I've found "The Question" tends to happen more often around festivals, and the more beer that is poured the more likely people of either gender are likely to simply find out for themselves by exploring.

The more polite the function, the less likely "The Question" is. I've ne'er been asked at church or at a play, for instance.

Best I can tell, my niece was ne'er asked -- which Good Thing because she was somewhere between 11-16 when we did things together. (Then she got a life an interest of her own.)