In 2008, the Minneapolis party will celebrate its 15th Oscar Night America.

Oscar Night® America (ONA), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' grassroots program that enables charities to host glamorous fund-raising parties, will kick off its 15th year in 2008.

On Sunday, February 24, 52 charities in as many locations will host official viewing parties during the 80th Academy Awards® ceremony. The events will feature the live broadcast of the Awards presentation, which will be televised by the ABC Television Network.

"We created Oscar Night America to let people across the country participate in the excitement of the Academy Awards festivities," said Academy Executive Director Bruce Davis. "The fact that the viewing parties benefit local charities is an added bonus."

The ONA 2008 locations are Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Lewisburg, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, Omaha, Orange County (CA), Orlando, Palm Beach, Palm Springs, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Springfield (MO), Tampa, Tucson and Washington, DC.

Most parties are black-tie affairs, though some are less formal. Event organizers have been known to request partygoers to dress up as famous couples, and some feature limousine arrivals, red carpets, local celebrities, photographers (or paparazzi) and press interviews with arriving guests.

To set these parties apart from the thousands of other events taking place on Oscar Night, each ONA party receives from the Academy copies of the official commemorative poster and the official Oscar show program among other items.

Only one charity party in a given market may participate in ONA. Events are entirely produced by local nonprofit organizations, with the active participation of the local ABC-TV affiliate station.

Last year, 47 charities hosted viewing parties for the 79th Academy Awards, raising nearly $3 million, all of it remaining in local communities. With more than 16,300 guests attending nationwide ONA 2007 benefited such charities as the American Diabetes Association, the American Red Cross, the Miami Beach Film Society, the Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics Texas, and the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.

Since its inception in 1994, the program has generated over $20.4 million in funding for a wide spectrum of charitable organizations – every cent staying within the community where it was raised, none going to the Academy.

For the 15th consecutive year, Concept Marketing Development of Santa Barbara, California, will assist the Academy in coordinating the program.

For information on Oscar Night America 2008 parties, please click here.