A new culinary wine pairing event is on tap for Jefferson City.
Join the Jefferson City Arts Foundation on the eve of Valentine's Day for a special fundraiser that benefits local artists and art organizations.
"It's meant to be a wine and culinary tasting experience in partnership with Revel Catering and Bar Vino," said Lucia Kincheloe, the chair of the Jefferson City Arts Foundation."We will be presenting a six-course tasting of gourmet foods and different kinds of wines that are nicely paired."
In addition to the food and drink pairing, Uncorked will hold a silent auction for four different prizes: A date night package, a children's birthday party, a fitness package, and a tailgate package.
"And of course it's around Valentine's Day, so it's the perfect date night opportunity while supporting the arts in the community, so we think that's really a great pairing," said Peyton Orban, executive director for the JC schools foundation and a board member of the Jefferson City Arts Foundation.
Other events throughout the night will include the launching of a new grant and scholarship program, as well as awarding the first ever Golden ARTy Award.
"Uncorked was created to begin to support a new program of the Jefferson City Arts Foundation called The ART Speaks! Community Grant Program for community artists, students, organizations, and events that are art related," Kincheloe said.
Added Orban: "We're really excited to host this new event. We're looking forward to this spring fundraiser to hopefully be an annual contribution to our community since this event will launch our ART Speaks! Community Grant Program for local organizations to help fund related arts initiatives."
During the event, the Jefferson City Arts Foundation will be presenting The Golden ARTy Award to the first recipient.
This award recognizes the impact the recipient has had on the Jefferson City art scene, whether in performing arts, culinary arts, photography, painting or other arts.
"And this year, the premiere recipient of the award will be Rob Crouse," said Melissa Crabtree, a board member of the Jefferson City Arts Foundation and part of the planning committee for the Uncorked fundraiser event.
"He is the founder and artistic director of Capital City Productions and he's been working in theater for more than six decades now," Crabtree said. "So we felt like out of all the many people who assisted in culturally enriching Jefferson City, Mr. Crouse has stood out this year as the person to launch this annual arts award."
Said Crouse: "I was totally surprised when they called and feel very blessed to receive the award because I have worked in theater for almost seven decades now."
Crouse has an impressive history in theater that includes performing in 50 shows and directing 186 productions.
"I started out when I was 6 years old and theater is the most collaborative of all the arts, so when you get an award like this, it's actually an award for probably -- at this point with all the productions -- literally thousands of people that I have been privileged to work with and get to know," Crouse said.
After directing at The Little Theatre of Jefferson City for four or five years beginning in 1989, Crouse decided to pursue his dream of being a part of a dinner theater.
"Dinner theater gives audiences the complete entertainment experience. They just come and park their car, and have a lovely meal and then enjoy a show. And so I had always wanted to be involved in that," Crouse said.
From there, Crouse teamed up with countless people that he gratefully credits with the beginning of his dinner theater.
"You can see how fortunate I was over the time that there were people that I worked with and people that backed us and supported us that believed in what I was doing," he said. "And that's why I have been so blessed and we have been so blessed that the patrons in central Missouri have embraced us. Because, you know, if you can't sell tickets and bring in an audience, then the theaters don't exist. So we are eternally grateful to our patrons."
Crouse said one of his favorite perks of community theater is how it pulls different people together that he otherwise might now have known.
"Attorneys, plumbers, state workers, you name it. And so I've made so many close friends and acquaintances with people from all walks of life as a result of community theater," Crouse said.
Additional exhibits and entertainment at the event will include a photo exhibit, "Through My Eyes," by local photographer Keith Borgmeyer.
"He's a very accomplished photographer that many people know throughout town and we're very excited to have his work exhibited and for sale at the event," Kincheloe said. "One quote that I thought was really cool that he gave us was that his photography is sort of his visual voice."
Entertainment will be provided by the Red Slipper Warrior Band, a local jazz band that will be performing throughout the night.
"One of the members of our board is actually in the band, Xavier Jordan," Crabtree said. "So he's sort of double duty that night, helping with the actual event and also performing. And also, he's going to be part of the date night auction package. We're offering a free dinner for two, with pre-drinks and after dinner drinks, and during the dinner, we're going to offer live jazz music that will be performed for whoever wins that."
Jefferson City Arts Foundation is a non-for-profit that's committed to enriching Jefferson City culturally.
"Some of our accomplishments have been working on the splash area in the community park, murals around town with our most recent one down Southside across from the Ice Cream Factory. It's the significant people and places of Old Munichburg that do not exist anymore," Kincheloe said.
Added Crabtree: "We just want to make our city one of the most beautiful small towns in America, and the cultural arts are a vital part of that, so these types of events -- they will help sponsor the type of things that we need to keep this community growing with this arts grant program. Like to fund art installations, student scholarships, art instruction, and all of those types of things."
Josh Cobb/News Tribune photo: Bartender Taylor Johnson makes a drink for one of the customers at Barvino, a full service wine bar that also serves craft beers, whiskey, cocktails and desserts.
Bartender Taylor Johnson uncorks a bottle of Basil Hayden Dark Rye at Barvino in Jefferson City, which has been open since January 2018.