The Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction, presented by National Bank Private Banking 1859, the sparkling centrepiece of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, took place Tuesday, May 17, at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Live and silent auctions raised $100,328, while the sold-out raffle for two Delta One International Business Class tickets, donated by Delta Air Lines, raised an additional $20,000, bringing the evening’s total to just over $120,000. Net proceeds of this annual fundraiser benefit charitable partner Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival.
“This year’s Gala was superb and all of us at Bard say a huge thank you to the organizing team and to everyone who attended,” says Bard on the Beach Artistic Director Christopher Gaze. “Our Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s elegant Pacific Ballroom was stunning, and our MC Chris Gailus of Global BC ensured the night was great fun. Guests were dazzled by the extraordinary wines and menu and once the Delta raffle prize was awarded, the dance floor was packed! The funds the Gala raised will give our unique Education programs even more impact and this generous support will help us teach and inspire thousands of young people across British Columbia. We are deeply grateful.”
The evening began with a sparkling wine reception, with roving volunteers assisting guests to bid on a fantastic range of wines and exciting experiences in the online Silent Auction. Following the reception, guests savoured nine spectacular wines perfectly paired with five courses created by the Fairmont’s executive chef, David Baarschers (below), topped by a stunning sunset of a dessert, Flavours of Chocolate. DJ Barron S and saxophonist Karla Sax of Girl on Wax soon had guests on the dance floor as the evening came to a close.
Throughout dinner, guests were able to place their bids using their mobile phones on silent auction lots of unique and rare wines and wine experiences, while Master of Ceremonies Chris Gailus of Global BC kept the evening flowing. During the dinner, Howard E. Blank hosted the exciting Live Auction, which featured once-in-a-lifetime wine lots and spectacular packages.
“Private Banking 1859 is so proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction for the second year,” says Haley Alexander, Regional Vice President, British Columbia, of National Bank Private Banking 1859. “This wonderful event, which supports Bard on the Beach’s mission to educate youth in the world of arts and culture aligns so well with our values. We were so thrilled to be part of this special evening at the Vancouver International Wine Festival.”
Author Profile
- Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.
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