OREM — Two men holding hands strolled through the gates of Bruce Bastian's mansion Saturday evening, ignoring a small group of angry protesters.

The men were at the Orem philanthropist's home for the Human Rights Campaign gala, a fund-raiser for Utah's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

When Greg Hatch and his partner saw the protesters, Hatch reacted with more surprise than disgust.

"I hadn't thought people were paying much attention," Hatch said.

Indeed, awareness seemed to be the theme of the swanky dinner party, which was held on the 8-acre grounds of Bastian's estate.

"Awareness — that's the goal tonight," said event organizer Rick Ith. "There are a lot of gay people in Utah, and that's something many people just don't realize."

When Ith began planning the gala more than a year and a half ago, he said the national office of the HRC, a gay rights advocacy group, told him he wouldn't sell more than 300 tickets.

To Ith's delight, more than 600 were sold, and on Saturday people were still trying to get into the sold-out event. General tickets went for $150, and VIP tickets, which afforded access to Bastian's home and the presence of keynote speaker Tipper Gore, sold for $300.

Only a handful of protesters, who called themselves America Forever, showed up.

"I feel real bad we're the only ones here. More people from the state should be here," protester Jonas Rodrigues of Provo said.

Besides awareness, the event was designed to raise money for the HRC, which, among other things, supports legislation that advances the rights of the gay community.

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, one of several Salt Lake City politicians who attended, said Utah legislators need to pass a hate-crimes law.

"There are only three or four states left who don't have one, and for me, that's an embarrassment. It's an embarrassment for Utah," he said.

Shurtleff and Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson received standing ovations from the crowd when they were introduced during dinner.

"It helps to know that some of our legislators here in Utah are supportive of American rights," said Clay Essig. "It means their supportive of a really good cause, which is freedom. Gays and lesbians are humans even though some people in Utah don't seem to believe that."

Essig and others said they were disappointed that Zions Bank pulled its sponsorship after learning the event was not a Democratic Party fund-raiser but a gay-rights event.

"I think they'll lose business because of it," Hatch said.

Before Bastian and Gore spoke, Ith thanked the crowd for its support over the past year. He said the gay-rights movement had suffered some setbacks in Utah, but that it had also seen progress.

"History is on our side, and with time, we will prevail," he said.

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E-mail: jhyde@desnews.com