“Oh yes it’s ladies night and the feeling’s right.
Oh yes it’s ladies night, oh what a night, oh what a night!”
—Kool & The Gang (1979)
An RMEF Ladies Night Out event features many of the same fundraising methods as regular RMEF banquets except they are specifically designed to cater to female attendees. Most Ladies Night Out events include live and silent auctions, games, raffles and dinner. Since only women are allowed to participate, everything is marketed to women, including the merchandise, firearms and presentation of the games and raffles. Below, we dive deeper into how to conduct these events and look at some suggestions by RMEF staff and volunteers.
Interested in seeing what they are about? Check out an upcoming ladies event near you!
Pendleton Ladies Night Out 8/2/2025 Pendleton, Ore.
Chehalis Chapter Ladies Event 9/20/2025 Chehalis, Wash.
Smith Valley Ladies Night Out 9/20/2025 Smith, Nev.
Heartland Chapter Ladies Night Out Event 9/20/2025 McCall, Idaho
Yolo-Solano Chapter Ladies Event 9/20/2025 Woodland, Calif.
Beartooth Chapter Ladies Event 9/20/2025 Billings, Mont.
RMEF Roseburg Ladies Night Out 9/27/2025 Roseburg, Ore.
Giant Springs Chapter Ladies Night Out 10/4/2025 Great Falls, Mont.
Palouse-Whitepine Chapter Ladies Event 10/4/2025 Moscow, Idaho
Eastern Idaho Ladies Event 10/4/2025 Idaho Falls, Idaho
Cody Chapter Ladies Event 10/4/2025 Cody, Wyo.
Bailey Ladies Event 10/11/2025 Bailey, Colo.
Helena Elkhorn Chapter Ladies Event 10/11/2025 Helena, Mont.
Southern Nevada Ladies Luncheon 10/17/2025 Mountain Springs, Nev.
Green Bay Chapter Ladies Event 10/23/2025 Green Bay, Wisc.
Southwest Montana Chapter Ladies Event 11/1/2025 Butte, Mont.
Laramie Chapter Ladies Event 11/8/2025 Laramie, Wyo.
Northeast WY Chapter Ladies Event 11/15/2025 Sundance-Newcastle, Wyo.
Bitterroot Chapter Ladies Event 11/15/2025 Hamilton, Mont.
Big Horn Basin Chapter Ladies Event 11/21/2025 Thermopolis, Wyo.
Flathead Valley Chapter Ladies Event 12/6/2025 Kalispell, Mont.
Click here for tickets or local chapter contact information.
Event Themes
A fun and very different feature for most ladies events is the utilization of themes. Committees plan their invitations, decorations, meals, games and raffles to match a chosen theme, which gives attendees a reason to dress up and adds a fun element to the evening. RMEF supplies a list of approved themes to chapters annually, which are incorporated into the printed EMS invitation.
Event Activities
Within these events, many of the fundraising activities mirror those of a typical RMEF banquet. These include live and silent auctions, games and special raffles. However, rather than hosting a general raffle, these events typically use a basket raffle.
Basket Raffle
Ladies events usually rely on a basket raffle to bring in a large portion of the event’s donated merchandise. With a basket raffle, attendees are incentivized to build a basket with contents to donate to the event. The incentive to donate can vary, but typically for every basket donation, attendees earn raffle tickets for a special basket-raffle donor drawing. For example, a ladies event may advertise this in its invitation: “Don’t forget to build and bring a basket to donate and receive a free ticket for every $20 in value of your basket (max ticket exchange of up to $100 per basket). Each ticket received for donation is for a Kimber Micro 9mm with Crimson Trace Grips!” Tickets for the basket raffle are sold both before and during the event. Baskets are then drawn for and given away at the end of the evening.
Table Packages
Offering and selling table packages is a top way to promote healthy attendance. When eight or 10 attendees are added within a single transaction, it takes only a handful of those transactions to begin to fill a room. Because memberships are not required at these events, an eight-person table with $40 meals costs a buyer just $320. Depending on your state raffle laws, you can even add raffle tickets and other benefits to increase value and incentives for buying an entire table. For example, a table package may include 10 meals and $200 in basket raffle tickets and be priced for only $500. When asking for donations, be sure to leave an invitation with table package information with the potential donor.
Additional Tips
- Since these events are for women only, male volunteers should not be allowed to participate in raffles, games or auctions. If they purchase or win something, it may not sit well with event attendees.
- For some of these events, women plan and set up the event, but only men work the night of the event. This allows women to fully participate and enjoy the evening.
- Host a best-dressed contest for your event’s theme. Award the winner a fun prize with low cost, such as a special crown or sash. Advertise the contest beforehand to encourage attendees to participate.
- When looking for new donors, look to quilt shops, coffee shops, boutiques, female realtors, salons, banks and other similar businesses. These donors typically buy tables for their staff or clients to attend.
Fun and Profitable
RMEF Ladies Night Out events are fun and productive fundraising happenings built for women. These events function similarly to a banquet, so RMEF’s volunteer and support structure can easily adapt to hosting them. Most importantly, they are profitable fundraising tools that generate significant funds for RMEF’s mission.