Art of Dessert gala in Santa Rosa raises $600,000 for youth education programs

More than $600,000 was raised for local youth education programs over the weekend at the Art of Dessert gala, an event held Saturday in Santa Rosa, benefiting the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts.

The night was filled with activities, starting with a reception and live music performance in the main theater. Throughout the night, events included a silent auction, dinner served with cocktails and wine from Rodney Strong Wine Estates, and a ukulele performance by Bellevue Elementary students.

Each table had a large, extravagant cake centerpiece, adding up to a total of 25 baking masterpieces around the room. More than 200 guests walked from table to table, eating and admiring whichever cakes caught their eye. The Luther Burbank Center for the Arts dubbed that part of the night “Dessert-mania.”

State Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, served as the fundraiser’s emcee.

This year, the organization aimed to raise $525,000 to provide educational art programs for thousands of students in the North Bay, with offerings such as scholarships, a sculpture garden, visual arts programs and a musical instrument lending library for school music programs.

“We raised over $600,000 at the event,” said president and CEO Rick Nowlin. “This is a new record.”

Prizes at the auction included a romantic vacation at the Montage Healdsburg Getaway, a case of Jackson Family wines and an “Ultimate Beer” gift basket.

Funds raised at the Art of Dessert gala will go directly towards the Luther Burbank Center so that they can continue to offer educational art classes to local youth, Nowlin said.

The Art of Dessert gala is the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts’ biggest fundraising event of the year. Since its inception 19 years ago, the gala has raised more than $4.5 million to support the organization.

For more information about the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, visit bit.ly/3EcNnul.