Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Sip and sup for The Center

Wine Auction fund raiser makes the arts happen


By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

From left to right, David Palmer and Trina Peters celebrate with last year’s Lexus winner Sarah Nelson. Photo by Chris Pilaro

The Sun Valley Wine Auction is one of the valley's most successful and community-oriented fundraising events, which provides more than half of the funding for The Center's year-round operations. From summer concerts and after-school classes to lectures and exhibitions, as well as numerous other events and programs, The Center's staff and operations rely on the wine auction to continue its reputable caliber of work and programming.

"Different pieces come together, some years have stronger lots than others, but this year everything came together," said the Sun Valley Center for the Arts executive director Sam Gappmayer. "It's creativity and hospitality, from the vintner dinners and the places to eat to the fun and entertainment, which makes the event."

The auction is superior, and Wine Spectator magazine has ranked the charity event as one of the top ten in the nation. In its 27th year, the 2008 Sun Valley Wine Auction is no exception. The three-day event helps to support over a million dollars of arts and cultural programs in the Wood River Valley, and it is a festival of wine, food and fun for hundreds of attendees.

"People are in this valley because of their life and experiences they have, which has a certain sophistication," Gappmayer said. "We are happy we can play a role in their life."

The auction allows The Center to offer 60 percent of its programs to the public free of charge. Among them are after-school art classes in Spanish and English serving 186 children during three-hour classes that are held for six weeks, free gallery tours for school groups that were attended by 2,042 kids, free films and lectures year-round, performances and artist in residence programs in schools presented to 2,172 students, free Family Days at The Center and free admission for 13,498 people to The Center's Arts and Crafts Festival and much more.

"There's a definite growing and continuing need for education and arts education on all levels in the community including needs in Spanish," Gappmayer said. "There's more we can do."

Every Center program that is ticketed is subsidized by the income made at the Wine Auction, which includes the large summer concerts. The success of the Wine Auction, allows concert goers to bring their own food and beverage, which means The Center is not driven to make money on concessions at the concerts.

In the past year, The Center provided 42 scholarships to allow students and teachers to pursue further study in an arts-related field, and proceeds from the Wine Auction enabled The Center to build a classroom in Hailey without raising additional money from Center supporters.

The Wine Auction events range from vintner dinners for a few dozen guests at some of Sun Valley's loveliest homes to an outdoor picnic with live music that attracts 1,700 party goers.

"There are a lot of people we don't see except for this week, it's like old friends, and it's really heartwarming," Gappmayer said. "The auction always sells out and the Lexus raffle is a huge donation. This year the auction will include interesting entertainment with world-renowned artist David Garibaldi and a very popular sidewalk chalk artist as well as other surprises. We will have two scholarship recipients perform during the auction."

In addition, the auctioneers are a part of the party who will be looking for bids on spectacular lot items such as Colgin Cellars Cariad Napa Valley Red Wine, 2003, a catch and release heli-fishing adventure in British Columbia, a luxury tour of Chile, a guided bike excursion in Italy, which includes two Scott bikes, weekends in the California wine country, many lots of rare top of the line wines and Take Part for Art, the opportunity to raise a paddle just to donate.

"We are happy about it all," Gappmayer said. "The picnic is the best. There is great food, music, good friends and of course great wine. As for the wine tasting, where else within the region would you have the exposure to so many different wine experts and wines?"

Auction lots are on display at River Run on Thursday, July 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Friday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to noon and absentee bidding can be arranged. For details, call 726-9491.

Wine auction events

Dinner with the Vintners

· Thursday, July 24, at 7 p.m.

· These intimate dinners in private Sun Valley homes feature incomparable wines by some of the country's most exclusive vintners matched to sumptuous multi-course meals prepared by top chefs from near and far.

· For details, call 726-9491, ext. 22, to inquire about last-minute ticket availability and prices.

Wine Auction Gala at River Run

· Friday, July 25, at 5:30 p.m.

· The main event features surprise entertainment, dinner accompanied by great wines, and live and silent bidding on auction items unavailable anywhere else. In addition to rare wines (many in unique large-format bottles), auction items include travel packages to Chile and Italy, a heli-fly-fishing adventure, golf packages and the raffling of a Lexus LX 570.

· $500 per person ($200 is tax deductible).

Wine Tasting Extravaganza at River Run

· Saturday, July 26, 12:30--3 p.m.

· Sample wines from more than 125 vintners and bring home a souvenir Riedel glass.

·  Tickets are $40 a person available online at sunvalleycenter.org or at the door.

Wine Picnic & Concert at Bigwood at Thunder Spring Golf Course

· Saturday, July 26, 6 p.m.

· The biggest event of the Auction with over 1,700 people attending. Enjoy a catered picnic featuring local organic food wherever possible, fabulous wines and live music from the Tommy Castro Band.

· Tickets are $80 per person.




 Local Weather 
Search archives:


Copyright © 2024 Express Publishing Inc.   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.