A Night With the Stars

Dancing With the Stars big reveal lures Austin philanthropists to posh preview party

A surprise downpour didn’t dampen the spirits of the well-heeled Austinites gathered at the stunning home of Andra and Joe Liemandt for “A Night With the Stars,” a posh prequel to the Dancing with the Stars charity gala benefiting the Center for Child Protection.

With sparkles, wine or Deep Eddy vodka cocktails in hand, the crowd chatted eagerly about the upcoming event, inspired by the famous reality TV show. Austin notables are paired with professional dancers for ballroom dance performances during an evening of unforgettable entertainment. It’s hardly your typical stuffy fundraiser.

Event co-chairs Carol Adams and Alex Winkelman welcomed supporters — including Center for Child Protection executive director Michael Torres, Wendy Harvey, Andra Liemandt, Carla Armstrong, Paula Burns, Nidhi and Tanuj Nakra, Bonnie Ray, Dee Dee Ritzinger, and Jamie Barshop — who nibbled on tasty bites courtesy of Word of Mouth Catering while awaiting the big reveal: this year’s local celebrity dancers, who will be coached by emcee and dance director Sabrina Barker Truscott:

Jerry Albright , Founder Deputy CIO at Teacher Retirement System of Texas
Abby Argo, Color Guard Captain and Community Volunteer
Jamie Barshop, Community Advocate and Charity Fundraiser
Becky Beaver, Attorney at Law
Cyndi Bock, Board Member, Make-A-Wish Foundation
Kevin Burns, Ambassador of the Urban Lifestyle
Doug Guller, CEO, ATX Brands LLC
Will Hardeman, Partner, Continental Automotive Group
Katie Jaffe, Mother, Designer and Humanitarian
Jeff Jumonville, Business Development, Dragon Products
Mary Herr Tally, Retired Arts Fundraiser, Child and Animal Rights Advocate

Funds raised during Dancing with the Stars Austin help the Center for Child Protection in its mission to provide aid to abused children and their families in Travis County. Tickets for the December 8 gala at the Hilton hotel downtown, which is presented by Lexus of Austin, can be purchased online.

Dancing with the Stars Austin cast

Photo by David Wheeler

Dancing with the Stars Austin cast

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Taste of 2025

Austin's Wine & Food Foundation announces 3 big events for 2025

Photo by Erica Wilkins Photography

Theses Wine & Food Foundation events raise funds for local initiatives.

Austin's food scene is booming, but smaller businesses could always use support. The Wine & Food Foundation is one of Austin's leading industry protectors, and it's just announced three events to help support its mission over the next year.

The three events — Big Reds and Bubbles, Toast of Texas, and the Rare & Fine Wine Auction Gala — are spread out between March and November of 2025, and all offer something a bit different.

They'll all benefit the Wine & Food Foundation and, by extension, the local organizations it supports. Those include Keep Austin Fed, which diverts food surpluses from grocery stores, catered events, and other sites of professional food service; and Sustainable Food Center, which helps Texans access healthy food through SNAP and WIC incentives, hosts farmers markets, connects farmers with resources, and more. The Wine & Food Foundation also offers scholarships for hospitality professionals.

Big Reds and Bubbles, held Friday, March 28, will bring together more than 100 red and sparkling wines for a tasting event. In addition to comparing wines back-to-back, guests will get to try them with bites from popular Austin restaurants to discover interesting new pairings. They'll also get to dress to impress and see the new LZR space — formerly La Zona Rosa, an old Austin music venue that had its last official performance in 2013.

Next up is Toast of Texas on June 8. This is another tasting event that focuses instead on 20 local wineries. The food menu at this event is also more specific, featuring local barbecue and paella, among other local tastes. It'll be located at Assembly Hall, an event space on East 7th Street adjacent to the East Austin Hotel.

Finally, there's the premier event: the Rare & Fine Wine Auction Gala on November 8. This is a big fundraising opportunity not just because of potentially high auction tickets, but the chance to experience something truly out of the ordinary for the wine industry. Guests will also enjoy "an elegant dinner" according to the press release and wines by a featured maker. It'll all happen at the JW Marriott Austin.

The release counts more than 50 other events slated for the year, so there are plenty more opportunities between the big three. Some of these include wine tasting courses, which will be available again soon.

wine tasting small businesses wineries nonprofits galas