MSU BILLINGS FOUNDATION NEWS—The MSU Billings Foundation’s annual Wine & Food Festival has been postponed until fall due to the coronavirus pandemic. The festival, which was initially scheduled for May 11-16, has been condensed and moved to October 9-10.
“The health and safety of the hundreds of staff, volunteers, community partners, and guests involved with the festival each year is our primary concern,” said Jeanne Moller, a long-time festival organizer at the MSU Billings Foundation. “We hope our loyal supporters will continue to be involved with this event in the fall.”
MSUB Foundation President & CEO Bill Kennedy said it was not easy to move the nonprofit’s largest annual event. Still, it had to be done to protect the most vulnerable donors and friends and ensure the event’s continued success.
“The Wine & Food Festival is our most important fundraiser,” Kennedy said. “Dollars raised at this week of activities support the MSUB Foundation in our mission to advance Montana State University Billings, especially in providing student scholarships.”
In 2019, the Wine & Food Festival netted $380,000, with a total of more than $6 million netted since the inaugural event in 1993. Thousands of dollars raised during the festival fund scholarships for MSU Billings students each academic year.
The 2020 festival will include the hallmark Friday night casual wine and food tasting and Saturday night fine finish formal dinner and live auction, with silent auctions during each event. Tickets are expected to go on sale on August 30 at msubfoundation.com/shop. The MSU Billings Foundation plans to host a full, week-long Wine & Food Festival again in May 2021.