The annual Blame Bates gala
Paint the Night Away
- Date
- Saturday, April 24, 2027
- Where
- Venue to be announced · Fargo, ND
One night a year the whole community that keeps this work running sits in the same room — and the people we serve tell you what it bought, in their own words.
Tickets aren’t on sale yet. Join the list and you’ll be the first to hear — no other mail.
“There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.”
Which is a line about painting, and also the shortest honest description of recovery anyone has written.
What the night is
Dinner, brushes, and the truth.
Dinner and a room full of people who showed up
Tables of ten, a full ballroom, and the only night of the year the whole community that keeps this running is in one place.
Painting, at every table
Brushes, paint and canvases go out with the centerpieces. Nobody is good at it. That is the entire point of the theme.
Clients tell their own stories
Not read out by staff — told from the stage, by the people who lived them. Nate's testimonial was filmed at the 2026 gala.
Recognition and giving
Sponsors named from the stage, awards handed out, and the fundraising that pays for the work no contract covers.
Paint the Night Away — 2026
What the last one looked like.
Guests painted, clients told their own stories from the stage, and the room paid for a year of this work.
From the stage
Nate’s story, filmed at the gala.
Two minutes, in his own voice. He consented to his name and his voice, but not his face.
Watch it on StoriesBack the night
Four ways in, before tickets even open.
Sponsorship is what makes the evening cost the organization almost nothing — so every ticket dollar goes to the work.
- Sponsor a table
- Sponsors are named from the stage and across our socials. Tiers for 2027 are being set now — tell us you're interested and we'll bring you the numbers first.
- Contribute goods
- Baskets, gift certificates, services and experiences all have a place on the night. If your business has something to give, we'll find the right home for it.
- Bring a table
- Ten seats fills fast. Groups, workplaces and church teams make up a good share of the room.
- Just come
- The simplest version. Get on the list and you'll hear the moment tickets open.
The gala list
One email, when tickets open.
That's the whole promise. We're not going to fill your inbox — we don't have time to.
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Get on the list
The signup form is being connected. Until it is, email or text us and we'll add you — say 'gala list' and that's all we need.
We return every message within 24 hours. If you don’t have a phone, email works — tell us the best way to reach you back.
Why it matters
This night pays for the two-thirds nobody funds.
The state contract covers care coordination for people who qualify. It does not cover the 10 to 30 people helped every week outside it, or 60–75 meals every other Sunday, or the gap on somebody’s deposit. The gala does.