By Town Crier Report
 COURTESY OF THE PALO ALTO AREA RED CROSS Morton Gothelf, left, president of Morton & Bassett, enjoys himself with friends at last year’s MacArthur Park Wine Festival. The spice company is a major participant again this year. |
Residents will have the opportunity to sample fine wines and delicious food while contributing to a good cause at the 23rd annual MacArthur Park Wine Festival. This year’s event, benefiting the Palo Alto Area American Red Cross, is scheduled 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 14, at MacArthur Park Restaurant in Palo Alto.
Spicing up the proceedings for the second straight year is chief sponsor Morton & Bassett Spices. Morton & Bassett representatives will have a booth at the festival and will again hold their “Name That Spice” contest, an event that drew a long line of participants last year.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Morton Gothelf, president of the Novato-based spice company. “That generated a lot of interest.”
Morton & Bassett, the largest spice company in the nation, contributed gift baskets for the festival’s silent auction, some with a retail value as high as $250. The baskets include 15-20 different spices, candles and aprons baring the Morton & Bassett logo.
For the first time this year, event organizers are allowing online bids. Bidding opened Monday and will continue through the date of the event. Items for bidding include vintage wines, opportunities for private tours, travel opportunities and evenings out at Bay Area restaurants. A ride-along with the Palo Alto Police Department is among the more unusual items up for bid.
“It’s a privilege getting involved in the community through this event,” said Gothelf, whose company is in the second of a three-year sponsorship deal with the MacArthur Park festival. Gothelf, who has attended the festival “for years,” called the festival arrangement a win-win situation and added the company would like to continue its sponsorship beyond the three-year commitment.
“(Sponsorship) introduces our product to those who like good food, like to cook and like wine. It’s a soft sell,” he said.
Gothelf had high praise for the Red Cross as well.
“They do such a great job. They’re sort of unsung heroes - God gives them the first alert,” he said of the organization’s reputation for swift responses to disaster scenes. “They’re almost there before it happens.”
Presented by MacArthur Park and the Palo Alto Area American Red Cross, the festival will feature more than 50 of California’s finest vineyards and wineries including Baileyana Winery, Grgich Hills Cellar, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Parducci, Pelican Ranch, Picchetti Winery, Robert Keenan Winery, Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards, Silver Oak Cellars, Swanson Vineyards, Honig Vineyard & Winery, Peachy Canyon Winery, Ridge Vineyards and Ravenswood Winery.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the programs and services of the Palo Alto Area American Red Cross including disaster preparedness and relief, CPR and first aid training, emergency communications for military families, and Safe Ride for teens.
The Palo Alto Area Chapter serves the communities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Stanford and Moffett Field.
MacArthur Park Restaurant is located at 27 University Ave., Palo Alto. Admission to the Wine Festival is $55 in advance or $65 at the gate. To purchase tickets or bid online in the silent auction, visit www.paarc.org or call 688-0438.
