Marking 45 years in Dallas, the Black Tie Dinner returns to the Sheraton Dallas Hotel on 14 November 2026 with a theme of “Renaissance”. The annual LGBTQ+ event will celebrate community and creativity, while its award recipients bring fresh attention to visibility and service. Its timing also gives organisers a chance to reflect on a midterm result that Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson described as a win for equality.

Essential Takeaways

  • A milestone event: Black Tie Dinner’s 45th anniversary takes place on 14 November 2026 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
  • A theme of renewal: Organisers say “Renaissance” celebrates LGBTQ+ people, creativity, self-expression and community.
  • Two recipients named: Benito Skinner will receive the Media Award, while Cannon Austin is the Mike Anglin Trailblazer Award recipient.
  • A charitable legacy: CultureMap Dallas reports that the dinner has raised more than $33 million since its establishment in 1982.
  • Election context: Robinson welcomed the midterm results as a rejection of attacks on LGBTQ+ people; the Associated Press reported that Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress.

A 45th anniversary with a theme of renewal

Black Tie Dinner’s 45th anniversary will bring guests together at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel on 14 November 2026. The event’s organisers have chosen “Renaissance” as a tribute to LGBTQ+ people, creativity, self-expression and the community built around the dinner.

It’s a fitting word for an evening looking both backwards and forwards. The celebration honours 45 years of collective effort, while also recognising the causes the event continues to champion.

The awards bring local stories into focus

The dinner will recognise two people whose work connects with LGBTQ+ visibility and community service. Benito Skinner, a writer, actor and comedian known for the series Overcompensating, is the 2026 Media Award recipient, according to the event’s organisers. Cannon Austin will receive the Mike Anglin Trailblazer Award.

Dallas Voice also reported Skinner’s selection, describing the award as recognition of public work that contributes to LGBTQ+ visibility and storytelling. The honours add a personal note to the anniversary: alongside the big theme of renewal, there are individual contributions worth celebrating.

More than a night out

There’s a charitable purpose behind the formalwear and ballroom setting. CultureMap Dallas reports that Black Tie Dinner has raised more than $33 million since it began in 1982 and supports North Texas LGBTQ+ organisations.

The event is part of a wider autumn calendar of charity gatherings in Dallas, but its long-running focus gives this anniversary particular resonance. A gala can be a celebration, of course; here, it’s also a way of directing attention towards organisations serving the community.

Election results add a note of hope

The theme took on added meaning after the 3 November 2026 midterm elections. The Associated Press reported that Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress, a major setback for President Donald Trump and his party.

Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson welcomed the result as a win for equality, saying voters had rejected attacks on LGBTQ+ people. That is the organisation’s interpretation of the election, rather than a neutral assessment of every voter’s motivations, but it helps explain why organisers see renewal as more than a decorative idea.

Robinson is also president of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Black Tie Dinner’s national beneficiary organisation. Her presence links the evening’s local celebration with a broader national conversation about LGBTQ+ rights and representation.

What guests can expect

The organisers’ event page confirms the date, venue and theme, and identifies both award recipients. CultureMap Dallas reports that the evening will include a multi-course dinner, live entertainment and awards, making the anniversary a mix of celebration and recognition.

For anyone planning to attend, the practical details are straightforward: the dinner is scheduled for Saturday, 14 November, at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. But the larger point is harder to reduce to a calendar entry: 45 years on, Black Tie Dinner is still bringing people together around community, service and visibility.

The anniversary’s “Renaissance” theme feels most at home in that blend of celebration and purpose.

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