A red carpet that is actually pink, and covered in Swarovski crystals worth thousands of dollars, will welcome 800 guests to the “Sex and the City: The Movie” premiere tonight hosted by New Line Cinema at Radio City Music Hall.

Meanwhile, in the Crystal Palace lobby of the Javits Center, at the Robin Hood Foundation’s gala, 3,700 guests will find 6,000 pairs of Nike sneakers in the shape of a tornado, and 4,000 pairs of socks molded into a plume of smoke coming out of a chimney.

Could there be two events more apart, and yet both such powerful metaphors for the dynamism of New York?

Since 1998, “Sex and the City” has depicted New York as a city filled with romance, high fashion, beautiful architecture, and great shopping.

Since 1988, the Robin Hood Foundation has marshaled the wealth accumulated here to serve the opposite New York: one of poverty and few opportunities, a New York barely present in “Sex and the City.” Its stated goal is to end poverty in the city.

Both entities have very different icons associated with them: For “Sex and the City,” it’s Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays Carrie Bradshaw. For Robin Hood, it’s Mayor Bloomberg, who has launched public/private anti-poverty initiatives with the help of the foundation. While he doesn’t officially represent the foundation, his daughter Emma works there.

At the “Sex and the City” premiere, the stars will strut down that pink carpet in fabulous outfits — Donna Karan’s office informs us that Kristin Davis will be wearing a one-of-a-kind gold pleated silk off the shoulder dress — and guests will get to see a movie that millions are waiting for.

At the party after the screening at the Museum of Modern Art, more Swarovski crystals will appear in a curtain and in crystallized logos of “Sex and the City” placed on the hors d’oeuvres trays, the event’s planner, Maria Ruiz, said.

Over at the Robin Hood Foundation gala, the crowd will include billionaires and celebrities, possibly including Gwyneth Paltrow, who is a board member. Conan O’Brien will host, and famous Colombian singer and dancer Shakira will perform. As for décor, the concept executed by David Stark Design & Production is “an annual report come to life.”

The phrase would probably make Carrie Bradshaw shriek, but she’d appreciate the creative way the organization has found to convey its work by using donated items that will wind up with the nonprofits it funds.

At the gala’s “Jobs and Economic Security Pavilion” 2,800 calculators donated by Staples will form a wall. The calculators will be distributed to people in job training programs.

The “Early Childhood Pavilion” will have a wall of 450 backpacks from VF Corporation; they’ll go to education programs.

The socks, donated by Polo Ralph Lauren, Renfro/Hot Sox, and Hanes Brands, will wind up with the sneakers at housing programs.

And instead of flowers, the centerpieces at the dinner tables will consist of two XO-1 Quanta laptops donated by One Laptop per Child, positioned back to back, and displaying pictures of flowers, as well as “targeted messaging” about Robin Hood and prompts for each course of the meal. The laptops will go to education programs.

The highlight of the Robin Hood event is an auction where items — this year’s includes a private party for 25 guests with the Jonas Brothers — go for millions. Last year the event raised $72 million.

Will this year’s event be able to match that? In the text appearing on the cover of a pamphlet previewing the auction, Robin Hood seems to make light of the recent economic doldrums. One question, “Bid on an auction package, in this economy?” appears to be answered by another question, “Raise less money for people in need, in this economy?” The wording is a reminder that in bad times, need increases. It also is a not so subtle challenge to donors to keep on giving like Kenneth Langone. A Robin Hood board member, he is one of the event’s chairmen and a founder of Home Depot who recently gave his second $100 million gift to New York University Medical Center.

New York will benefit from both events. “Sex and the City” will generate revenues not only for its maker and stars, but also for businesses. New York City’s tourism agency, NYC & Company, has formed a marketing partnership with the movie to offer tour and hotel packages. “We think it’s one of the best commercials ever made for New York City,” a spokesman of NYC & Company said. New Line will also be making a donation to the Fund for Public Schools.

Robin Hood will employ its rigorous metrics system to distribute the money it raises to about 100 nonprofits, providing oversight and technical assistance to ensure its dollars produce results. These organizations will likely attract additional funding, since potential donors see their affiliation with Robin Hood as a seal of approval.

In the end, New York needs the sex appeal and high price tags of Manolos as much as the brainpower and bucks of Robin Hoods. Both commercial vibrancy and philanthropic largesse have always made New York a unique place.

Ms. Gordon is the society editor of The New York Sun.