In a city of flashy galas, the spring bash for Design Industries Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) may out-gala them all. Part costume ball, part fashion show, part art auction, the “House of DIFFA,” as the evening is known, is a visual circus that doubles as a fundraiser for HIV/AIDS services across North Texas.
The year I attended, in 2024, I walked into the downtown Sheraton expecting tuxedos and gowns only to find a riot of feathers and sequins and masks. One cloaked man floated around on a hoverboard. This year’s theme is “Hotel Mystique,” which sounds opulent and alluring, and as usual, a big draw will be the one-of-a-kind luxury jackets designed by artists for auction that evening.
But the climax is the runway show, the kind of electrifying spectacle that makes me wish Dallas’ gay designers were in charge of more events. The 2024 show was a parade of avant-garde fashion and chic celebrity impersonators (David Bowie, Beyoncé) and performances by Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Louisiana’s fabled Southern University Marching Band.
I’d say DIFFA has the glamorous vibe of the Oscars, but the Oscars only wish they were this much fun.
May 9, Sheraton Dallas Hotel, 400 N. Olive St. Tickets start at $500. diffadallas.org.