Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club hosts 17th annual food and wine festival.
By
Pam Eubanks
| 4:24 p.m. November 10, 2018
East County
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As Lakewood Ranch’s Lynda Hart sipped wine at the Suncoast Food and Wine Festival Nov. 10, she let her eyes speak of her love for wine.
Hart sported sunglasses shaped like bottles of merlot.
“I thought it was very appropriate,” Lynda Hart said. “I love wine, obviously.”
Her husband, Pete, had encouraged her to wear the glasses, when she’d hesitated.
“It’s more fun,” he said. “We’re here for fun, not the alcohol.”
The Harts joined about 1,400 other guests at Premier Sports Campus for an afternoon sampling hundreds of wines, tasting food from more than 30 local restaurants, listening to live music by Kettle of Fish and learning about area nonprofits.
All proceeds from the 17th annual festival, hosted by the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch, benefits local charities through a grant process.
To date, the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch has given more than $1.6 million from festival proceeds to charity.
Tidewater Preserve's Sonia Klauber samples with friend Charlotte Balog, who is visiting from Atlanta.
Manatee Technical College culinary arts student Alexander Quinn talks with guests about a duck appetizer while adding more to the table.
Lakewood Ranch's Karla Jones Wilson and Bradley Wilson particularly enjoyed the Mexican food from Mi Pueblo.
Volunteers Lisa Harris and Chris Briggs check in guests using an app.
Mark and Pat Collins, of Lakewood Ranch, this year brought their friends, Barbara and John Jebson, who are visiting from England.
Lakewood Ranch's Jennifer Colombo and Amy Jendro attend with friend Pam Denofa, of Sarasota.
River Club's Bethany Lynch catches up with Missy Weishaar, of Sarasota, a friend through the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
Rosedale's Charles and Maryann Slowiaczek and Lakewood Ranch's Cheryl and Bob Eby say they will be back every year.
Lynda Hart, of Lakewood Ranch, says she enjoys all the sampling.
River Strand residents Kelly and Tim Stilwell enjoy the event for the first time.
Scott Allen, of Southern Wine and Spirits, pours a conundrum red wine.
Renate Budreau, of Sarasota, has been friends with Lakewood Ranch's Stephanie Edwards for 30 years.
Robin Spagnolia, co-owner of Cheers to Wine, helps guests order wine they enjoy from the tastings.
Schroeder-Manatee Ranch employees Suzanne Fugate and Tamara Harris spend time with Fugate's daughter, Allie Fugate, of Tampa. Suzanne Fugate orders a case of Astrolabe brand wine.
Alyssa Watkins pours a French wine for Lakewood Ranch's Yumi Pandya.
Tableside chef Gianluca Milardo prepares a staville badabing pasta by Spacco Italian Grill.
Robert Prati and Jill Possman love a pasta prepared by Spacco Italian Grill.
Libbys Neighborhood Brasserie offered a steak tartare.
New vehicles were on site for guests to see and sit in.
Kettle of Fish provided live music.
Publix employee Stephanie Clerkin puts out corn-shrimp fritters.
Guests were able to sample hundreds of wines.
This pumpkin-spiced short rib with sage cream and apple slaw from Stonewood Grill and Tavern.
