Luther Burbank Center For The Arts Presents 17th Annual Fundraiser THE ART OF DESSERT

Today, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts (LBC) announced that its annual benefit, The Art of Dessert, will return for its 17th year on Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. in the Center's Lytton Rancheria Grand Lobby (50 Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa).

With generous support from Presenting Sponsor RBC Wealth Management, The Art of Dessert is a memorable evening offering fine dining, exceptional wines, and tantalizing desserts created by famed North Bay pastry artists. Guests will be treated to a special performance by Broadway star and author Sandra Joseph, whose legendary run as "Christine Daae" in "The Phantom of the Opera" spanned 10 years and 1,300 performances, earning her the record as the longest-running leading lady in the longest running Broadway show of all time.

With additional support provided by St. Joseph's Health and American River Bank, the elegant evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail and hors d'oeuvres reception and silent and wine auctions on the Marcia and Gary Nelson Family Grand Plaza. At 7 p.m., guests will be treated to a lavish dinner in the Lytton Rancheria Grand Lobby provided by Park Avenue Catering featuring wines from Rodney Strong Vineyards. The live and silent auctions will feature unique local experiences and travel packages including a week in an Umbrian villa, a San Francisco Bay Cruise for 35, four nights at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington D.C. with a choice of VIP concert tickets to Bonjovi, Harry Styles, or Roger Waters, and more.

The evening culminates at 9 p.m. when guests indulge in the one-of-a-kind cakes adorning each table. Desserts will be judged by a panel of local celebrities, including master chef and hospitality entrepreneur Charlie Palmer, chief fork of Press Democrat's Bite Club Heather Irwin, and Sonoma County native and restauranteur Dustin Valette.

Proceeds from the event benefit LBC's Education and Community Engagement programs, which include educational matinees; free summer camps for music, visual arts, drama, and dance; a free after school Mariachi Ensemble; musical instruments loaned free of charge to children who cannot afford to rent or buy them; free and discounted tickets to educational matinees for low-income and at-risk children with subsidies for student transportation; teaching artists in local classrooms for arts instruction aligned with core curriculum; a free third grade literacy program for underserved students; a free sing-along for Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers, and professional development courses for teachers and teaching artists. Since its inception in 2003, the Art of Dessert has generated more than $4 million and helped LBC to provide the enrichment of the arts to over 500,000 children.

Single tickets for the event are $250, with table purchases available for $2,000 for a table of eight. For more information please email dev@lutherburbankcenter.org.

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