Photo Caption: Founding sponsors of South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival present a $30,000 check to Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation to benefit children’s charities, July 30, 2013. Back row L to R: Bill Bubel, Howard Group; Richard Ross, Hilton Sandestin; Gary Brielmayer, Hilton Sandestin; Lauren Magli, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. Front row L to R: Stacey Brady, Grand Boulevard at Sandestin; Kelli Carter, Visit South Walton Tourist Development Council; Jim Bagby, Visit South Walton Tourist Development Council; Chan Cox, Wine World; Myra Williams, Howard Group; John Russell, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation; Karah Fridley-Young, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. Not pictured: Carol Dover, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association.

Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Receives $30,000 from South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival

Children’s charities benefit from inaugural festival proceeds

 Miramar Beach, Fla., (July 30, 2013) – The first annual South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival donated $30,000 to Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) to help 14 children’s charities in Northwest Florida. The charity wine festival, which parted ways with the Sandestin Wine Festival in 2013, designated DCWAF as the sole recipient of all net proceeds of the event. More than 3,200 people attended the festival.

 "Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation was honored to be the benefiting Charity of the South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival. These funds will provide much needed support to the 14 separate children's charities on the Emerald Coast that count on DCWAF for funding. Our auction was an integral element of the wine festival and the value of the synergy of working with South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival cannot be overstated. We believe this partnership was a key reason our auction revenues were up 16% over the previous year,” said John Russell, President of DCWAF.

 Destin Charity Wine Auction was held during the wine and food festival and raised nearly $1.4 million dollars for the charitable organizations to address hunger, homelessness, abuse, and physical and mental disorders for thousands of children in Northwest Florida communities.

 The South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival took place April 25-28, 2013 in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, a mixed-use Town Center located along South Walton’s picturesque Northwest Florida beaches. More than 800 wines, poured by dozens of noted national and international wine celebrities including Peter Mondavi, Jr., highlighted the festival. The Savor South Walton Culinary Village showcased local chefs as well as celebrity chefs including Norman Van Aken, a James Beard Award winner.

 Entertainment at the festival was provided by a who's who of Nashville songwriters who performed as part of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association’s Summer Songwriter’s Series. They performed the hit songs they wrote for the biggest stars in the music business, including Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Vince Gill and many others.

  Festival founding partners include Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, Visit South Walton Tourist Development Council, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Wine World of Northwest Florida and Grand Boulevard at Sandestin^®.

 The 2014 South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival takes place April 24-27.

 About South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival is an annual charity event held the last weekend of April. The festival features a stunning showcase of the best wines the world has to offer. Celebrity wine producers and chefs will present fine wine and food pairings from the world’s most famous appellations. The Savor South Walton Culinary Pavilion showcasing a sumptuous array of foods to taste, wines to pair, as well as wine and food seminars and cooking demonstrations. The event is a major fundraiser for Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, which benefits children in need in Northwest Florida. For more information, including a list of attending winemakers and to purchase tickets, visit www.SoWalWine.com.

Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Receives $30,000 from 30a South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival