Wine and Dine for the Arts Announces Bottle Design

ALBANY – Albany Wine and Dine for the Arts announces the beneficiaries and bottle design winner for the 2023 Albany Chefs’ Food and Wine Festival. Tickets are on sale now for the three-day festival starting on Jan. 26 with the Mayor’s Reception and Kickoff, followed by the Grand Tastings and Slider Slam on Jan. 27. The festival will culminate with the Grand Gala dinner on Jan. 28.

Black Dimensions in Art (BDA), a visual arts organization educating the public on the contributions of artists within the African diaspora, submitted the winning bottle design for the 2023 festival. The design represents the organization by featuring the African continent wrapped around the bottle. In addition to BDA’s design being featured throughout the festival, the Wine and Dine board of directors will award them with a $1,000 cash prize.

Seven beneficiaries were selected this year between two award levels, Premier and Spotlight. The four Premier Beneficiaries are Albany Barn, Capital Repertory Theatre, Capitaland Chorus and Park Playhouse. Spotlight Beneficiaries include Albany Center Gallery, Capital Cinema Culture Exchange, and Electronic Body Arts. For the past 13 years the Albany Chefs’ Food and Wine Festival has provided nearly $1.5 million in sustainable funding for the support and preservation of the not-for-profit arts community in Albany.

“A huge congratulations to this year’s beneficiaries. We are so excited that our festival can give back to the arts community in this capacity.” said Marcus Q. Pryor, board president of Albany Chefs’ Food and Wine Festival: Wine and Dine for the Arts. “We wanted to engage with the organizations in a new and fun way, so we asked them to show off their creative abilities and submit designs for the festival’s iconic wine bottle. We were impressed with each of the entries and appreciated the public’s input in helping us make this decision.”

In addition, the Wine and Dine for the Arts board of directors also announced their nominations for this year’s Legacy Awards. These awards recognize individuals for their commitment and support of the arts throughout the Capital Region. Benita Zahn has been nominated for The Honorable Gerald D. Jennings Backstage Award. This award is given to an individual that supports the endeavors of arts organizations and enhances the quality of life in the region. The Karen Smith-Sfara Ovation Award honors the memory of founding member Karen Smith-Sfara and is given to an outstanding patron or organization demonstrating a significant contribution to the arts in Albany. This year the board nominated two individuals deserving of this achievement, Annette Nanes and Scott Meyer. The board nominated Matt Baumgartner for The Spirit of the Industry award which is given to an individual that demonstrates a deep commitment to the community, and a high level of professionalism in the restaurant industry. Each award will be presented at the annual festival kickoff event, the Mayor’s Reception, held on January 26 at Albany City Hall.

More information about the three-day long festival or to purchase tickets, visit albanywinefest.com.