B.R. Cohn Charity Fall Music Festival

From B.R. Cohn Charity Fall Music Festival Website:

In an annual holiday tradition, philanthropist, vintner and concert promoter Bruce Cohn distributed a portion of the proceeds from his 27th Annual B.R Cohn Charity Events Fall Music Festival held in September at the B.R Cohn Winery Amphitheatre in Glen Ellen. The event is donating $35,000 to the Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB), one of the many charities the event supports.

"The Redwood Empire Food Bank does incredible work in Sonoma County, and especially in light of the recent reduction in food stamps by the government," noted Bruce Cohn. "It is a shame that so many can go hungry in a region with this much bounty. The food bank is able to turn a dollars donation into several dollars worth of food which is incredible."

"Each month, we provide food assistance to 78,000 children, adults and seniors in Sonoma County," said REFB Executive Director David Goodman. "But we are not doing it alone. We rely on the generous support of local donors such as B.R. Cohn Charity Events; and this extraordinary gift will enable us to provide healthy food, nutrition education and wellness programs to our friends and neighbors in need."

Highlights of the 2013 festival included the record setting charity auction held Friday night September 20; in spite of a torrential rain event during Saturdays show, producers were able to put seven acts on the main stage including blistering sets by Bad Company, the Doobie Brothers and Pablo Cruise. On Sunday, first time performers Heart and the Gin Blossoms, along with the Doobie Brothers put on a fantastic show for a very enthusiastic audience. The four-day event was concluded on Monday with a day of fun and sun at a golf tournament at Sonoma Golf Club.

This year's festival was held in the memory of Bea Oliver, a long time stage manager of the Fall Music Festival. The festival's olive grove stage was renamed the Bea Stage. Performers this year were The Curly Wolf, Neverland Express, Paulie Hips and the Childbearers, Jaime Kyle and the Rowan Brothers.

The popular and lively charity auction and dinner was held Friday, September 20 at the B.R. Cohn Winerys 140-year old Olive Grove. The spectacular meal was prepared by James Beard nominee Mark Stark and his Stark Catering Group. By all accounts it may have been the best dinner ever at the festival. Stark also provided the catering for all VIP areas during the festival.

Over the years Cohn has been able to raise over 6 million dollars for various local and national charities including national veteran's organizations. Proceeds from this year's festival will be spread among several charities including: Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, The Field of Dreams, Redwood Empire Food Bank, The Guardsmen, The Station Foundation and American Legion Post 489.

Event sponsors and partners included: KFOG 104.5/99.7, 107.7 The Bone, the River 97.7, 96.9 The Eagle, Lagunitas Brewery, Sonoma Index-Tribune and Sonoma Magazine, Fiji Water, the Bohemian, Sonoma Chevrolet, The Flamingo Conference and Resort, KRON-4, GSO, Musty Putters, Mesa Boogie, PRS Guitars, Guitar Center Concord, GEV Magazine, Stark and Company, Statewide Traffic Safety and Signs, Grapevine Party Rentals, American Storage, Sonoma County Tourism, and Grapevine Party Rentals.