PHILANTHROPY IS FUN

7 can't-miss galas & parties of spring 2024 for Dallas young professionals

The annual Yellow Rose Gala raises money for a cure for MS.

Photo by WJNPHOTO

Open those calendars, young professionals. The spring gala and party season is here.

As young adults continue to move to the Dallas area in droves, many are looking for ways to get involved in the city's thriving philanthropy scene. Here are some fun ways to get started.

From an action-packed casino party to a Western-chic gala to the most scrumptious culinary celebration in town, these are the seven top philanthropic events that no Dallas YP will want to miss this spring.

CASAblanca, February 2
The Dallas CASA Young Professionals kick off YP social season with a spirited casino party, filled with games, cocktails, appetizers, silent auctions, prizes, and dancing at The Hall on Dragon. After trying their luck at the blackjack and roulette tables, guests can get crazy on the dance floor to the sounds of The Special Edition band. The cocktail-attire gala is under the guidance of co-chairs Brooke Donelson, Hannah Harpole, and Amanda Rodriguez, and proceeds benefit the children served by Dallas CASA. Tickets (starting at $150) and more information are available here.

CASAblanca, 2016 Come ready to press your luck at CASAblanca's casino. Photo by Tim Heitman

Genesis Masquerade, March 1
The Genesis Young Leaders are taking their ninth annual black-tie affair to the Perot Museum and theming it (appropriately) "Night at the Museum." The event promises a sparkling evening of roaming dinner, signature cocktails, silent auction, live entertainment, and more. Event chair is Kendal Bohnsack, and GYL board president is Michael Anorue. Genesis Young Leaders is an auxiliary group of young professionals dedicated to ending domestic violence. All proceeds go to the many programs of Genesis Women's Shelter & Support. Tickets (starting at $100) are available here.

Genesis Masquerade Genesis Young Leaders will head to the Perot Museum for this year's Masquerade. Photo courtesy of Genesis

Junior League Milestones Luncheon featuring Robin Roberts, April 5
Known for snagging high-profile celebrity speakers, this year's Junior League power lunch will be headlined by Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America. Kathleen Gibson will be honored as Sustainer of the Year at the event, taking place at Omni Dallas Hotel and co-chaired by Sally Pretorius Hodge and Linda Secrest. The luncheon benefits the Junior League of Dallas Community Service Fund, which supports the organization's many civic causes throughout greater Dallas. For more information, tables (starting at $2,500), and tickets (on sale February 5), go here.

robin roberts, good morning america, treasure you GMA's Robin Roberts will be the featured speaker at Junior League's Milestones Luncheon. Photo courtesy of Treasure You

Yellow Rose Gala, April 20
The Yellow Rose Gala flies back onto the calendar with the theme "Fly me to the Cure!" Taking place at the Renaissance Dallas Hotel, the night will feature dinner, cocktails, auctions, and dancing to the tunes of Scherrie Payne, Susaye Greene and Lynda Laurence: Formerly of The Supremes. Jonathan Wright and Sheila Wright-Greene are the event co-chairs who'll help the organization raise money for a cure for MS. The Mike and Diana Miller family are the honorary co-chairs, and the Dee Wynne Courage award will be presented to Susan Lancaster. Tickets (starting at $175 for those age 35 and under) are available here.

Ally's Wish Boots & Blessings Gala, April 27
Ally's Wish is a 10-year-old, lifechanging organization that still flies under the radar — but shouldn't. It grants "last wishes" to terminally ill mothers with young children — a memory for the family that will last a lifetime. Ally's Wish is named for a local young mother named Allyson who passed away of ovarian cancer in 2014. This year's Boots & Blessings Gala will be a "Birthday Ball" celebrating 10 years. The Western-chic night - which typically attracts patrons who are young parents - includes dinner, auctions, cocktails and boot-scooting, at Lucky Spur Ranch Retreat in Justin. For more information and tickets (starting at $150), go here.

Ally's Wish presents Boots & Blessings Gala Ally's Wish Boots & Blessings Gala is a Western-chic affair. Photo by Bob Manzano

Day at the Races, May 4
Can't make it to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby? Dallas has the next best thing in this annual soiree starring big hats and mint juleps. Guests should show up to Turtle Creek Park dressed in their Derby best for Southern food and beverages, a silent auction, table games, "wagering," music, dancing, a best-dressed and best-hat competition, and of course, Kentucky Derby viewing. The 2024 event, now it its 16th year, is chaired by Melissa Sherrill Martin and Ross Martin and benefits the work of Turtle Creek Conservancy. For more information and tickets (not yet on sale), go here.

Shelle Wolters, Allison Edwards, Karen Ribar, Jane Marie Jones, Kathryn Moore, Day at the Races Day at the Races calls for Derby attire. Photo by Thomas Garza Photography

CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards, May 16
Save the date for the most delicious foodie event of the season (not that we're biased) and get ready to raise a glass to Dallas' restaurant and bar stars. The annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards is a spring tradition — and tickets will be on sale soon. Join us May 16 at Fashion Industry Gallery (F.I.G.) for an evening honoring the very best of Dallas' culinary scene, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting a nonprofit partner. More details and ticket info will be revealed soon.

