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Black Tie Dinner Announces Details for First-Ever Black Tie LIVE Event Nation’s Largest One Night LGBTQ Fundraiser to broadcast live special on WFAA-TV (Local ABC Affiliate) on Sunday, October 18th

October 6, 2020 () – Black Tie Dinner – the nation’s largest LGBTQ fundraising dinner of its kind – announced its celebrity appearances, lineup of entertainment & award receipt for its very first live TV special called “Black Tie LIVE” presented by BBVA (www.bbvausa.com) on WFAA-TV (local ABC affiliate) on Sunday, October 18th from 4-5PM CST. The featured celebrity appearances will be fashion designer, television personality, & author Tan France from Queer Eye, actresses Vicci Martinez & Emily Tarver from Orange is the New Black, actor Erich Bergen from Madam Secretary, activist Cecile Richards and local drag performing favorite Cassie Nova. Also, the TV special will include performances by pop star Ava Max and singer Anton Shaw. Proceeds from the TV special will go to support 16 North Texas non-profit organizations and the Foundation.

“As we continue to work through the challenges of 2020, we are excited to televise a groundbreaking and historic TV special that reflects our mission statement to entertain, educate, and empower our community”, said Jeremy Hawpe, 2020 Black Tie Dinner Co- Chair. “We want viewers to come away from the TV special feeling inspired and ready to make a positive impact on the community.”

Black Tie LIVE will feature a diverse mix of segments with entertainment, beneficiary spotlights and reflections on LGBTQ progress and challenges, as well as an auction and a drawing to win a brand-new Mercedes-Benz, courtesy of Park Place Motorcars (www.parkplace.com). Black Tie Dinner will also present its Kuchling Humanitarian Award to LGBTQ activist and leader Bruce Monroe for his long-time service to the Dallas LGBTQ community.

Black Tie Dinner’s virtual peer-to-peer fundraising tool called the “Black Tie Dinner Ambassador Program” will allow everyone to continue to donate to Black Tie Dinner’s 2020 beneficiaries. “The fundraising for our 2020 beneficiaries will continue through the telecast of Black Tie LIVE,” said Brad Pritchett, 2020 Black Tie Dinner Co-Chair. “We are hoping to inspire viewers, friends, family, and co-workers to give money directly to these great organizations through our reimagined television program.”

Black Tie Dinner online auction opens for bidding on October 8 and closes on 10PM the evening of October 18. North Texas residents can still purchase tickets online for their chance to win a 2020 Mercedes through 4:40PM on Sunday, October 18. For additional BLACK TIE DINNER, INC.

3824 CEDAR SPRINGS, #335 DALLAS, TEXAS 75219 WWW.B LACKTIE.ORG information about the online auction, car raffle or how to watch Black Tie LIVE, visit blacktie.org.

About Black Tie Dinner

Black Tie Dinner is a non-profit organization that raises funds for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) supportive organizations serving North Texas through a premier event of empowerment, education and entertainment in partnership with the community. From its origins as a small fundraising dinner among friends in 1982, Black Tie Dinner has grown into the largest fundraising dinner in the nation for the LGBTQ community. Each year, Black Tie Dinner selects up to 20 non-profit organizations from North Texas as local beneficiaries of its fundraising, as well as the Human Rights Campaign Foundation as its national beneficiary. To date, Black Tie Dinner has distributed over $25 million dollars to a wide variety of organizations serving the needs of the LGBTQ community.

The event has headlined local and national celebrities and leaders such as Billy Porter, Beto O’Rourke, , Maya Angelou, Geena Davis, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, Connie Britton, Kim Petras, and Dustin Lance Black. In addition to live entertainment, Black Tie Dinner honors outstanding service to the LGBTQ community with the Elizabeth Birch Equality Award, the Black Tie Dinner Media Award and the Kuchling Humanitarian Award. Recipients have included Debra Messing, Greg Louganis, Elizabeth Birch, Sharon Stone, , , Showtime Networks/Robert Greenblatt, Bishop V. Gene Robinson, Cyndi Lauper, Logo Network/Brian Graden, Chely Wright, American Airlines, Terrence McNally, Chaz Bono, JCPenney, Scouting For All founder Zach Wahl, Erich Bergen, and Jessi Cruickshank.