A weekend of wining and dining can change lives. Just ask the members of Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), the powerhouse nonprofit behind the premier fundraising event of the season, Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF). Since launching in 2001, the nonprofit has raised nearly $302 million, with all festival proceeds going directly to kids in need throughout Collier County.
At the center of the four-day festival are the exclusive Friday Vintner Dinners. NCEF trustees invite intimate groups of well-heeled patrons to dine at opulent private homes and venues in Naples, setting the tone for Saturday’s famed wine auction. Each dinner pairs an esteemed national chef with an iconic vintner and imaginative hosts to create an over-the-top dining experience.
Trustees Sharon and Chuck Hallberg looked to next-gen NWWF patron and recently appointed trustee Ashley Gerry to provide on-point planning and an impeccable setting at her Port Royal home for the couple’s 2023 dinner. Ever the enthusiastic, hands-on hostess, Ashley delivered a far-out garden party with a melodious theme: “Imagine All the People.”
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Photography by Michael Owen
Geary Vitner dinner outdoor setting
The psychedelic sixties inspired every aspect of the “Imagine all the People”-themed evening. Eminent Naples hostess Ashley Gerry (above) provided the venue and helped plan the soiree for NCEF trustees and dinner hosts Sharon and Chuck Hallberg.
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Photography by Michael Owen
Host checks on tablescape in yellow dress
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Photography by Michael Owen
Large 'Imagine' sign displayed outside with decor
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Photography by Michael Owen
Yellow cocktail rounds on lanai with flower sculptures overhead
Guests gathered under a sea of oversized, Spandex-clad flower sculptures in the Mediterranean Revival home’s lanai for cocktail hour. During dinner, children from a local church delighted diners with a surprise concert.
The spirit of the psychedelic era influenced every detail—from Ashley’s not-so-mellow yellow dress by Taller Marmo (an adornment in its own right, with its riotous feathered sleeves), the Volkswagon Bus parked out front for photo ops and a flower-powered entry. The hosts drew inspiration from Andy Warhol’s portrait of John Lennon for the color palette. Mingling in the elegant, Mediterranean Revival lanai during cocktail hour, guests clinked glasses beneath a sea of hanging, oversized flowers made of stretch fabric in citrusy hues and shades of pink and blue by Swag Decor in Orlando. Post drinks, the 39 diners sauntered onto the manicured lawn and took their seats at Lucite tables. The alfresco tablescapes were outfitted with kaleidoscopic adornments, including carnation orbs by Tom Trovato Event Floral & Design and an abundance of orange candles. “I always seem to throw caution to the wind and just pray the weather holds up. But that’s why we all live in Naples—for the winter weather,” Ashley says with a laugh. A large ‘Imagine’ marquee, strung bulbs and a rainbow of uplights from Artistic Science event production and design group set the scene aglow.
Chef Stephen Coe of Cork + Table Kitchen and Bar in Plymouth, Massachusetts, blended local flavors with his contemporary Massachusetts flair, with Gulf shrimp and grits served with saffron butter and smoked gouda, bacon-wrapped Ibérico pork belly, and sous vide filet mignon and short rib bonbons. Husband-wife duo Ariel and Christopher Jackson, of the legendary Jackson Family Wines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, mingled with fellow diners, sharing tasting notes and stories about their pours. Each curated bottle came from their Gran Moraine Winery and Zena Crown Vineyard.
Photography by Michael Owen
Dinner guests under string lighting
After dinner from Massachusetts chef Stephen Coe and Oregon vintners Ariel and Christopher Jackson, guests received a hand-embroidered artwork depicting John Lennon—a replica of the evening’s invitations.
With one of the most influential musical eras driving the evening’s theme, Ashley knew she needed a special melodic moment. She brought in guest stars for a surprise live performance. “Every year, we do a toy drive for a local church, and I asked the pastor if he could bring some kids to sing ‘Imagine,’” Ashley says.
When the evening drew to a close, each guest left with a hand-embroidered artwork depicting John Lennon, which Ashley commissioned from North Carolina artist Stephen Wilson. The pieces matched the party invitations, creating a full-circle link. “We get so many goody bags at events,” she says. “I wanted to create something that wouldn’t get tossed.” Plus, the social maven never passes up an opportunity to deliver a wow factor. “I love a theme,” she says.
Photography by Michael Owen
Kids holding balloons at geary vitner dinner
Photography by Michael Owen