The lure of the region’s finest wines, food, and song are expected to attract gala-goers to the 19th annual Winefest on Friday, Nov. 1, at Gladish Community Center, an event sponsored by Washington State University student hospitality club, Sigma Iota. Tickets for the 5 – 7 p.m. and 8 – 10 p.m. sessions of the club fundraiser — which often sell out long before the event — are available now. Tickets are $25 each. That “buys” for each attendee, 10 coupons for one-ounce samples of wine, dinner from the buffet, and a commemorative wineglass. Only persons 21 years of age and older are permitted to attend Winefest.
“Winefest is once again on the Friday night of WSU Dad’s Weekend, and it’s the best wine-tasting and fun evening event of the season on the Palouse,” says Kelly Barrett, Winefest director and School of Hospitality Business Management senior from Auburn.
As always, there will be dozens of the finest reds, whites and specialty wines from about 30 Washington wineries. Winefest guests will enjoy a plentiful buffet of delicious Italian specialties from Spokane’s Old Spaghetti Factory. Menu items will include main course dishes, appetizers, salads, and desserts.
New to Winefest this year will be delicious entertainment by the award-winning WSU Jazz Quartet, led by graduate teaching assistant Scott Ryckman. This past February, the WSU Jazz Quartet received first place at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. The foursome consists of students in the WSU Jazz Studies Program, which was hailed in JazzIz magazine as one of the country’s recent best.
Profits will come from ticket sales, prize raffles and sales of bottles of wine as attendees leave the event. The club could use the funds to help pay for students to attend trade conferences and competitions, and maybe even fund a scholarship.
Order tickets via e-mail, leave a voicemail order, or purchase them in person: wsu_sigmaiota@hotmail.com, 335-0130, and the CUB west entrance lobby and Todd Hall first-floor atrium from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of October.