Third Annual Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival to Aid the Brandon Foundation and Other Local Charities

TAMPA, Fla., July 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brandon Foundation announced today the third annual Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival will take place Friday, September 12, and Saturday, September 13, at Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa.  Proceeds from the event, presented by Bright House Networks and hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida, will benefit the Brandon Foundation and other Tampa Bay area charities.  Tickets start at $75 and are available through the Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival website beginning Monday, July 14.

The festival features two events.  The black-tie optional Southern Charm Wine & Food Gala and Auction kicks off the festival 7-10 p.m. Friday, September 12.  Guests will experience an evening of elegance featuring a showcase of over 40 of Tampa Bay's finest wines and foods, live entertainment, games, and a silent auction.  The Grand Tasting, a casual walk-about event, takes place 1-5 p.m. Saturday, September 13, and features wines from all over the world as well as some of Tampa Bay's premier foods and entertainment.   

Proceeds from the silent auction and ticket sales will go to support several Tampa Bay area nonprofit organizations that help to keep families healthy, clothed and financially stable. 

"The Brandon Foundation has an 11-year history of helping community members in need, not only in the greater Brandon area but throughout Tampa Bay," said Jerry Ball, the vice president of the Brandon Foundation Board of Directors. "The Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival is one of our largest annual fundraisers. Contributions have been critical in helping us fund programs for more than 60 Bay-area charities, assist individuals who have experienced a catastrophic life event in getting back on their feet, and give aid to military families in need throughout Hillsborough county. The community looks forward to this event and it is one you don't want to miss." 

For more information and to purchase tickets to the Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival, please visit tampabaywineandfood.com.

About Brandon Foundation
The Brandon Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization.  Founded in 2003, the foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life and shape the future of the local community by creating public awareness, developing resources and supporting initiatives to address local needs.  Since its inception, Brandon Foundation has brought together corporate and small business leaders, along with individual leaders within the community, to develop successful solutions and programs to meet local needs.  Through innovative initiatives and annual fundraising programs, the Brandon Foundation continues to support more than 60 registered charities and has distributed more than $1.6 million to local charities in the greater Brandon area and throughout Tampa Bay.

SOURCE Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival