What is the Purple Tie Tiger Tailgate?
The Purple Tie Tiger Tailgate is a casual evening event featuring dinner, a full bar, live and silent auctions, a raise-the-paddle, a reverse raffle, and live entertainment. All proceeds from this annual event support Darlington’s four parent organizations for the upcoming school year: Pre-K to 8 and Upper School Tiger PRIDE, the Fine Arts Booster Club, and the Athletic Booster Club.
When is the Purple Tie Tiger Tailgate?
This year’s event will take place on Saturday, Aug.15, from 6:30-10 p.m. in the Huffman Athletic Center at Darlington School, located at 1014 Cave Spring Road, Rome, GA 30161.
How much are the tickets, and where can I purchase them?
Event ticket ($85): General admission includes open seating, dinner and a full bar.
Patrons Table Group ($1,250): A Patrons Table provides reserved seating for eight people, dinner, open bar and special recognition. You may choose to purchase this for your business or simply for you and seven other friends.
"Treat-a-Teacher" Ticket ($85): Treat your favorite teacher with one or more tickets to the event!
What is the attire for the event?
Show your Darlington School spirit by dressing in your favorite Tiger tailgate gear! Think purple polos, Darlington t-shirts with jeans or shorts, purple dresses, or any Tiger-themed apparel. Need inspiration? Click here to browse last year’s gallery and see what others wore.
Are children allowed?
No, this is an adult-only evening. You must be 21 or older to attend.
Can I bring friends and family from outside of Darlington School?
Yes! Please bring your friends and family and show them how amazing our Darlington community is.
What can I expect at the event?
Doors to the Purple Tie Tiger Tailgate open at 6:30 p.m. with time to explore our online silent auction items and catch up with friends. Enjoy live entertainment and an open bar before dinner is served at 7 p.m. Later in the evening, get ready for the excitement of the live auction and the reverse raffle ticket drawing.
How do the various auctions and raffles work?
Online Silent Auction: Preview our silent auction online, with bidding starting a few days before the event. Because of our generous community, the Purple Tie auction offers exclusive items each year - premium event and sports tickets, vacation homes, golf outings, unique Darlington student experiences, and more. This year’s theme, "Darlington’s Favorite Things," highlights packages donated by families and friends featuring their favorite items and activities. You do not have to attend the event to participate or win a silent auction item.
Live Auction: We will have a select number of live auction items presented by local auctioneer Lou Dempsey (’87, LD ’17). To place a bid, simply raise your numbered "Paw" paddle, which you’ll receive at check-in. Bidding will continue until the highest offer is reached and the item is sold. Live auction items are traditionally our most unique and high-value items. We’ll also have a "Raise-the-Paw" segment where guests can donate toward specific school projects. This year's Raise-the-Paw will support special projects to enhance the sound and audio equipment throughout the Huffman Athletic Center.
Reverse Raffle: Click here to purchase your Reverse Raffle tickets. They are $100 each, giving you a 1 in 300 chance to win $10,000! The raffle drawing happens during the event, but you do not need to be present to win. Winners are responsible for applicable taxes. You do not have to attend the event to participate or win the Reverse Raffle, but all raffle tickets must be purchased before Aug. 15.
Can I donate to the auction?
Yes! The Purple Tie auction features unique and exciting items - everything from premium event and sports tickets to vacation homes, exclusive golf outings, gift cards, and more. These items are donated by local businesses and community members who contribute from places they love. If you'd like to donate an item to this year’s auction, please click here or email us at purpletie@darlingtonschool.org.
How can I help?
This event wouldn’t be successful without you! If you’d like to be part of the fun behind the scenes, we’re looking for volunteers to help secure auction items, sell reverse raffle tickets, and decorate the day before the event. Please email us at purpletie@darlingtonschool.org to join our volunteer committee.
