Lights Out Dining and Silent Auction 2026

Inspired in part by superhero characters like Daredevil, the experience highlights how people who are blind rely on senses beyond sight. While blindfolded dining won’t give you superhero abilities, science shows the brain can adapt by sharpening other senses.

Lights Out Dining offers a brief, meaningful way to shift perspective—encouraging empathy, awareness, and a deeper understanding of the visually impaired community right here in our neighborhood.

The cost of each ticket is $50 and includes a commemorative T-shirt, or $35 without the T-shirt.  Registration and payment must be received by 3PM on Friday, February 27, 2026, to secure a shirt with your registration. RSVPs received after February will not be able to receive a shirt due to ordering deadlines. All registrations should be received by Friday, March 20. Only cash and check are accepted for registration.

Lights Out Dining and Silent Auction will be held on TSB’s campus on Thursday, March 26 with doors opening for guests at 5:00 PM and guests begin moving to the cafeteria around 5:45 PM. By hosting at our school, it allows our students to be part of the evening’s events. TSB (Tennessee School for the Blind) is located at 115 Stewart’s Ferry Pike, Nashville, TN 37214. Make sure to bring your ID to check in with security.

Complete the form in the link above. The school does not have a means of online payment. You may either drop off or mail your registration form with cash or check payment to:

TN School for the Blind

Attn: Lights Out Dining

115 Stewarts Ferry Pike

Nashville, TN 37214

No tickets will be sold at the door.

Ticket sales will end on March 20, 2026, to adequately plan for the evening.

There are a variety of items from local attractions and restaurants. These items may include gift baskets, gift certificates, jewelry, artwork, and many more.

There will be opportunities for cash and check donations at the reception and at the end of the meal. We will have a donation form for you to fill out if you choose to donate. If you are unable to attend and would like to support this event, you can mail a check to TN School for the Blind, Attn: Lights our Dining, 115 Stewarts Ferry Pike, Nashville, TN 37214. The donation form can be found above.

Dinner will be catered by a local restaurant. We would like to keep that a secret until you have been seated and are ready to enjoy your meal. We hope that this will enhance your lights out experience when dining. The meal will include an entrée, sides, bread, drink, dessert, and coffee. 

You will be given a new blackout mask as you leave the reception area and head to the dining area being escorted by our students and staff. Our servers, which will include some of our students, need the LIGHTS ON so the LIGHTS OUT will come by wearing the blackout mask.  

When you arrive, you will be greeted by students and staff volunteers. You will need to check in with security so please bring your ID. You will then be escorted to a reception area where you will have time to view and bid on auction items, and can visit the experience tables where you will interact with TSB students while learning a little more about braille, orientation and mobility, assistive technology, communication, adaptive sports, and other areas of interest for students with visual impairments.

Reach out to Dr. Parsons ([email protected] or Hayley Ashauer ([email protected]). Someone will get back in touch with you as soon as possible.