Napa Valley Festival del Sole Celebrates A Record

Napa Valley Festival del Sole Celebrates A Record

Napa Valley Festival del Sole announced a record breaking setting following the conclusion of its 10th season. Over the ten day event, the festival welcomed more than 10,000 people to 60 events at nearly 40 locations throughout Napa Valley. One hundred-fifty wineries, hotels, resorts, theathers, and restaurants took part in the Festival del Sole.

The Gala at Meadwood Napa Valley raised a record $1.6M, with proceeds supporting the free and low-cost concert opportunities for local residents as well as Napa County public school arts education programs. This year’s Fund A Need raised $430K, more than double from last year, and will help establish an arts education fund in honor of longtime festival board member Margrit Mondavi.

The guests at the Gala were treated to a private concert by Kevin Spacey and a surprise appearance by singer Patti Austin.

Auctioneer, Fritz Hatton led a lively and spirited auction of a dozen lots offering amazing experiences, including a red carpet event with Kevin Spacey to the premiere of Elvis & Nixon, a seven night adventure on private estates in Argentina and Uruguay, watching the 11 Palio di Siena horse race from a private apartment overlooking the piazza, a trip along highway one with Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi in your own personal Bentley, a cameo on stage appearance in a Broadway musical, and a historic collection of Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, including a 1978 double magnum hand-panted and signed by Margarit Mondavi.

The highest bid of the night was $250K for the Founder’s Lot: Cuba Libre, a dinner with Gloria Estefan in Miami followed by a trip to Cuba with festival co-founder and president Rick Walker and his wife Karen.

A spectacular fireworks display surprised the guests at Opus One during dinner, while a vertical dance performance by Bandaloop, and an appearance by Franc D’Ambrosio kept guests entertained.

Make sure to mark your calendars, as Festival del Sole returns next year from July 14-23, 2016.

Festival del Sole, now named “Festival Napa Valley,” has put Napa Valley on the map as a top destination. The annual summer festival blends the world’s finest classical, jazz, opera, theater, dance, wine and culinary, in Napa’s most iconic places.

Festival del Sole is presented by Napa Valley Festival Association with IMG artists.