It's time to toast the Dallas Tastemakers of 2023. It's almost time to toast the Dallas Tastemakers of 2024.dallas.culturemap.com

galas luncheons charity fundraisers young professionals

Centerstage spotlight

Showstopping Dallas Theater Center gala raises the curtain on a new era

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

Zeke Williams, Grace Cook, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart

On a picture-perfect Saturday night, more than 250 of Dallas’ most devoted arts patrons gathered at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre for CENTERSTAGE 42, the annual gala benefiting Dallas Theater Center. The elegant evening on May 2 proved to be both a celebration of Dallas theater’s past and a curtain-raising for its future.

As the sun began to set across the Diane and Hal Brierley Esplanade in the Dallas Arts District, guests descended the outdoor staircase for an al fresco cocktail reception. One popular stop was just inside the doors of the lobby: A "Ziya" digital photo booth from local company Make Life Sweeter that turned patrons' posed photos into stylized watercolor portraits.

Throughout the venue, installations highlighting Dallas Theater Center’s Public Works initiative reminded attendees that the organization’s impact stretches from the stage to the neighborhoods of North Texas.

A multicourse dinner was served on the stage inside the Potter Rose Performance Hall, making attendees feel like the stars of the show in the intimate, theatrical atmosphere.

One of the night’s most meaningful moments came with the presentation of the prestigious Linda and Bill Custard Award to Larry Angelilli, recognized for more than three decades of leadership and advocacy that helped shape Dallas’ cultural landscape. The gala also paused to honor the memories of two beloved arts patrons, Linda Custard and Sarah Warnecke, both longtime champions of Dallas Theater Center and the broader arts community.

Inspired by their example, guests bid high for fabulous live auction items, including trips to Palm Springs and Hawaii and a private dinner with actor Michael Urie at a home on White Rock Lake. A paddle raise followed, with patrons giving generously all around the room.

Every $100 counted - from upstage, downstage, and closer to the wings - as the sold-out fundraiser's earnings totaled an impressive $545,000 in support of the Tony Award-winning theater company and its education and community engagement programs, including Project Discovery, Summer Stage, Saturday Sessions, and Community Workshops.

It wouldn't have been a theater benefit without a showstopping performer. When scheduled headliner Michael Urie was called away for filming commitments tied to Shrinking, Dallas Theater Center called on homegrown talent — and the result brought the crowd to its feet. Broadway performer Tiffany Mann, a DFW native with credits including Be More Chill and Waitress, delivered a powerhouse performance - and a few sparkly outfit changes.

The entire program was emceed by Bri Woods and Akron Watson, both fresh off Dallas Theater Center’s acclaimed production of Ragtime. Woods, an SMU Meadows graduate and Linda and Bill Custard Meadows Actor in the Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company, represented the next generation of Dallas theater talent, while Tony-, Grammy-, and Emmy-winning Watson brought Broadway pedigree and star power to the gala stage.

This year’s gala leadership reflected the milestone spirit of the evening. Rather than appointing a single chair, Dallas Theater Center reunited gala chairs from the past decade to lead CENTERSTAGE 42 collectively. Leadership included Jennifer and Peter Altabef, Mickie and Jeff Bragalone, Stephanie Byrd, Scott Davis, Melinda Johnson, Brett Levy, Michelle Lockhart, Ann Mahowald, Deborah McMurray, Scott Moore, Scott Orr, Andy Smith, Paul Von Wupperfeld, Hamilton Sneed, and Krista Farber Weinstein.

The evening also marked an exciting turning point for Dallas Theater Center as it prepares to enter a new era under incoming Enloe/Rose Artistic Director Jaime Castañeda, a TCU grad who is making his return to DFW. The affable leader introduced himself to the audience with a few fun personal anecdotes (including one involving an Easter bunny suit) and expressed his enthusiasm for the vision and direction of DTC.

Cheers went up as Castañeda made a surprise announcement: That The Lehman Trilogy would be the final show in DTC's 2026-27 season.

Upon retrieving their cars from valet, guests departed with an ingenious gift on their front seat: A thank-you note and invitation for two tickets to the DTC's next production, the world premiere of Jonathan Norton's play Malcolm X and Redd Foxx Washing Dishes at Jimmy’s Chicken Shack in Harlem -on stage now through June 7. "We look forward to welcoming you back to the theater!" read the note.

Spotted in the crowd, enjoying the evening, were DTC patrons and supporters including Zeke Williams, Grace Cook, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart, Ann Mahowald, Michelle Lockhart, Hamilton A Sneed, Krista Farber Weinstein, Caroline Hamilton, Brandi Willis, Paul von Wupperfeld, Andy Smith, Mickie Bragalone, Jeff Bragalone, Deborah McMurray, Glen Davison, Cynthia Smoot, Jeff Netzer, Jeremy Lock, D'Andra Simmons Lock, Lynn Richardson, Elvenn Richardson, Michelle Lockhart, Krista Weinstein, Paul von Wupperfeld, Sarah Jackson, Andy Smith, and many more. (Scroll through the photos, above, to see highlights of the night.)

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

Zeke Williams, Grace Cook, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart

dallas theater center theater galas