Lionel Richie Headlines Banner Year for Festival Napa Valley Gala

Each year Festival Napa Valley gathers its biggest boosters for a gala to celebrate the summer season and support its community arts programs. This year the Arts for All Gala on July 14 surpassed even the highest expectations, raising an incredible $4.5 million that will go toward arts education and free and accessible concerts for the region. 

Superstar Lionel Richie headlined an unforgettable evening of entertainment, bringing his soulful voice to the stage at Nickel & Nickel Winery in Oakville. Guests danced to decades’ worth of his megahits, while sipping wines from Nickel & Nickel, Dolce and champagne provided by Taittinger. Also on the menu: an elegant dinner prepared by chef Elliot Bell, owner of Charlie’s in St. Helena, in coordination with Componere Culinary & Events.

Special guests that evening included performers from the Napa High School Chamber Choir, who represented the public school programs funded year round by Festival Napa Valley. The choir performed with Grammy-winning trio Time for Three, and reminded revelers that the gala is more than just a good time–it ensures that the arts and arts education will remain accessible to everyone in the region.  

Of this year’s record-setting fundraiser, vintner Leslie Frank, gala chair and Festival board member said, “We are grateful for our generous donors and sponsors who made this year’s Arts for All Gala such a monumental success. Together, we are making a profound impact on the quality of life in Napa Valley and beyond.”