Vancouver International Wine Festival Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction 2018

Credit: Paul Duchart

Harry Hertscheg, Vancouver International Wine Festival executive director; Stephanie Hungerford, gala chair; and Christopher Gaze, Bard on the Beach founding artistic director

30th annual Bacchanalia Gala + Auction raises over $225,000 for Bard on the Beach

A sold-out crowd of over 400 wine lovers attended the 30th annual Bacchanalia Gala + Auction at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver on February 24, raising $225,000 for beneficiary Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival. The evening began with a Cava reception and an opportunity to bid on silent auction items and wine cellar auctions. Chris Gailus, Global BC News anchor, was master of ceremonies, and the gala ended with a live auction conducted by past gala chair Jana Mclagan and a Delta Air Lines raffle trip draw. Fairmont executive chef Cameron Ballendine created a five-course meal inspired by the festival’s theme countries of Spain and Portugal paired with nine delectable wines.

This is the 30th year of the Bacchanalia Gala and the 40th year for the Vancouver International Wine Festival, considered to be the largest wine festival in the Western hemisphere.The festival consists of international festival tastings, trade tastings, winemaker dinners and a trade conference. The 2018 festival featured wines from Spain and Portugal with more than 82,000 glasses of wine poured for over 25,000 wine-loving patrons. Overall there were 1,450 wines from 16 countries at 51 events, and festival-goers sampled from or stocked their cellars with some 43,000 bottles of wine.

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Mary McPhail, RBC private banker; and Andrew Rigg, Scotiabank Private Investment Counsel western regional director

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Bill Mclagan, Blakes managing partner; and his wife, Jana Mclagan, former gala chair

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Joel Donnelly and his wife, Buqet from Get2Gether Consulting

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Steven McKoen, Blakes partner; and his wife, Sandra

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Kristine Wilkinson, Milk Creative Communications press manager; and Anna McDonald, Milk Creative Communications senior account executive

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Craig Stowe, Luxury Alliance Group president; and Dr. Rajiv Reebye, orthopedic surgeon

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Richard Graham, Scotia Wealth Management director; and Jav Jau

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The Max Zipursky Trio performed at the cocktail reception

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Patrick Bonney, Meru Capital CEO; Sarah Cuddy, Fasken lawyer; Pam Vogel, bbvancouver.com owner; David Bull, John Bull Investments Ltd. president; JoAnne Strongman, JMS Media Group CEO; Randy Vogel, bbvancouver.com owner; Lori Joyce, Betterwith Ice Cream founder; and Nikolas Joyce, TML president

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Bruce Colwill, General Fusion CFO; and Laura Colwill, Drivewyze CAO

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Flamenco guitarist Peter Mole and dancer Palma performed for guests

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Christopher Gaze, Bard on the Beach founding artistic director, addresses the audience

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The Bacchanalia Gala dinner

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Master of ceremonies Chris Gailus, Global BC News anchor

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The Vancouver International Wine Festival tasting room at the Vancouver Convention Centre

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Anne Dingwall, Wine Australia marketing officer Ontario; and Shelley Hamer-Jackson, Wine Australia Canadian marketing manager

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The Vintners Brunch at the Vancouver Convention Centre

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Chicha Restaurant, People’s Choice winner at Vintners Brunch: Shelome Bouvette, owner/chef; Kumiko Umeno, owner; and Allison Flook, owner/chef

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Chicha Restaurant’s People’s Choice award pairing of smoked sablefish asiago, spinach and wild mushroom empanadas with Aji Amarillo lemon artichoke sauce, Peruvian sweet pepper coulis and Ramos Pinto Duas Quintas Reservation White