gala /ˈɡālə, , ˈɡeɪlə 
, ˈɡalə, ˈɡælə / ▸ noun a social occasion with special entertainments or performances: [as modifier] a black-tie gala that begins with a cocktail reception.
– ORIGIN early 17th century (in the sense ‘showy dress’): via Italian and Spanish from Old French gale ‘rejoicing’.
EnglishOxford New American Dictionary
