What a bunch of rowdies those ladylike partygoers turned into Friday night as their favorite men strode the runway in fashions from Festari. Dainty thongs were tossed at the men's feet. Over-sized currency, folded like paper airplanes, jetted over their heads. The din of female squeals and their various noisemakers made this night sound more like a Houston Texans game than a charity gala.

And that's exactly why Una Notte in Italia, benefiting Family Services of Greater Houston, has continued for 13 years as one of the most popular and enjoyable nights of the fall social season. It is one crazy soirée.

Credit event founders and honorary chairs Debbie and Rudy Festari with keeping this event at the InterContinental Houston entertaining and fresh. With chairs like Joyce Echols and Millette Sherman at the helm this year, the glitz factor was guaranteed. Add to the high-energy mix the lineup of celeb models that included Dynamos and Texans plus a host of handsome execs.

Ring leaders at the most volatile of runway tables were Kat Thompson and Stacy McNair, whose husbands Brian Thompson and Steve McNair, made their catwalk debuts. Each of the 10 women at this table (their husbands were seated one quiet row back) carried signs, rattled noise makers and tossed the colorful thong panties at the guys in the spotlight. If they sounded like football fans, it's because they are — suite holders at Reliant Stadium and big buddies with the Texans. That would include general manager Rick Smith, who was at the next table as guest of the Festaris.

Smith's glamorous wife, Tiffany Smith, was among the sellout crowd of 600 that went football crazy when Owen Daniels and then Matt Schaub, both hilariously animated, walked the runway. Dynamo players Michael Chabala and Brian Ching garnered plenty of hoots and hollers as well. A few of the other handsome devils walking the walk were Haag Sherman, Hugh Echols, Tod Eason, Pershant Mehta, Dr. Devinder Bhatia, Tim Connolly and, a personal favorite, Lucas Somoza.

The dashing Somoza flew in from his digs in Paris to be part of the show and brought along with him best friend and New York socialite Olivia Palermo. They were seated with his parents, Renée and Fernando Somoza.

Following the runway hijinks, many of the ladies' favorite jeweler Franco Valobra took the spotlight as auctioneer.

While we're not sure who stayed the longest on the dance floor — it was a scene infused with electricity — we can tell you a few of those joining this lively scene: Nick Florescu with KPRC Channel 2 news anchor Dominique Sachse, Elizabeth and Gary Petersen, Joella and Steve Mach, Jessica and Philipp Meyer, Suzette and Darrell Betts, Courtney Hopson, Charles Reimer, Sue and Lester Smith and Beth and Bryan Muecke.