Drinking & Donating: Chad D’s Annual Toy Drive is a Force for Holiday Cheer

Twenty-six years ago, Chad Davenport and a group of friends decided to channel their love of partying into making the world a better place.

On Monday, Dec. 15, Chad D’s Annual Toy Drive returns for its 26th lineup, taking place at Barley House (2612 SMU Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75206) from 6:30 p.m. to midnight. Davenport and his organization’s crew, now known as Tonight We Ride, will set up at the venue, have a few drinks, enjoy music from the seven bands (including Ottoman Turks and New Ellum) on the bill and accept donations for their toy drive. They take cash donations and toys, and there is no charge to attend the event; they only ask that attendees give what they are able.

“At the time, we were all looking for reasons to throw parties and have live music for a good cause,” Davenport says of the drive’s origins.

At the time, he was running a bar on Lower Greenville called Muddy Waters, where he brainstormed the toy drive with a group of regulars. The band Speedtrucker signed on to provide the live music; the inaugural drive was called “Trucking For Tots” as a nod to them.

After its success, Davenport and the rest of the group tied a stuffed Scooby Doo to the top of a car and spent Christmas Day driving around town looking for places to donate the toys. Over the years, the system has evolved. Today, they deliver the toys to two places: Dallas Life Homeless Shelter and The Family Place, which provides “critical services for survivors of domestic violence.”

Tonight We Ride’s mission has found a growing support system, allowing them to recruit a notable lineup of musicians and volunteers each year. Davenport is extremely proud of the fact that no one has ever been paid to participate in the toy drive — everyone lends their time and talent freely because they want to be part of it. Some bands, like RTB2, enjoy the experience so much that they come back year after year.

This year, in addition to the live music, Rhett Miller of the Old 97’s will appear via pre-recorded video.

”Chad Davenport’s got a heart of gold. I’m so grateful that I get to be a part of his annual toy drive,” Miller tells the Observer. “I miss my old hometown of Dallas, and every year when I record a video for inclusion in the festivities, it feels like I’m sending a little love letter home.”

For Davenport and the rest of Tonight We Ride, the party’s just getting started. While the toy drive may be their marquee event, they’ve fallen in love with charitable works. A core group of about eight people spearhead their regular efforts, which now occur year-round. They serve food to the homeless in Dallas throughout the year and organize fundraisers to support those impacted by tragedies like the 2025 Texas floods and California wildfires.

“It’s very charity-based and faith-based,” says Davenport. “And it started out with a bunch of drunks wanting to throw a party.”