PAFA's Bacchanal! Annual Wine Auction and Gala Raises $405,000 in Support of Student Scholarships

 

PHILADELPHIA – For the eleventh consecutive year, on November 14, 2009, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) hosted the Bacchanal! Wine Auction and Gala. With over 320 guests, the event celebrated the wines and food of Chile and raised $405,000 in support of student scholarships for PAFA students. Since July 2009, the Academy has raised over $1.0 million in scholarship aid.

 

Since 1999, Bacchanal! has been consistently recognized as a premier wine and auction event in the Philadelphia region and has garnered a national reputation. Bacchanal! 2009 included wine tastings, silent and live auctions of unique items and travel destinations, a gourmet dinner highlighting Chilean culinary delicacies, and dancing. Hugh Hildesley of Sotheby’s in Manhattan was the auctioneer for the evening and was presented with an honorary Thomas Jefferson Award for 10 years of dedication to Bacchanal! and PAFA.

 

Special guest attendees included Thomas Jefferson Award recipients Señor Aurelio Montes, Chairman, Viña Montes and Don Alfonso Larraín Santa María, Chairman of Viña Concha y Toro; The Honorable José Goñi, Chilean Ambassador to United the States and his wife Loreto Leyton; Count Francesco Marone Cinzano representing Chilean winery Erasmo; Benjamin Leavenworth, Honorary Consulate of Chile in Philadelphia; and Robert Palaima, President of the Board of Directors of the Chilean and American Chamber of Commerce and President of Delaware River Stevedores.

 

Throughout the week preceding Bacchanal!, a series of exclusive gourmet winemaker dinners took place in private homes, each pairing a distinguished Chilean winemaker with a local celebrity chef.

 

In addition, On November 13, in conjunction with Bacchanal!, a Chile-United States symposium entitled The Bi-Lateral Relationship in Trade, Commerce, and Culture addressed the vibrant trade, economic, and investment opportunities that exist between Chile and the United States. Symposium participants included The Honorable José Goñi; Mr. Walter Kemmsies, Ph.D., Chief Global Economist, Moffat & Nichol; Mr. Mark Kristoff, CEO, Traxys Worldwide; Señor Aurelio Montes; Mr. Timothy Speiss, Partner, Eisner LLP (symposium moderator); and Ms. Lori Tieszen, Executive Director, Wines of Chile U.S.A. The symposium was sponsored by Eisner LLP and Traxys North America and was followed by a reception hosted by Wines of Chile and Di Bruno Bros.

Bacchanal! is PAFA’s flagship wine affair. PAFA is authorized to host Bacchanal! by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and was generously supported by The Haverford Trust Company, this year’s presenting sponsor. Bacchanal! was co-chaired by Rosemary and Gerald Barth.

 

 

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Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is America's oldest continually operating school of fine arts and museum.  A recipient of the 2005 National Medal of Arts presented by the President of the United States of America, the Academy is a recognized leader in fine arts education.  Nearly every major American artist has taught, studied, or exhibited at the Academy. The institution's world-class collection of American art continues to grow and provides what only a few other art institutions in the world offer: the rare combination of an outstanding museum and an extraordinary faculty known for its commitment to students and for the stature and quality of its artistic work.

 

Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Academy is located at 118-128 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia. Admission to Permanent Collection is Adults $10, Seniors & Students with I.D. $8, Youth ages 5-18, $6. Admission to Special Exhibitions (includes Permanent Collection) is Adults $15, Seniors & Students with I.D. $12, Youth Ages 5-18, $8. Admission is free for members and children under age of 5. Admission to Morris Gallery exhibitions is free.