Dorr and Edward J. McPherson.

Back to L’Orangerie: Gerard and Virginie Ferry celebrated their return as owners of L’Orangerie restaurant last week with a party for “dear friend” Line Renaud.

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September Gala: The Maple Counseling Center is gathering the managers of four Beverly Hills hotels--the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Beverly Hilton, the Peninsula and the Beverly Wilshire--as honorees for its dinner dance Sept. 27 at the Beverly Hilton. Larry King will emcee. Merv Griffin is honorary dinner dance chairman, and Fred Hayman is honorary committee chairman.

Elsewhere on the Social Circuit

* The Santa Barbara Zoological Society took on a “Passage to India” theme for its Zoofari Ball XI chaired by Tamara Jensen Harris and Penelope Williams . . . UCLA Chancellor Charles E. Young will be keynoter at the Israel Cancer Research Fund’s Women of Action luncheon Sept. 25 at Four Seasons in Los Angeles. Connie Stevens will receive the Humanitarian Award.

* Mary Lou Loper’s column is published Sundays.