Drag Me to Bingo: Community Showing Up for Community

On March 23, 2026, we hosted our annual ILEA Austin Charity Event at Springdale Station and this year, we did things a little differently.

In the past, we’ve leaned into more traditional fundraising event formats like Casino Night, and while those events have been successful, we’ve seen attendance shift over the last few years. So instead of repeating what we’ve always done, we decided to rethink it. We started looking at what’s working locally, events like Unite the Fight and ARU’s Drag Show are Austin staples and asked ourselves how we could bring that same energy into our own community.

After attending the ILEA International Conference in Boston last summer and swapping ideas with other chapters, the “Bingo” piece came into play… and Drag Me to Bingo was officially born.

We knew right away that Satin Wedding Co was the right partner to lead the charge. Brian Rudy-Moghaddasi and Courtney Marino brought the kind of energy, creativity, and industry connection that this event needed. They understood the assignment from the start and created something that felt fun, intentional, and completely engaging.

Hosting at Springdale Station felt just as natural. They’ve been a longtime partner to ILEA Austin, and they continue to show up for this organization in meaningful ways. Having a venue that not only provides a great space but truly supports the mission makes a big difference.

From there, it became about building the right team and boy this team delivered.Vestals Catering created a seamless culinary experience, Deepicka Mehta Photography captured the night beautifully, and Content by Clarice kept the energy going with real-time moments. Marcella Studio’s floral design added that layer of pop and polish that pulled everything together, while Premier Entertainment handled AV, DJ, and photo booth, keeping the room engaged from start to finish.

We layered in incredible details from Party at the Moontower with lounge setups, Glamour Event Rentals with linens, and Alpha Lit with marquee moments that made an impact. Austin Cart Co brought a unique experience with their Ice Cream and Caviar cart, and Lovebird Stationery tied everything together through thoughtful printed pieces. And of course, Extragrams and “The Becky’s” absolutely carried the entertainment side of the night, they were the heartbeat of the event.

We also had a mix of longtime industry staples and newer partners stepping into an ILEA event, and that balance was really special to see. There’s something powerful about watching people plug into this community and immediately understand what it’s about.

But at the center of all of this was the Search Foundation.

The Search Foundation is the only nonprofit dedicated to assisting event professionals in times of crisis. Founded in the 1990s in response to the AIDS epidemic, the organization continues to provide financial relief to those facing unexpected hardship; from natural disasters to personal emergencies that can deeply impact individuals and businesses in our industry. Over the past year alone, Search has supported professionals affected by events such as the Kerrville floods in Texas and the Los Angeles wildfires, offering critical assistance when it’s needed most.We kicked the night off with a goal of raising $2,000. Through bingo cards, interactive giving, and a lot of enthusiasm in the room, we hit that goal, and then our community did what it does best.

Wilkinson Rhodes stepped in with a $1,000 match, followed by matching contributions from Premier Entertainment and Texas Pro DJ. By the end of the night, we raised $5,000, enough to fully fund a Search Foundation grant for someone who truly needs it.

And honestly, that’s the part that sticks with you.

Yes, the event was fun. Yes, it looked great. Yes, it was different. But the most meaningful part was watching this community rally, watching people give, support, and show up for something bigger than themselves.

This event started as a “what if we tried something new?” idea. What it turned into was a reminder of exactly why ILEA exists in the first place.

We’re really grateful to the Austin events community for leaning in, trusting the concept, and fully showing up.

Thanks for getting dragged to bingo with us.

And more importantly,

thank you for making it matter.