Des Moines' elegant Landmark on the Sound, an early 20th Century mansion with sweeping views of Puget Sound and Maury Island, will host this year's Poverty Bay Wine Festival events Feb. 29 to March 2.
All proceeds benefit community service projects of the Rotary Club of Des Moines.
The festival kicks off on Friday, Feb. 29, with an "ExtravaGala" featuring 20 Northwest wineries and a hors d'oeuvre and dessert buffet by Anthony's Homeport that includes fresh oysters and other seafood.
The gala commemorates the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Des Moines' Rotary chapter in 1958. As part of a 1950s theme, greeters will dress as Marilyn Monroe and the Rat Pack.
Joey Jewell and Swing Session will perform a Las Vegas-themed show, Sinatra at the Sands. A piano bar will also be featured.
The original 2008 festival watercolor painting by JoAnn Hawkins and selected wines will be auctioned off. Gala goers will also get a chance to win a wine storage cooler loaded with fine wines.
The gala begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 in advance online from www.dmrotary.org or by phone from CorkyCellars at 206-824-9462. Tickets at the door are $85. Free valet parking is provided.
Gala tickets include wine, buffet and entertainment as well as admission to the wine festival.
The festival is March 1 and 2 at Landmark, featuring tastings from 20 wineries and samplings of Northwest cuisine provided by local restaurants, including Salty's.
Festival hours are noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Parking is free at the sound end of the Des Moines Marina with a free shuttle service to the festival entrance.
Musical gussets scheduled on Saturday are Michael Powers and CocoLoco. Mambo Cadillac Global Village will entertain on Sunday.
Northwest wineries represented are Canyon's Edge, Chandler Reach, College Cellars, E.B. Foote, Eaton Hill, Eleven, Erin Glenn, Fall Line, Five Star, Gilbert, North Shore, O/S Page, Sleeping Dog, Stephenson, Stina's Cellars, Waving Tree, Willis Hall, Wind River and Windy Point.
Tickets are $20 in advance from the Rotary Web site or CorkyCellars.
The entrance fee includes a souvenir wine glass, five wine tasting tokens, food samplings and live music.
Additional wine tasting tokens will be sold for $1 each.
Rotary officials emphasize that the gala and festival offer a rare opportunity to visit the historic mansion.
Landmark was originally built in 1924 as a grand home for retired Masons and has been recently undergone extensive renovations.
