Georgetown Square is dressing up for a decade milestone this month. The Ballgown Square Crawl marks its 10th year on November 21, bringing a dress contest, silent auction and wristband deals to downtown bars, restaurants and boutiques, all in support of a local nonprofit that serves survivors of sex trafficking.
According to ballgown.org, proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction benefit The Key2Free, a Georgetown-based organization. As CultureMap Austin notes, tickets for the crawl run $45 to $55, and the event includes visits to downtown boutiques, restaurants and bars alongside the dress contest and silent auction. One wristband is said to unlock special offers at more than 20 businesses around the Square, per the event site.
The night's logistics are laid out in detail on the official event page. Wristband pickup happens in front of Hydrate at 711 S. Main Street from 4 to 7 p.m., and anyone hoping to land in the big group photo is told to meet at the courthouse at 5 p.m. The silent auction runs 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., dress-contest finalists take the spotlight at 8:45 p.m., and a raffle caps the evening at 9 p.m. A local events listing, wilcoweekend.com, pegs the overall window at 5 to 10 p.m. and notes the crawl is for ages 21 and up.
Wristband Perks and a Decade of Tradition
Among the listed wristband perks: complimentary 2-ounce signature martinis at The Draper and a photo booth from With Love Photos and Props set up inside Mesquite Creek Outfitters, according to the event site. The crawl's three dress-contest divisions close registration at 7 p.m. before finalists compete later that night. What started in 2017 as a casual night out with friends has since grown into what organizers call a Georgetown tradition, the same source states.
The Nonprofit Behind the Fundraiser
The Key2Free describes itself as a ministry nonprofit located in Georgetown that serves adult women who have been victims of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, according to its own about page. The organization says it has been able to offer services such as life-skills classes, case management, therapy and other aftercare needs. Its BRIDGE2Freedom program is described as a residential and non-residential effort designed to bridge the gap between structured support and sustainable independence for women rebuilding their lives after exploitation, per the same page.
The issue has drawn local attention beyond the crawl itself. In an interview with hellogeorgetown.com, Teri Jansen said, “Only 9% of victims of human trafficking are trafficked by somebody that they don't already know.” Jansen also said Texas is the number two state in frequency of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline every year, according to the same interview. Citing the Polaris Project, the outlet additionally reported that men represented over 14% of likely trafficking victims in 2020.
A Different Beneficiary in Years Past
The crawl's charitable partner hasn't always been the same. A Community Impact roundup published in November 2019 described the third annual Georgetown Ball Gown Pub Crawl as a fundraiser for HELP Crisis Assistance, a nonprofit that supports survivors of crime, crisis and disaster in Williamson County, according to Community Impact. That earlier version of the event ran from 6 to 10 p.m., cost $35 and was based at 710 S. Main St., with food, drinks, live music and retail discounts around the Square, the roundup noted.
