The 2006 Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend was one of the region's largest charitable fundraisers; hosting over 2500 guests and raising $425,000 for our charities. During the Weekend guest speakers including Kevin Zraly, Allen Meadows and Jeff Morgan hosted and moderated five sold out wine tastings.Additionally, over forty respected winemakers attended, including Dick Ward of Saintsbury Vineyards, Bob Foley of Pride Mountain Vineyards and Philippe Melka of Melka Wines.

The Weekend's guest list includes some of the country's top corporate executives and local community leaders.Over the years the Charlotte event has joined the ranks as such famed wine events like Atlanta's High Museum of Art Wine Auction, L'Ete du Vin in Nashville, and the Florida Winefest.

The 2008 Weekend is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7 - Saturday, May 10, 2008 with a Kickoff event scheduled for Saturday, April 14, 2007.

The Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend's Executive Committee selects the charities that will benefit from their fundraising efforts. The charities selected as the recipients of the funds for the 2008 Weekend are Allegro Foundation, Hospitality House of Charlotte, Johnson & Wales University, KinderMourn and Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.

ALLEGRO FOUNDATION

Allegro Foundation…A Champion for Children with Disabilities combines movement instruction with educational and medical expertise, creating a NEW vehicle to teach children with disabilities and enhance their quality of life.Allegro serves children with mental retardation, Down Syndrome, orthopedic challenges (wheelchairs and walkers), spina bifida, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, muscular dystrophy, visual and hearing impairments, children at risk and children with cancer.

CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra believes that orchestral music nurtures the human spirit and is integral to the preservation and development of our American culture.It is our mission to perform a broad range of this music, including appropriate genres of American traditional and popular music, at the highest possible professional standards consistent with fiscal responsibility.The Charlotte Symphony is a highly respected, financially sound, and valued arts organization whose performances will enrich, inspire, entertain, educate, and develop large and diverse audiences of all ages.

HOSPITALITY HOUSE OF CHARLOTTE

Since it's opening in 1985, the mission of Hospitality House is to provide a "home away from home" for out-of-town family members of patients in local hospitals.They have enabled families to be together and helped to relieve emotional and financial stress by providing a safe place to stay at no cost.  They currently operate two houses adjacent to each of the major hospitals and have neared completion of a new, larger house that will consolidate operations and increase capacity by 50% to better serve the community.

JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY

The mission of Johnson & Wales University is to empower its diverse student body to succeed in today's dynamic world by integrating general education, professional skills, and career-focused education. To this end, the University employs its faculty, services, curricula, and facilities to equip students with the conceptual and practical tools required to become contributing members of society and to achieve success in employment fields with high growth potential.  A Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend Scholarship Fund has been established.

KINDERMOURN

KinderMourn provides support for parents who have experienced the death of a child and children who are grieving the loss of a family member or friend.Through professionally led support groups, individual and family counseling and community outreach, KinderMourn remains dedicated to the purpose for which it was established: to offer hope and healing for families whose lives have been shattered by the death of a loved one.