PULLMAN, Wash. — Wine connoisseurs and gala goers seeking the region’s finest wine and dining can attend Winefest 2004 on Friday, Oct. 29, the kickoff evening of Dad’s Weekend at Washington State University.
The wine tasting event will be in Gladish Community Center with two sessions to choose from – 5-7 p.m. and 8-10 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online at https://winefest.wsu.edu or in person from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the west entrance of the Compton Union Building and in Todd Hall Atrium today (Oct. 12) and Thursday (Oct. 14), Oct. 19-22 and Oct. 25-28. Tickets will also be available at the door for each session. Arrangements can also be made to have Sigma Iota students come to university departments for in-person sales.
Each guest will receive up to 10 one-ounce samples of wines, a catered buffet of hearty Italian hors d’oeuvres courtesy of Spokane’s Old Spaghetti Factory, commemorative wine glasses and entertainment by Rachel Bade, a two-time winner of the “Outstanding College Vocal Soprano” award at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Also at Winefest, bottles and cases of regional wines will be available for purchase.
“This is the 21st annual Winefest, and we are carrying on many traditions of excellence established in prior years as well as starting some new ones,” said Drew Foulk, Winefest director for Sigma Iota, the association for students in the hospitality business management degree program at WSU.
One long-standing tradition pairs Sigma Iota students with the teams of professionals from the Old Spaghetti Factory to prepare numerous dishes of Italian fare in the school’s gourmet training kitchen in Todd Hall on campus.
Some new traditions this year include the launch of a silent auction and ticket sales online. “We added these based on requests from Winefest attendees,” said Foulk, a WSU junior studying hospitality business management in the
The silent auction items include a two-night weekend stay at the Sheraton Bellevue Hotel, a Hoodsport Winery private tasting for up to 10 people with hors d’oeuvres and wines plus a local Sunrise Motel and Resort stay of up to two nights, and a Lake Union Courtyard by Marriott one-night weekend stay with lake view accommodations, complimentary parking and breakfast for two.
Reds, whites and specialty wines from about 30 wineries will be available for tasting and purchase at Winefest. Wineries such as Canoe Ridge and Gordon Brothers are scheduled to attend along with several other wineries from across the Northwest.
Proceeds from Winefest directly benefit members of Sigma Iota by funding scholarships, educational opportunities and special student programs.
For more information on Winefest and Sigma Iota, visit www.cbe.wsu.edu/~sigmaiota or e-mail the event coordinator at drew-foulk@wsu.edu.
