Naples Winter Wine Festival kicks off to support Collier County children

Reporter: Maddie Herron
Published: Updated:

The Naples Winter Wine Festival celebrated its 25th anniversary with an auction that raised millions for children’s charities.

Held at the Ritz-Carlton Naples-Tiburon, the event featured gourmet chefs and live music, drawing patrons eager to support the cause.

“Every dime under that tent right there will go directly to children’s charities that support them and we’ve made a profound difference in this community,” said Jeff Gargiulo, a founding trustee of the festival.

Lisa Najarian, a festival patron, expressed her admiration for the event, saying, “There is nothing like the Naples Winter Wine Festival, there’s nothing like it. The people, the food, the entertainment, the evening here… the huge amount of generosity they give back to the children of Collier County.”

Among the auction’s 52 unique lots were luxury items like a Bronco Raptor and a brand-new Bentley, which included a trip to California for Monterey Car Week. These items attracted high bids, with auctioneers calling out amounts as high as $850,000.

“The wonderful people who almost fight overpay things, I mean how great is that?” said Pete Najarian, another festival patron.

The festival’s tagline, “bid high, bid often. It’s all for the kids,” encapsulates the spirit of the event. Lynn Griswold, a trustee, emphasized the importance of the festival’s mission, stating, “It’s all for the kids.”

The Naples Winter Wine Festival continues to make a significant impact on the community, with 25 years of generosity and many more to come.

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