MIMS MOON GALA 2024
Moon Gala FAQs
We can’t wait to see all of you at our 2nd Annual MIMS Moon Gala on Friday, October 25, 2024!
PLEASE READ BELOW for all details regarding the event.
Section 1: All the details!! Click here for our OneCause website.
What is the Moon Gala?
Our Moon Gala is an annual gala fundraiser hosted by the MIMS PTO! This is our chance to get together as parents and friends to have a great time and raise funds for our students. We can enjoy a beautiful venue, a lively program, and dance under the moon, all while supporting our school! Plan to come for dinner, drinks, dancing, a silent auction, and a fun live auction! Adults only, so plan your childcare accordingly.
Location:
The Bell Tower on 34th
901 W 34th St, Houston, TX 77018
What does my ticket to the Moon Gala include?
All general admission tickets to the Moon Gala include:
- Admission to the Gala from 7:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.
- Three (3) hours of complimentary beer and wine from 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
- Cash bar for cocktails all night
- Buffet dinner and carving station
- Silent and live auction fun
- Photo booth
- DJ and dancing!
Parking:
Complimentary Valet Parking is included for all guests.
Event Timeline:
- 6:15 p.m.-7 p.m. - VIP reception
- Moon Goddess Sponsors + Guests, Jade Rabbit Sponsors + Guests, and Fire Dragon Sponsors + Guests
- MIMS Faculty, Community Partners
- Any ticketed guest who donates an auction item
- Auction items available for bidding for VIP attendees
- 7:00 p.m.: General Registration opens;
- Auction opens online for bidding for all guests and MIMS community members!
- 7:30 p.m.: Dinner Service Begins
- 8:15 p.m.: Program Begins
- 8:20 p.m.: Live Auction!
- Check out our live auction items including principal for a day, vice principal for a day
- 8:45 p.m.: Paddles Up and Last Hero
- Raise your paddle to provide much-needed services for MIMS
- Last Hero is a special TBD auction item!
- 9:00 p.m.: Dance Party!
- 10:00 p.m.: Silent Auction Closes and Bar Closes
- 10:30 p.m.: Silent Auction Check-out Ends
- 11:00 p.m.: Event Concludes
Seating:
All general admission tickets will have assigned seating for dinner. For General Admission tickets, we cannot take requests for seating assignments or tables (exception: sets of two (i.e. couples) purchased together will be seated together). Reserved tables will be labeled for our Sponsors; details at check in.
Menu:
Buffet Dinner, Carving Station
Beverages:
COMPLIMENTARY beer/wine/seltzer/soda and CASH BAR
- Complimentary beer, wine, seltzer, and soda from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Cash bar available from 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. for cocktails and drinks
- No outside alcohol is permitted
Check In:
All guests will check in with One Cause before entering the event space. We have a registration list with every guest’s name. You will show your online check-in and receive a paddle. You do not need to present a physical ticket or copy of your tickets.
Preregister to Bid:
To purchase socials or bid on silent auction items, you will need to preregister your phone. More details to come.
Dress:
The Moon Gala is a formal, but fun event! We strongly encourage formal, black tie attire. As we have a diverse community, international formal dress is welcomed and encouraged as well. Please no casual clothing.
Silent Auction:
- Viewing and bidding will open one week prior to the gala.
- ANYONE can bid online, not just Auction guests
- Bidders do NOT have to be present to win, but must arrange pickup of physical items won
- Check out process for silent auction winners:
- Winners will be notified via text
- At Auction, silent auction checkout begins at 10:15 p.m. – please get your items before leaving the event!
- Additional pick up opportunities can be arranged at MIMS.
Section 2: Frequently Asked Questions/FAQ
When do tickets to Auction go on sale, and how much do they cost?
General admission tickets to the 2024 Moon Gala will go on sale on Friday, September 6. Tickets are $150 per person. This price accounts for complimentary valet, complimentary beer and wine service, and a new, larger venue. We worked hard to keep pricing at the lowest point possible. While the gala is a fundraiser, we ultimately want to keep it accessible to as many members in the MIMS community as we can.
