A Passport to Spain, a West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation fundraiser, Friday, Nov. 2, 7: 30 p.m. to 10: 30 p.m.
Festivities include music, flamenco dancing, art, fashion, fine wine, regional cuisine, Spanish coffee, and silent and live auctions. Tickets: $125, available at the library, or by phoning 604-925-7425. Info: www.passporttoart.ca.
NICOLE Brown hopes an upcoming fundraising evening whisks guests away to Spain, offering a taste of the nation's succulent cuisine, fine wines and sensual music and dance.
No passports are needed, as the event venue, the West Vancouver Memorial Library, will be transformed, offering a feast for the senses as a means of raising funds for the library's foundation in support of programs, services and enhancements.
Set for Friday, Nov. 2, the fundraiser, dubbed A Passport to Spain, is the foundation's second annual internationally themed event. Last year's had Italy as its focus.
"It's going to be a really fun night, I think people are in for a treat," says Brown, the event chairwoman and past-chairwoman of the West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation.
A Passport to Spain also marks the culmination of an inaugural month-long art auction fundraiser, entitled A Passport to Art.
"There's some really great pieces at fantastic prices," says Brown, adding people who love libraries and fine art will enjoy the opportunity the silent auction provides.
For 13 years, the West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation presented the popular Mallet Masters Croquet Tournament as its annual fundraiser. Interested in a change of pace, as well as to present an event that wasn't weather-dependent, last year, representatives decided to move in a different direction.
"We thought, 'What could we do that would be more connected, A, to the library, and, B, be something a little simpler to host from our end but also still have the kind of glamour and unique theme and something that would be a big draw for people to attend,'" says Brown.
They came up with the idea of hosting an annual international night, featuring a different country each year, launching the event with A Passport to Italy in 2011.
"It was a huge success. Honestly, Italian food and wine? Not a tough sell," says Brown.
This year, organizers chose Spain. "Again, flamenco and tapas and cava - it lends itself to a party," says Brown.
A Passport to Spain, which gets underway at 7: 30 p.m., boasts music, dancing by Karen Flamenco, a fashion show hosted by Park Royal Shopping Centre featuring local media personalities as models, fine wine, regional cuisine, a Spanish coffee bar, and, silent and live auctions. CBC's Fred Lee and Kathryn Gretsinger will serve as MCs.
Guests will also get once last chance to view and bid on the works currently up for auction as part of A Passport to Art. Artists who donated pieces include Miriam Aroeste, Alan Beaton, Cameron Bird, Bobbie Burgers, Lil Chrazn, Cori Creed, Brian Eby, Maria Josenhans, Richard Roblin, Gordon Smith, Luis Sopena, Shirley Claire Williams and Paul Ygartua.
"We're so fortunate to have them contribute pieces because they get so much buzz going in the community," says Brown.
The works are currently viewable and bids are being accepted at the library as well as online, at passporttoart. ca.
The West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation has been established for more than 25 years.
"We are here to raise money to enhance the library," says Brown.
Initiatives like BOOKtopia (a children's literature festival), a new teen space, early literacy and seniors programs, to various facility enhancements, all those things are made possible thanks to the West Vancouverites who give generously to their library, says Brown.
"It is the cornerstone of our community," she adds. Fundraisers like A Passport to Spain and A Passport to Art help fulfill the wishes of library staff to make continued improvements to better serve the public.
"It just allows our public library to be so extraordinary because tax dollars alone just couldn't result in all the extras that we have," says Brown. "We're very fortunate that West Vancouverites donate their time as volunteers and they donate their money in support of an institution they love."
