DALLAS -- The 36th Dallas Margarita Ball took place at the massive Sheraton Dallas hotel on Saturday night. Technically, the event ran from 7 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. In reality, the private black tie gala was an all-night affair that many of the evening's over 13,000 attendees mark on their social calendar the minute they receive word of the date -- which on a normal year is the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Rumor has it that this year's event was moved to November 10th due to a scheduling conflict with the hotel.
So how does one gain access to this big event? Invitations are available through directors, directors emeritus, and members of Dallas Margarita Society, and through sponsors of the Dallas Margarita Society/Dallas Children’s Charities. One can also attend one of the Happy Hour Fund Raisers that are held throughout the year to raise money for At-Risk Children in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
My trek from Fort Worth to Dallas featured few traffic issues until I arrived in downtown, turned onto Olive St. and watched it go from three to two lanes. The congestion was compounded when car after car stopped to drop people off at the Sheraton before beginning the search for a parking spot.
We arrived with invitations in hand along with a toy valued at $35 or higher per person and joined in the party that was spread over three levels of the hotel. The lower level had a casino setup complete with Texas Hold 'Em, roulette, craps and blackjack. There was also a raffle and silent auction. Another ballroom featured a DJ along with Go-Go Dancers, a dance floor and bottle service for private tables.
The second level was essentially the hub of people watching as it seemed like many long lost friends were reunited throughout the evening. The girl-to-guy ratio was roughly 5-1, with many of the ladies clad in elegant evening gowns and classy cocktail dresses. The tuxedo was the wardrobe of choice for most men, while many went the expensive suit route.
The third level had a 'James Bond' theme in honor of the new film Skyfall. Heineken sponsored this area and had promotional models were dubbed the "Bond Girls' on hand taking pictures with party-goers.
While it's hard to be a guy in the presence of so many beautiful women and not have a great time, we did hear plenty of complaints of people waiting 20-30 minutes for an elevator. We also watched ladies having to walk up the temporarily out of order escalator while wearing heels.
As I mentioned, the event officially ended at 1:30 a.m. However, should one desire to keep the night going, there was an array of after-parties in private hotel suites that required different wristbands for entry.
Others heard Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville to signal the end of the party and simply drove off into the night.
For further information on the Dallas Margarita Society, visit here.
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