The first weekend of October (October 1 and 2) will feature one of Houston’s most fun and time honored events, the Diana Country Dinner Weekend. Country Dinner is one of The Diana Foundation’s biggest fundraising events. Proceeds this year will help support The Botts Collection GLBT Archive, Lazarus House, and Out for Education. Weekend activities will feature a Saturday dinner and dance, Sunday brunch, and lots of live entertainment.
The Diana Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization recognized as the oldest continuously active gay organization in the United States which was founded in Houston in 1953. The Country Dinner was once a private party of the first president of the organization, the late Charles Hebert, and soon became a cornerstone to the foundation’s fundraising activities. Once called, “Dog Days of Summer,” and “Miss Angela’s Country Dinner” after Hebert’s drag name Miss Angela Lynnsbury, Country Dinner continues to bring members of the Houston community together to have fun while supporting local charities.
The Diana Country Dinner & Dance will take place on October 1 from 6-9 p.m. at Neon Boots. Tickets are $60 per person and may be purchased online at thedianafoundation.org. The event will provide a full BBQ dinner, drink coupons, dancing, and live music entertainment by the Honkytonk Special Band. Diana members Steven Bretthauer and Dan Maxwell will chair this year’s big event.
“We are ready to host a fun night,” Maxwell says. “Country Dinner will have lots of thrills and exciting surprises. The event is definitely a highlight of the social calendar and we want everyone to get their tickets and join the party.”
On Sunday October 2, the weekend will feature the Diana Round “Up” Gospel Sunday Brunch. This event has already sold out selling nearly 200 tickets. The brunch is hosted at Up Restaurant located in Highland Village and will provide guests with brunch, continuous Sunday beverages, and live gospel music provided by the incredible Bubba Neely. Michael W. Kemper and Brian Teichman chair the event.
“This year’s Country Dinner Weekend will not disappoint,” Tanner Williams, president of The Diana Foundation, says. “Last year’s event set record numbers and friends cannot stop talking about how much fun they had. Our event chairs are working really hard, and we are very fortunate to have so many talented Diana members helping to give Houston one heck of a country party weekend.”
Sponsors for the 2016 Diana Country Dinner Weekend include Smirnoff Vodka, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neon Boots, Up Restaurant, OutSmart magazine, and The Montrose Star.
“The Diana Foundation is truly grateful for the support of sponsors. Houston is blessed with both generosity and hospitality,” Maxwell says. “We hope that our efforts help raise some needed dollars for our 2016-17 beneficiaries.”
Details about The Diana Foundation’s Country Dinner Weekend may be found online at www.thedianafoundation.org. Additional historical documents and pictures from past Country Dinner events may be found on their Facebook page at fb.com/TheDianaFDN.
