Winemakers from around the world gather with gourmet chefs and hot air balloonists in breathtaking venues from the Sarasota bayfront to Lakewood Ranch April 4-7, 2013. Buy your tickets now for “America’s friendliest Winefest” as we celebrate 23 years of benefitting children in need in our community at Florida’s favorite parties with a purpose.
We are back on the Sarasota waterfront under an elegant tent with blowing Florida breezes for the trade tasting and consumer tasting events as well as the elegant Grand Brunch and Charity Auction. Many new features have been added to the Florida Winefest & Auction line-up. It’s bigger and bolder with more wineries, more restaurants, new venues for winemaker dinners, a Kid Zone activity area, gourmet food trucks, live music, and more than twenty hot air BALLOONS! There will be wines for sale at most venues this year and the Grand Brunch and Auction lots are a collectors dream. Wine collectors with all the time and money in the world would still not be able to find some of the rare items in the auction this year. Tickets range from $10-$1,000 at this fabulous festival with something for everyone!
Winemaker dinners will be hosted April 4 at Sarasota Yacht Club, The Founders Club, Ophelia’s on Siesta Key, The Resort at Longboat Key Club, a private residence in Manatee County, Laurel Oak Country Club, and Suncoast Porsche. New to Winefest - and a first for downtown Sarasota - “The Banquet on the Block” will feature 8 restaurant chefs pairing with 8 wineries serving up eclectic menus perfectly paired with fabulous wine. You are invited to meet and greet vintners and winery representatives as they share the inside stories of their selections, while local chefs feature the freshest locally harvested bounty from the land, sea and air. More than fifty wineries and “spirit-makers” are participating in the festival this year but seating at the winemaker dinners is limited so buy your tickets now.
The Balloon Glow Dinner on Friday, April 5 is an extraordinary event. Sunset wine tasting followed by a seated dinner catered by Mattison’s 41 and topped off with illuminated balloons magically dancing to music. Seating is limited so buy your Balloon Glow tickets now.
Do you like cigars? Single malt scotches? Brandies, ports, and even small batch bourbons? Saturday, April 6 we introduce “Smokin’ Hot”, a four- cigar, four-course dinner on the Lakewood Ranch Premier Sports Campus grounds. The “Smokin’ Hot” cigar dinner is a new event at the Florida Wine & Balloon Festival and is sure to be a sell-out so get your tickets now.
Sunday, April 7 come Sip & Soar with us at a casual and fun event under a tent at the Lakewood Ranch Premier Sports Campus grounds. Taste wines and enjoy the view of tethered hot air balloons before they go up, up and away until next year! These are parties with a purpose packed with experiences that you will be talking about for years to come!
“The Florida Winefest & Auction is America’s Friendliest Winefest and a wonderful food and wine charity experience unparalleled in the United States.”
David Elswood, Guest Auctioneer/Christie’s International Head of Wine Sales/ Christie’s London