Going to a "Starter" Gala

Gala events come in all shapes, sizes and prices. But it was only recently that I started thinking about how important the lower price might be to some potential attendees. While introducing my new website and blog to a friend, she pointed out that galas can be pretty expensive. Like me, she attends a number of galas each year and in her experience, they are designed to earn money for a charity, so of course the charity wants to earn as much as possible. But I knew there were less expensive galas as well, and at the other end of the spectrum there are galas that are just unaffordable or unavailable to most people.

After looking back at Galas I’ve attended, and doing some research, I concluded that you can fit Galas into three broad categories with respect to price. At the top, you have major events such as the Met gala or national award shows such as the Grammys or the Oscars. These events are generally not open to the public, but if they were, you would spend five figures and up for a night out.

It would be amazing to be invited to the Oscars, which is really a series of gala events. There are pre-Oscar gala parties, and the red carpet is an event all by itself, usually televised live and it lasts as long as the awards show. There are after-parties, some of which are also televised, and the stars, along with their entourage, have uniquely different outfits, and even styles, for each event. You can't buy a ticket to the Oscars, although the Academy does give away tickets for the bleachers at the red carpet.

You can't really buy a ticket for the Met gala either. If Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue, decides you deserve to come, you'll get an invitation. But admission is steep with a reported minimum of $30,000 per ticket. I suggest watching "Oceans 8" instead; the film does a great job of reproducing a Met gala.

The in between range covers a lot of ground but there are a lot of galas with ticket prices in the $200-$2000 price range. The more celebrity star power, the higher the price.

For example, the Celebrity Fight Night gala in Scottsdale featured Muhammad Ali, Billy Crystal, Jennifer Lopez, Steve Martin, Rita Wilson, Reba McEntire, and other celebrities when I attended several years ago. As with many charity galas, it featured a silent auction, and a live auction as well. Rita Wilson auctioned off dinner with her and her husband, Tom Hanks. Single tickets to this event were $1,500 and tables were $10,000 (fortunately, I was someone's guest), but many people also made contributions at the event and received instant recognition. The event raised over $7 million for Phoenix-area charities. It was a well-run, star studded event. Whether it's the Rita Hayworth gala supporting Alzheimers research in Chicago, or the Library Lions in New York City supporting the Public Library, these events are similar, and are available every year (except during a pandemic; many went virtual in 2020).

Click the image to visit Celebrity Fight Night

But this sounds out of reach for the average person who actually has to buy a ticket, unless it's a cause that you're passionate about, and you want to go the extra mile. Is there another option? What about a "starter" gala, one that is under $200? Are there any? And how do they compare to their more expensive cousins?

In 2017 I really enjoyed the En Noir Gala at the Hilton Oakbrook Hills resort. It was a black tie event, with a James Bond theme. It was designed to benefit Imerman Angels, a very worthwhile Chicago organization. Imerman Angels’ mission is to provide comfort and understanding for all cancer fighters, survivors, previvors and caregivers through a personalized, one-on-one connection with someone who has been there.

The room was set up as a casino with a full range of casino games, such as blackjack and roulette. Heavy hors d’oeuvres were served instead of a sit-down dinner, and it was cash bar. I moved around from table to table, and I met and enjoyed conversation with several people. Everyone was in a great mood, and looked fabulous. The whole evening was memorable. Of course there was an auction, and a raffle, with items donated by sponsors. This event was a great idea because it allowed people who would never spend the money for a ticket to the the Rita Hayworth Gala can still get dressed to the nines, enjoy a really fun evening, and support a worthy cause. And the event was $125.

With new friends at the En Noir Gala

For En Noir, the ticket price, some additional casino chips and a couple of drinks amounted to my total cost. I wore a vintage dress, and did my own hair and make up. Obviously, not everyone can afford even $125, but if you think about the cost of a night at a bar where you’re paying full price for drinks and dinner, or actually going to a casino where you can easily drop $125, I felt like it was good value for the money.

There are dozens of galas like this all across the country. After researching it, I concluded that there are probably more of these low priced, low-key events than there are in either of the other categories. I'm making sure that my event listings and calendar include events priced like En Noir, so that many more of my readers can celebrate life at a gala.

I’d really like to hear from you about any starter galas that you attended. What was the theme? Was it well run? Would you do it again? Post a comment below and let’s get the conversation started! Celebrate life!