The Ga(y)la

The party's back.
Only better.

Every fall, Equality North Carolina pulls out all the stops to honor the incredible people who are building the LGBTQIA+ movement across our state. In 2025, we filled the night with magic at our Masquerade Gala at The Fruit. This year, we’re taking that tradition of excellence, joy, and community power to 21c Museum Hotel Durham.

Equality NC prides itself on being completely community-driven. From our multi-generation movement champions to our first-time attendees, (y)'all fuel everything we do. The annual Ga(y)la is our premier opportunity to gather, celebrate, and say thank you.

The Ga(y)la

Saturday, September 19, 2026
6–9:30 pm
21c Museum Hotel
111 Corcoran St, Durham, NC 27701

The vibe: Contemporary art, historic Art Deco architecture, and pure queer joy.
Dress code: Bring your queer best self!

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How (Y)our Support Builds Power

Community Advocacy: Advancing comprehensive inclusion across housing, employment, healthcare, and education so no one is excluded.
Coalition & Partnership: Cultivating long-term alliances rooted in a shared vision for racial, social, and economic justice.
Education & Leadership: Investing in leadership development and grassroots training, including our Rural Youth Empowerment (RYE) Fellowship which provides mentorship and $2,000 stipends to emerging leaders.
Base-Building & Public Engagement: Activating a vast network of neighbors across the state. In 2025 alone, our team engaged over 2,000 volunteers and showed up at 21 Pride festivals!
Civic Engagement & Representation: Empowering our community to participate fully in public life and ensuring that queer and trans North Carolinians have a voice at every level of leadership.

Become a Sponsor:
(Y)our Invitation

The Ga(y)la is a celebration for all y'all, and we invite our business partners, local champions, and community leaders to participate meaningfully in our work. Anyone who gives $750 or above joins us as an official event sponsor with specialized benefits.

Sponsorship Packet

Our 2026 Sponsorship Tiers

Friend ($750)

Includes 2 tickets and:

Inclusion in event publicity and marketing materials
Recognition in Equality NC's Annual Impact Report

Bronze ($1,500)

Includes 4 tickets, all Friend benefits, and:

Your logo featured on our website
Your logo displayed at our Ga(y)la

Silver ($3,500)

Includes 6 tickets, all Friend and Bronze benefits, and:

Highlight in our email newsletter, reaching 16,000+ subscribers
Your business's swag distributed in gift bags at the Ga(y)la
1-2 minute formal introduction from our Executive Director at the Ga(y)la
Invitations to exclusive networking events for community leaders

Gold ($7,500)

Includes 8 tickets, your own reserved table, all Friend, Bronze, and Silver benefits, and:

Highlight on our social media, reaching 60,000+ followers across platforms
Option to attend a private meeting with Equality NC leadership

Equality North Carolina is a 501(c)(4) statewide organization committed to securing rights and protections for the LGBTQ community.

All sponsorship tiers include general benefits like inclusion in event marketing, recognition in our annual Impact Report, website visibility, and custom signage at the event.

Ready to lock in your sponsorship?

Secure your package online today, or for detailed package configurations or custom options, connect directly with our Development Director by clicking below.

Sponsorship Inquiry