A Naples festival shows it is more than a snazzy networking event where attendees drink delectable wines.
MORE: Naples Winter Wine Festival online auction
The 2019 Naples Winter and Wine Festival, which was held at the Ritz Carlton Golf Resort, raised nearly $16 million for the Naples Children and Education Foundation. The foundation supports effective, disciplined charitable programs that seek to improve the physical, emotional and educational lives of underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County.
There were 63 auction lots this year. Eight Double Magnums of Screaming Eagle Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon went for $350,000. Two first edition vehicles, the 2020 Bentley Continental GT Convertible and the 2019 McLaren 720S Spider convertible, went for $550,000 and $460,000.
Contributions are still coming in for the Online Auction and Fund a Need, which is open through Jan. 31.
Since the Naples Winter and Wine Festival inception in 2001, the funds raised from the auction are over $191 million.