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As Dallas heads into the holiday season, local philanthropies need our support more than ever to continue to serve our neighbors in need. We’ve rounded up a few dozen philanthropic events to add to your calendar, whether you’re in the mood for an evening of dancing, a Broadway performance, or a way to give back from home.
Dallas CASA’s Angel Tree Holiday Giving
Through December 1, 2021
Dallas CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) is working to make the holiday season magical for children in protective care. When you donate cash or gift cards, Dallas CASA supervisors and volunteer advocates will purchase holiday gifts for children or work with their caregivers to do so. Last year, community donations allowed CASA to fulfill 2,200 angel tree requests. Learn more about this year’s needs and make a donation here.
The Trains at NorthPark
November 13, 2021 to January 2, 2022
For over three decades, NorthPark Center and Ronald McDonald House of Dallas have partnered to produce this beloved holiday event. To date, The Trains at NorthPark has raised over $13 million for Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, allowing RMHD to serve over 40,000 families who need support while their children receive medical treatment. Model trains roll along 1,600 feet of tracks and travel through scenes of Texas toward miniature versions of California, New York, and even outer space. Learn more here.
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum’s Hope for Humanity
November 16, 2021
On Tuesday, November 16, the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is recognizing individuals who are dedicated to preserving the memories of those who were lost in the Holocaust. This year’s honoree is Max Glauben, who has spent decades sharing his experience of living through the Holocaust and keeping his late family members’ stories alive. The event is an in-person dinner, but will also be live-streamed for those who want to support from afar. Get tickets here.
The Family Place Trailblazers Dinner
November 17, 2021
The Family Place’s annual Texas Trailblazer Awards program celebrates leaders in community programming and philanthropy. This year, Family Place’s longtime CEO Paige Flink will be honored for her 30 years with the organization, which supports survivors of domestic and family violence. Learn more about the awards program here.
DIFFA Dallas Wreath Collection
November 18, 2021
Each year, The Dallas Industry Foundation Fighting AIDS hosts an event to showcase its extravagant holiday wreath collection. The festive event raises funds for the organizations that DIFFA supports, including those that work with men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS. Guests can shop custom holiday wreaths while sipping cocktails and dancing to a set by DJ Jenn Miller. Learn more here.
FGI Dallas Night of Stars
November 19, 2021
A true black tie gala, FGI Dallas’ annual event is just as glamorous as you’d expect. Night of Stars celebrates leaders in the fashion industry while raising money for the Dallas Fashion Group International Scholarship Fund, which sends promising young designers to study in Paris. It’s also an excuse to wear show-stopping outfits–the bolder, the better. This year’s honorees are Naeem Khan, Jonathan Adler, Gray Malin, and Dee Lincoln. Learn more about the event here.
BRAVO! Gala
November 19, 2021
The annual BRAVO! Gala supports and spotlights Dallas’ vibrant arts scene. The funds raised are used to facilitate The AT&T Performing Arts Center’s performances and arts education programs. In addition to cocktails and dinner in the Winspear Opera House, the event will include performances from local artists and prestigious Broadway stars alike, including Phillipa Soo, a member of the original cast of Hamilton. Get tickets here.
The Hope Party
November 19, 2021
The 12th Annual Hope Party is an evening benefitting Grant Halliburton Foundation, which provides mental health support, education, and resources for North Texas youth. It’s one of the first events to be held in On The Levee, a new venue in the Design District. If you can’t make it in person to enjoy dinner and dancing, you can bid on The Hope Party’s auction from home. Items include a suite at the American Airlines Center, Dallas Cowboys memorabilia, and a stay at a villa in Turks and Caicos. Read more here.
Dallas Millennial Gala
November 20, 2021
The annual Dallas Millennial Gala is a black tie event that celebrates Dallas’ leaders in innovation and infrastructure and raises money for organizations that support equity, education, and entrepreneurship. This year’s beneficiaries are Junior Achievement, which works with young adults to instill financial literacy and career readiness, and Big Thought, which provides hands-on experiential learning and other youth programming for marginalized communities. Byron Sanders, CEO of Big Thought, is the keynote speaker. Tickets start at $125 for an evening of networking, entertainment, and access to the exhibits at the venue, the Frontiers of Flight Museum.
Dallas Summer Musicals’ An Evening with the Best of Broadway
November 20, 2021
This year, Dallas Summer Musicals is switching up the format of its annual fundraiser. In lieu of intimate solo performances from Broadway stars, attendees will enjoy tickets to the Saturday evening performance of Hamilton. The evening also includes a pre-show cocktail party, a sit-down dinner, a post-show party, and the presentation of DSM’s Angel Award. Learn more here.
Thank You, Dallas: A Thanksgiving Eve Charity Formal
November 24, 2021
Good Culture, a local events and media company that brings young Black professionals together through networking and nightlife, is hosting its inaugural formal on November 24. The event will benefit For Oak Cliff, a nonprofit dedicated to instilling education, advocacy, community building, and the arts in South Oak Cliff. Expect drinks, dancing, and music by DJ Mr. Rogers and DJ Trill, all in a hidden cocktail lounge tucked inside XOXO Social. Tickets start at $30.
Tutu Chic Fashion Show & Luncheon
November 30, 2021
At Texas Ballet Theater’s annual luncheon, TBT dancers will take to the runway to perform while modeling styles from Neiman Marcus. Each ticket supports the Texas Ballet Theater’s mission to bring the art of ballet to North Texas audiences and to instill a love for dance in new generations. Get tickets to the luncheon, held at the Winspear Opera House, here.
The Crystal Charity Ball
December 4, 2021
The Crystal Charity Ball, one of North Texas’ most prominent annual fundraisers, supports local organizations that work with children. This year’s beneficiaries include Cafe Momentum, Dallas CASA, and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, among others. Generally, those who receive invitations to the Ball are individuals who generously donated to one or multiple beneficiaries. There are a small number of tickets available to the public; learn more here.
Art in Fashion Gala
December 9, 2021
This year, the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce is celebrating 95 years of advocating for the creation, growth, and success of Black-owned businesses in North Texas. The organization’s 2021 Art in Fashion Gala features an awards presentation to honor local leaders in business, followed by a performance by musical guest Keke Wyatt. Learn more here.
CASAblanca
February 5, 2022
This annual casino soirée supports CASA’s mission of advocating for children in protective care. The 2021 theme is ‘Roaring 20s,’ and the event promises to live up to its name. Expect casino games, dancing, cocktails, appetizers, prizes, live music, and dancing. The casino setup will include blackjack, craps and poker tables, and a roulette wheel. Get tickets here.
North Texas Food Bank’s Harvest
February 19, 2022
Save the date for North Texas Food Bank’s spring event, Harvest, a seated black tie dinner at the Omni Dallas. The keynote speaker is Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America and one of Time Magazine’s most influential people of 2020. Learn more here.
Is there an event we should add to this list? Email [email protected].
