The 11th annual No Tie Dinner benefiting ASD takes place at Frontiers of Flight Museum
No Tie Dinner Chair David Nelson, from left, honorary chairs Angel and Marie Reyes and AIDS Services of Dallas Board Chair Don Beubauer are ready for the 2016 No Tie festivities. (Photo by Kim Grubbs)
DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer
The James Bond film You Only Live Twice provides the theme for this year’s No Tie Dinner.
No Tie raises money for AIDS Services Dallas, the agency that provides housing for people living with AIDS. Development Associate Alex Sanchez said ASD gives people a second chance — a chance to recover and get back on their feet — making this year’s theme so appropriate.
But the problem with the theme, especially from the early Bond films, is that look always included a tie. Sanchez said, “Oh, no! Don’t wear ties.” Casual remains the rule no matter the theme.
No Tie Dinner returns to the Frontiers of Flight Museum on Lemmon Avenue on Saturday, April 9 for the 11th annual ASD benefit. The name was created as a play on Black Tie Dinner, but organizers said it was never meant to poke fun at the formal fundraiser. In fact, ASD has been a beneficiary of Black Tie for years.
Instead, ASD CEO Don Maison said, the name simply implies the casual atmosphere of the evening that targets a wider audience than its formal fundraising cousin.
Over the past decade, the event has grown substantially. About 225 people attended the first No Tie held at Southside on Lamar. This weekend, Maison expects about 1,500 people at the Frontiers of Flight Museum. Attendees at some 50 private parties and dinners will converge on the museum at 7 p.m. for a dessert party and live and silent auctions.
No Tie raises quite a bit of cash each year for ASD. Last year, Maison’s own private party was top contributor to No Tie’s total, but he said he’s already heard that the other dinner hosts have beaten the $27,000 he expects his efforts will raise this year.
Sanchez said the rules have even eased up since the original party. Most party hosts hold their pre-event just before the dessert party at the museum. Others have an after-party. A few are getting organized late and will attend with their friends and hold their private party at a later date.
It doesn’t matter, Sanchez said, because it all raises unrestricted funds for the agency.
Honorary chairs Angel and Marie Reyes are from the new reality show Real Housewives of Dallas premiering April 11 on Bravo TV network.
Vacation packages being auctioned off live include a stay in a five-bedroom, 13th-century villa ,in Tournon d’Agenais in southwestern France, a visit to Belize Maruba Resort Jungle Spa, a West Hollywood package, a Steamboat Springs ski resort stay and a vacation at Hotel del Coronado Resort in San Diego.
Other featured live auction items include a Louis Vuitton chaise lounge valued at $8,500 and a Lady Gaga autographed book.
Sports tickets, spa packages, custom jewelry, furniture and home accessories are among the silent auction items. Silent auction items can be viewed and bid on before the event by visiting NoTieDinner.org.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition April 1, 2016.
