Raise the Light: The 2026 Homestake Opera House Gala

You are invited to an elegant evening in one of the Black Hills' most storied spaces. On May 30, 2026, the Historic Homestake Opera House will host Raise the Light, a gala celebration bringing together community, culture, and a shared commitment to something lasting.

The night begins at 5:30 pm with cocktails and appetizers, followed by a dinner featuring walleye, sirloin, and J. Lohr Wine. Then join us in the Main Theatre for a silent auction of historic Homestake Opera House memorabilia -- original windows, theatrical lights, framed photographs, and rare artifacts from the building's storied past. The evening closes with a live musical performance and an inspiring keynote address.

All proceeds from the 2026 Homestake Opera House Gala go toward programming and operations, and allow us to continue offering art, culture, and educational opportunities in Lead.

Ticket Information

Dinner Ticket :$75 | The full evening: doors open at 5:30 pm for appetizers and social hour, dinner, silent auction, live music, and keynote.‍

Keynote Ticket : $30 | Doors open at 6:30 pm. Includes the silent auction, Keith Hampton's musical performance, and Scotte Burns' keynote address.‍

‍Sponsor Tables | Sponsor Tables are also available and include special recognition during the event to highlight your business or family

Keynote Address: Raise the Light by Scotte Burns

What does it mean to raise the light? The Homestake Opera House has stood for over a century as a gathering place for this community. It is a space where people came together around beauty, story, and shared experience. Its iconic Tiffany chandelier, which guests will view up close this evening before it begins its restoration journey, is not only an architectural treasure, but a symbol of what this community is choosing to do: devote love and resources together toward something that illuminates everyone.

That act of communal giving is exactly what author and speaker Scotte Burns has spent years studying. In his keynote, Burns will draw from his philosophical work The Ultimate Reality to explore how communal giving is, at its core, an expression of love -- what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called the "supreme, unifying principle" that gives life and history their meaning. He'll connect that idea directly to this building, this community, and what it means to devote love and resources together toward a shared future.

Burns speaks from hard-won experience. Over six years and more than 100,000 miles of motorcycle travel across 48 states, he and his wife Toni conducted the Journeys to Love research project. Sitting with quantum physicists and gang members, monks and jazz singers, psychologists and the families of death row inmates, Burns discovered they were all asking the same question: What is love? Those conversations became the foundation of his forthcoming book, A Map of Souls: The Quest for Love's True Story.

A veteran TEDx speaker, award-winning educator, and MFA in Creative Writing, Burns spent 25 years in the classroom guiding more than 3,000 students. His research has been featured on NPR's Morning Edition and PRX. He lives in Lawrence County and is excited to bring this message to the Homestake Opera House in Lead.

Live Music from Keith Hampton

Originally from Wisconsin and now based in Austin, Keith Hampton brings a rich career in folk and singer-songwriter music to the Homestake stage. He honed his craft in Boston's vibrant folk scene, performing at historic venues like Club Passim and opening for celebrated artists, before founding Brave Records and releasing a body of work spanning more than two decades. His latest album, Only Echoes (2026), chronicles stages of grief, healing, and growth through song, making it a fitting accompaniment to an evening devoted to community, renewal, and raising the light together.

Don't miss Keith the following night: Sunday, May 31 at 7 p.m. for the official Only Echoes album release show. Find out more.