Cynthia Smoot
Celebrating 100 Years Of Service With Unforgettable Performances, Inspiring Leaders & Record-Breaking Support
By Rob Giardinelli Photography courtesy of United Way Of Metropolitan Dallas
(Photo by Kelly Alexander)
THE SCENE: United Way of Metropolitan Dallas marked its 100th anniversary with a Centennial Celebration that transformed multiple iconic areas of Fair Park and the Cotton Bowl into an elevated, immersive experience honoring a century of community impact. Every detail, from the décor to the programming to the flow of the evening, was carefully curated to reflect the organization’s history and its bold vision for the future.
The evening began with the Patron Dinner presented by Kimberly-Clark, hosted inside the historic Fair Park Automobile Building. The space was elegantly reimagined, blending the building’s classic Art Deco architecture with modern, sophisticated décor. Rich blue tones, custom lighting, and Centennial-branded elements created a polished atmosphere for the organization’s most dedicated supporters. Tables were adorned with refined floral arrangements, layered textures, and warm candlelight, creating an intimate setting within the vast, vaulted venue. The dinner served as a meaningful start to the celebration—an opportunity for key donors, partners, and community leaders to gather, reflect on United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’s century of service, and set the tone for the night ahead.
Just steps away, the Taste United Food & Wine Festival powered by Vistra took place inside Fair Park Centennial Hall, which was transformed into an expansive culinary showcase. The design balanced sophistication with approachability, featuring illuminated tasting stations, lounge-style seating, and elevated décor that highlighted the participating chefs and restaurants. Guests were invited to explore a remarkable lineup of more than 60 acclaimed culinary partners, including celebrated chefs Andrew Swanson of Wolfgang Puck Catering, Tiffany Derry of Roots Southern Table, and Dean Fearing of Fearing’s Restaurant. Their dishes showcased the creativity, diversity, and excellence of the Dallas-Fort Worth food scene, ranging from globally inspired flavors to modern Southern cuisine. Centennial Hall’s open layout and polished design allowed guests to flow naturally from station to station, creating a lively, communal environment filled with conversation and culinary discovery.
As the night progressed, the celebration moved into the Cotton Bowl, which had been transformed into a spectacular concert venue. Towering LED screens, dramatic stage lighting, and a custom-built stage created a striking focal point across the stadium floor. With the stadium illuminated and the field filled with guests, the Cotton Bowl became a breathtaking backdrop for the evening’s headlining entertainment and closing moments.
In every location, the Automobile Building, Centennial Hall, and the Cotton Bowl, the setting reinforced the magnitude of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’s 100-year milestone. Each space told a different chapter of the story, yet together they created a cohesive, visually stunning celebration of the past, present, and future of community impact in North Texas.
THE VIBE: The Centennial Celebration was lively, warm, and filled with genuine community spirit. Drawing more than 30,000 attendees across Fair Park and the Cotton Bowl, the atmosphere reflected the incredible diversity and unity of North Texas. Philanthropic leaders, business executives, elected officials, families, volunteers, young professionals, and longtime United Way of Metropolitan Dallas supporters all came together for a night that felt both celebratory and deeply meaningful.
The Patron Dinner set an elegant and anticipatory tone for the evening. Guests arrived dressed in elevated attire, greeting old friends, meeting organizational leaders, and toasting to United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’s achievements. The atmosphere inside the Automobile Building was intimate and celebratory…and was an exclusive moment for key supporters to connect, share stories, and engage directly with the mission before joining the larger public celebration.
Over in the Taste United Food & Wine Festival, the energy was vibrant and fast-paced. Centennial Hall buzzed with excitement as guests sampled dishes from dozens of culinary stations. People lined up to taste creations from Tiffany Derry, Dean Fearing, Andrew Swanson, and other local favorites, often pausing to take photos, chat with chefs, or compare dishes with friends. Families wandered from station to station, corporate groups coordinated their tasting routes, and couples posed in front of branded installations. The air was filled with music, conversation, and the scents of globally inspired cuisine; a lively blend that made Taste United one of the evening’s most dynamic parts.
As attendees made their way into the Cotton Bowl, the vibe shifted into something buzzworthy and electric. Thousands filled the stadium, finding seats or gathering on the field as anticipation built for the night’s performances. Blake Shelton opened the concert portion of the evening with an energetic set that had guests singing along, waving lights, and dancing in the aisles. His performance created a fun, upbeat atmosphere that carried through the stadium.
When Janet Jackson took the stage, the energy peaked. Her high-production performance—complete with choreography, dynamic lighting, and hit songs—brought an exhilarating blend of nostalgia and spectacle. The stadium glowed from thousands of phone lights held high, capturing a moment that felt simultaneously grand and personal. The excitement of the crowd, spanning all ages and backgrounds, created a feeling of unity that perfectly encapsulated the spirit of the Centennial Celebration.
The night concluded with a stunning fireworks display that lit up the sky above the Cotton Bowl. Guests paused, looked upward in awe, and shared the moment with friends and family as the colors reflected the celebratory spirit of the night. Even as the crowd dispersed, the energy remained joyful, inspired, and grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a historic event.
THE NON-PROFIT: The Centennial Celebration honored and benefited United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, an organization that has spent 100 years strengthening the North Texas community through initiatives focused on education, income, and health—the three essential building blocks for opportunity.
Since 1925, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas has worked to unite donors, volunteers, nonprofits, civic leaders, and corporate partners in the service of creating measurable improvements in the lives of millions of North Texans. The organization invests in high-impact programs, drives policy solutions, and fosters collaborations that help children succeed in school, support families working toward financial stability, and expand access to vital health resources.
The celebration highlighted not only the organization’s past achievements but also the extraordinary momentum driving its future. The event recognized a record-breaking $64 million raised during the Centennial fiscal year; an unprecedented milestone that will allow United Way of Metropolitan Dallas to scale its impact, deepen its partnerships, and continue addressing the region’s most pressing needs for decades to come.
Storytelling elements, donor recognition moments, and installations throughout Fair Park reinforced the tangible outcomes of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’s work: more students on track to graduate, more families achieving financial stability, more communities accessing health resources, and more people thriving as a result of collective investment.
Ultimately, the Centennial Celebration was a powerful reminder of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’s role as a unifying force in the region. By bringing together tens of thousands of supporters, the event underscored what is possible when a community rallies around a shared mission. It wasn’t just a celebration of 100 years; it was the launch of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’s next century of impact, fueled by the passion, generosity, and dedication of the North Texans who make its mission possible.
