Fall Social Planner

12 fall charitable events every good Dallas socialite must attend

With fall fast approaching, the philanthropic events aren't far behind. Whether a luncheon, concert, or gala, there are plenty of charitable events for Dallas do-gooders looking to support a good cause.

Mark your calendars for these 12, which no social butterfly in Dallas would miss.

Crystal Charity Best Dressed Fashion Show and Luncheon, September 16
This ultra-exclusive luncheon marks the official beginning of fall social season in Dallas. Luncheon chair Pam Parella welcomes guests to Neiman Marcus Downtown, where honorees — Anita Arnold, Katherine Coker, Janie Condon, Tucker Enthoven, Heather Esping, Mary Clare Finney, Margaret Hancock, Julie Hawes, Pat Harloe, and Piper Wyatt — model the Carolina Herrera Resort 2016 Collection, with special guest Carolina Herrera. Betsy Sowell is the 2016 Hall of Fame honoree.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala, September 16
Superstar pianist Lang Lang joins the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and music director Jaap van Zweden for this musical tradition, which kicks off the symphony season. Post-dinner and concert, the Meyerson Symphony Center's bottom floor transforms into a lively after-party, with decadent treats, handcrafted cocktails, and impressive dance tunes by Steffi Burns. Marena and Roger Gault serve as this year's co-chairs, with Sherwood Wagner acting as honorary chair.

TACA Custom Auction Gala, September 23
The 2016 chairs Dianne and Mark LaRoe and honorary chairs Wanda Gierhart and Dean Fearing welcome art patrons to a night of wine, fine dining, and a lively auction at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. The black-tie affair truly showcases the best of the hotel, while the extravagant auction shows year after year how far art enthusiasts will go to support their cause. Funds raised support TACA's mission of championing artistic excellence in performing arts organizations.

Black Tie Dinner, October 1
This dazzling dinner at the Sheraton Dallas hotel downtown attracts a long list of celebrity guests who help raise funds for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) supportive organizations serving North Texas. This year's 35th anniversary celebration, themed "Believe," features a special appearance by Emmy-nominated actress Connie Britton and music by Deborah Cox.

Women of Distinction Luncheon, October 7
Benefiting the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, this luncheon at Omni Dallas always draws a large crowd that includes some of Dallas' most notable philanthropists, including Laura Bush, Gene Jones, and Ruth Altshuler. This year, co-chairs Maggie Cooke Kipp and Heather Perttula Randall are thrilled to welcome Laura Bush Lauren as keynote speaker. In addition, Sara Losinger and Trea C. Yip are honored as the 2016 Women of Distinction, and Marianne Staubach receives lifetime achievement honors.

Cattle Baron's Ball, October 15
This year, co-chairs Cara French and Andrea Weber recruited superstars Toby Keith and Dwight Yoakam to join in the Dallas fight to give cancer the boot. In addition to these blockbuster concerts, expect auction items for days and food befitting this beloved Texas shindig that supports the American Cancer Society. No fancy threads are required. Jeans and boots do just fine.

Dallas Women's Foundation Luncheon, October 21
Talk about girl power. Expect thousands of women supporting women — and, yes, a few wise men — at the 31st annual event at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. Co-chairs Selwyn Rayzor and Joyce Goss, along with honorary chair Kaleta Doolin, welcome 2016 keynote speaker Candy Chang, best known for the Before I Die project. Proceeds help DWF invest in women and girls and empower women's philanthropy to build a better world.

Two x Two for AIDS and Art, October 22
Every year Cindy and Howard Rachofsky host this highly anticipated — and celebrity-filled — art auction and party at their incredible home. Silent and live auctions featuring an impressive array of contemporary art help fill the coffers of the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR. The 2016 honored artist is Laura Owens, and the incomparable Nancy Rogers serves as chairwoman once again.

First Sight/First Night Dallas Opera, October 27 and October 28
This is a one-two punch on the Dallas social scene. The festivities start with the First Sight luncheon, chaired by Tiffany Divis, Kara Goss, and Rhonda Marcus, showcasing the latest fashion from Versace and lunch by Wolfgang Puck. Event chairs Ellen and Don Winspear and honorary chairs Joyce and Harvey Mitchell then welcome the opera-loving crowd to the First Night gala, featuring both a pre-performance dinner and an after-party at the Winspear Opera House.

Art for Advocacy, November 5
Now in its 10th year, this celebration is moving from its usual home at Fashion Industry Gallery to the General DataTech Warehouse. This year's event features a seated dinner with live and silent auctions showcasing work from both local and regional artists, as well as a variety of experience packages. Local favorite Sarah Jaffe entertains the crowd at a lively cocktail party following dinner. Proceeds benefit Dallas Children's Advocacy Center.

