Best of Britt Benefit Coming! – by Donna Briggs

March 2014, News From Britt Hill – by Donna Briggs

Make plans now for one of the most entertaining and tasty events of the summer! Our “Best of Britt” benefit on Thursday, June 26, is an evening filled with all the best parts of Britt—great music, great food and great wine!

First, the music. We’re thrilled to welcome back ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro to the Britt stage, following his highly-acclaimed performance at Britt last summer. Jake’s work has gained worldwide recognition through a documentary about his life, which won the Audience Awards at both New York City’s Gotham Independent Film Awards and the Ashland Independent Film Festival in 2013. Life on Four Strings is a compelling portrait of an inspiring and inventive musician whose virtuoso skills on the ukulele have transformed all previous notions of the instrument’s potential. Jake has won accolades from the disparate likes of Rolling Stone magazine, Eddie Vedder, Perez Hilton and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and has earned comparisons to Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis.

Next, the food and wine! Best of Britt attendees will enjoy food from ten different restaurants from throughout the valley. Also, 20 wineries from the Southern Oregon Winery Association will offer tastings, and Western Beverage, Caldera and Ninkasi will provide beer tastings.

The evening is rounded-out with an auction of Britt-themed packages, including a guitar signed by artists from the 2013 Britt lineup, special backstage dinners and meet and greets, and a unique package with Maestro Teddy Abrams that is sure to draw spirited bidding from our Classical Festival enthusiasts.

Photo: Courtesy of Britt Festivals by Vicki Rosette

Proceeds from the “Best of Britt” benefit our music and education programs, which include summer music camps, elementary school music listening programs, workshops, college internships and the new “World of Work” program we’re beginning for underserved students in the Medford School district.

To make the evening even more festive, we encourage patrons to dress in black and white. Leave your black tie at home; this event calls for casual, summery black and white clothes.

Tickets are $85 per person, and are on sale now. That price is all inclusive of a reserved seat to the concert, and all the food and wine/beer tastings. New this year, attendees will also be able to purchase bottles of wine from the participating wineries during the event.

Buy your tickets now for this entertaining evening. Visit our website for more information at www.brittfest.org, or call the Britt box office at 541-773-6077, or 1-800-882-7488.

Photo: Reilly Owen

Donna Briggs is President and CEO of Britt Festivals. Comments or questions for Britt Festivals? Email Donna at ed@brittfest.org.

Posted March 6, 2014