Local Luminaries

Austin celebs dance up $1.3 million during dazzling downtown fundraiser

What: 12th Annual Dancing with the Stars Austin

Where: JW Marriott

The lowdown: Dancing with the Stars Austin, one of the city's most entertaining philanthropic events, returned on November 26 in support of the Center of Child Protection. More than 800 guests gathered to watch this decidedly local twist on the hit television show, which pairs Capital City celebs with professional dancers for an epic, no-holds-barred dance-off.

The Grand Ballroom of the JW Marriott was transformed for the evening — an evening that happened to raise $1.3 million for the children's charity. The local luminaries dancing their way into the spotlight this year included Jonathan Davis, MarcyCarpenter, Stephanie O’Neill, SaulPaul, Pradeep Kumar, Marianna Waite, Steven Hernandez, Shawn Cirkiel, Caprice Richards, Kendall Beard McMinn, Aaron Williams, and special guest dancerBetsy Hudson.

Judges Brad Booker, Alex Franco, and Sara Osburn from Mix 94.7 ultimately awarded Kendall Beard McMinn and professional partner Tobi Kretschmer the trophy for their routine set to “A Little Party.” Caprice Richards and her partner Albert Tallieur took first runner-up, while Aaron Williams and dance partner Azucena Perez nabbed second runner-up.

The competition wasn't the only draw. Guests also enjoyed a live auction, raffle for a 2018 Lexus RX 350L courtesy of Lexus of Austin & Lakeway, a $2,500 H-E-B gift card, and Southwest Airlines tickets.

Who: Glenn Ball, Holly Mills-Gardner, Francie Little, Jenny Mason, Melanie McLeroy, Justin Sellers, Roxann Lagow, DJ Gatsby, Tama Williamson, Kara Swinney, Matt Swinney, and Lisa Vargas.

Center for Child Protection board president Tama Williamson and CEO Michael Torres.

Photo courtesy of Center for Child Protection

Center for Child Protection board president Tama Williamson and CEO Michael Torres.

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