Tickets went very quickly last year and we were not able to accommodate the ticket demand, so we recommend purchasing as soon as possible. If you are unable to purchase tickets at the specified time, we encourage you to find a fellow MIMS community member who can make the purchase on your behalf before they sell out.
I bought a ticket, but I can’t attend now. What should I do?
If you sell or give your ticket to someone with a name other than the one you used at ticket purchase, please contact fundraising@mimspto.com so we can make the update on our registration system. This will ensure a seamless check in process for all guests.
If you need help finding someone to purchase any tickets you are no longer able to use, please reach out to us at fundraising@mimspto.com. We will let you know if anyone has contacted us about purchasing tickets.
Do you have to attend the event to bid on an item?
No – remote bidding for most items is certainly encouraged for our MIMS families who cannot attend the event.
When can we start bidding on items?
Most items in our silent auction will be available for bidding the week of Auction. Our silent auction will close at 10:00 p.m. during our Gala.
Tell me about the live auction.
Live auction is run by an auctioneer for 30 minutes during dinner. These include items like Principal for a Day and Assistant Principal for a Day. We also run a paddle raise, where guests can raise their paddles to donate to specific funds at MIMS. We’ll end with a special HERO item that will be an exciting and fast-paced bid war to close the evening. Don’t miss the excitement!
Will there be dancing?
Yes! Come ready to tear up the floor with lots of time for dancing!
What sponsorship opportunities are available for Auction?
Please see the list of sponsorship opportunities here.
How do I get admission to the VIP reception at Auction?
All Moon Goddess, Jade Rabbit, and Fire Dragon Sponsors are invited to our VIP reception before the event at Auction from 6:00-6:45 p.m. Anyone donating an auction item will also be invited to the VIP reception. During the VIP reception, guests will receive complimentary wine and beer, light appetizers, and early access to bid on or purchase Auction items.
What does the Moon Gala fund?
The money raised from the gala is critical for our school – it provides funding for the special programs and supplemental grants that our PTO sponsors, beyond the school’s budget from HISD. Examples of programs that are paid for with these funds include our supplemental Mandarin curriculum, shading structures for the Spark Park, updated technology, and teacher appreciation events.
For this school year, Ms. Tiet would like us to focus on using Gala funds to apply much-needed upgrades on technology, including new smart boards, projectors, and more.
What kind of items are featured for the silent auction?
Past auction items included sports tickets, art pieces, overnight vacations, super unique events hosted by parents such as golf outings, fishing trips, and bat watching, sports memorabilia, museum memberships, and more. If you would like to donate an item or have a connection to a business that may donate, please reach out to communityfundraising@mimspto.org.
What happens if tickets sell out again this year?
Our Gala committee and PTO board works hard to consider costs as we continue to try to expand our capacity. Please know there is a lot of work that goes into hosting an event of this size (300 guests in 2023), and that amount of work and overall cost to hold the event increases along with extra capacity. As a volunteer-led committee tasked with leading our PTO’s key fundraiser, which is only in its second year, we hope to host a fun event that allows us to leverage the generosity of our community, while maintaining a focus on the primary goal: to fund the programs our PTO has committed to support this school year.
What’s the difference between being a Family Sponsor, Corporate Sponsor, and Gala Sponsor?
All sponsors contribute to MIMS and we are so appreciative of every donation!
Annual Family Sponsors and Corporate Sponsors are supporters that provide MIMS with a baseline of funding and support for year-round programming. Sponsorship includes recognition in banners, social media, and the website for the entire school year, plus perks at all school festivals and the Moon Gala. These sponsors ensure the day-to-day and month-to-month school operations keep running smoothly!
Gala Sponsors are specifically sponsoring the Moon Gala, which comes with its own perks for the evening including recognition in the program and gala website, verbal recognition at the event, and VIP reception access. We encourage sponsors to bring friends, colleagues, and family to the gala to introduce them to the MIMS community. The Gala raises funds for specific initiatives for the campus; this year, it will help provide much-needed technology upgrades. When you buy a sponsorship to the gala, you are helping cover the costs so funds raised can go directly to the campus. Plus, you get to enjoy a memorable evening with the MIMS community!
Please reach out to fundraising@mimspto.org if you need any specific assistance or have any questions.
For additional questions, please contact fundraising@mimspto.org.