ReuNight, November 10
This exclusive event benefiting the Family Place could be Dallas' first look at the new Forty Five Ten on Main, which is where the night is set to kick off with cocktails. Co-chairs Brian Bolke and Faisal Halum and Shelle and Michael Sills then welcome guests to dine on the terrace at The Joule. In an exciting twist, Donna Karan makes her first visit to Dallas in decades, as the evening's special guest.

Crystal Charity Ball, December 3
In terms of social hierarchy, Crystal Charity Ball is at the top. This year's theme, "To Everything There is a Season," has us dreaming of beautiful, luxurious landscapes and fabulous flowers aplenty, and ball chair Christie Carter will see to it that every inch of the Hilton Anatole's Chantilly Ballroom speaks to the theme. The organization has a goal of raising $5,600,000 to benefit Community Partners of Dallas, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, Hope Supply Co., Notre Dame School, Parkland Foundation, Teach for America, and the Family Place.

Tucker Enthoven, Elaine Pearlman, Caren Kline, and Pam Denesuk at Crystal Charity Ball Best Dressed Fashion Show and Luncheon.

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A Glittering Celebration

Christine Baranski brings Hollywood sparkle to Dallas luncheon

Photo by Kim Leeson

Karen Hughes White, Caren Lock, Christine Baranski, Shonn Brown.

The Omni Dallas Hotel shimmered in ruby tones on November 14 as more than 950 supporters gathered to celebrate a milestone four decades in the making: the Texas Women’s Foundation’s Ruby Anniversary Luncheon.

The afternoon blended Hollywood sparkle — courtesy of award-winning actress Christine Baranski — with heartfelt tributes to the visionary women who sparked a movement in Texas 40 years ago.

The annual luncheon, one of the region’s most significant events advancing women and girls, raised an impressive $840,000. More than $112,000 of that came in during the program itself, underscoring the energy in the room and the urgency of the mission.

TXWF used the occasion to announce a landmark figure: a cumulative $115 million in impact since its founding in 1985. That number includes nearly $90 million in grants to organizations serving women and girls, as well as more than $25 million invested in research, advocacy, and leadership initiatives designed to shape long-term change.

Board chair Cris Zertuche Wong opened the program by welcoming seven of the Foundation’s 11 living founders, who also served as the event's honorary co-chairs: Susan Shamburger Bagwell, the Honorable Harryette Ehrhardt, Catalina E. Garcia, Frances Griffin-Brown, Helen LaKelly Hunt, the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison, Madeline Mandell, Patricia Meadows, Gwendolyn Oliver, CoYoTe PhoeNix, and Rebecca Russell Sykes.

Their presence cast a powerful through line from 1985 to 2025, reminding guests how a collective of 19 bold women stepped across differences in background, beliefs, and political leanings to create an organization with the singular purpose of supporting Texas women and their families.

Wong also recognized former Foundation leaders and Ruby Anniversary co-chairs from across the decades: Gail Griswold and Brenda Jackson representing the 1980s; Laura Estrada, the 1990s; Helen Frank, the 2000s; and Shonn Brown, the 2020s.

TXWF president and CEO Karen Hughes White spoke to the road ahead, noting that while the founders’ vision remains timeless, the challenges facing Texas women have grown more complex. “It will take all of us to create meaningful, lasting, systemic change that levels the playing field for women and, in turn, creates a strong and vibrant Texas for all,” she said.

Throughout the luncheon, guests were treated to archival video clips of the founders recalling how they built TXWF from scratch: the meetings held around kitchen tables, the spirited debates, the shared belief that change was not only possible but necessary.

Brown then honored each of the 11 living founders, as well as those who have passed, noting that their collective voice will be further amplified in a forthcoming 40-story collection documenting TXWF's history.

The afternoon’s featured guest, introduced by Target executive and event sponsor Sabrina Thomas, was the incomparable Christine Baranski, the Emmy and Tony-winning actress of The Good Wife, Cybil, and The Gilded Age.

In an onstage conversation moderated by former board chair Caren Lock, Baranski charmed the audience with stories from her upbringing in Buffalo, New York, where she grew up in a working-class Polish American family. She spoke of perseverance, discipline, and dreaming big, qualities that carried her to Juilliard and ultimately into a celebrated four-decade career spanning television, film, and theater.

As the luncheon drew to a close, the mood was equal parts celebratory and forward-looking. Forty years in, the Texas Women’s Foundation continues to push for equity with the same passion that fueled its founding.

Photo by Kim Leeson

Karen Hughes White, Caren Lock, Christine Baranski, Shonn Brown.

fundraisers christine baranski texas womens foundation nonprofits the gilded age luncheons celebrities