The 27th Annual Bacchanal Wine Gala and Auction
Advance registration is required.
Step into an evening of elegance at the Bacchanal Wine Gala and Auction, an unforgettable fundraising event supporting the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
This November, toast the good life as we enjoy a dazzling array of premier wine selections from this year's featured winemaker, San Felice, a leading wine producer in Tuscany known for their balanced and elegant productions rooted in sustainability and environmental responsibility. Italian chef Andrea Besana, resident extraordinaire at the celebrated and Michelin-starred Gusto by Sadler will elevate the evening with a specialty, multi-course meal. Our Italian table will astound your palette, to be complemented with an enticing evening program overseen by nationally-recognized wine, spirits, food, and travel writer Brian Freedman.
Our black-tie evening will honor PAFA Fine Arts Certificate alumnus Vincent Desiderio, American realist painter whose work amplifies the historical power of paint as medium. Desiderio studied at Haverford College, the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, and at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Vince’s exquisite and keenly detailed genre scenes – such as Untitled, this year’s featured artwork for Bacchanal – are gripping in their precision and palette intensity. We’re delighted to welcome Vince back to the Academy and celebrate his oeuvre and accomplishments.
Adding to the evening’s splendor, we’ll enjoy an array of auction items, to include private dining experiences, curated wine lots, and bespoke special features.
On behalf of this year’s Bacchanal Co-Chairs and Committee, this November’s evening of art, history, premier viticulture, and exquisite cuisine will inspire and lift your spirits.
Explore Sponsorship and Ticketing Options ➡
Black Tie | Valet Parking
Featured Artwork: Vincent Desiderio, Untitled, PAFA Fine Arts Certificate Graduate, 1983.
2025 CO-CHAIRS
Aaron Cohen and Priscilla Coblentz Cohen Donald R. Caldwell and Linda Aversa-Caldwell
2025 PRESENTING SPONSOR
2025 DIAMOND SPONSOR
As of October 2025
We're so excited you're planning to visit PAFA!
Make time for art — visit us Thursday to Sunday.
Before reserving your tickets, please review helpful information about museum hours, accessibility, building access, and special admission programs.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at visitorservices@pafa.org — we’d love to help!