Northern Virginia Wine-Food and Wine Festival at National Harbor GALA

THE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL AT NATIONAL HARBOR HOSTS GALA

TO KICK OFF FESTIVAL WEEKEND

-- Special evening kicks off first festival at new harbor –

WHAT:  A special evening is being held to kick off the first Food & Wine Festival

                at National Harbor. The evening will feature food and wine prepared by many

                of the festival’s participating chefs. Guests will be able to meet and greet

                several chefs from the festival, including Wilo Benet, Steve Ells, Matt Lewis,

                Renato Poliafito, Chef Rock, Suvir Saran and Matthew Weingarten. In

                addition, Producer Heidi Hanson will present episodes from her PBS award-

                winning documentary Chefs A’ Field.

WHERE: The gala will take place in the spectacular atrium of the Cherry

      Blossom Ballroom at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention

                  Center. The National Harbor is located at 137 National Plaza, National

Harbor, MD 20745. The hotel is located at 201 Waterfront Street, National  Harbor and is accessible from I/95/I-495 and I-295 and the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge and by water taxi from Washington, D.C. and Alexandria, VA.

WHEN:    Friday, May 16, 2008, 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

WHO:  The gala is open to the public.

COST: Tickets are $95/ per person and can be purchased online at

 www.foodandwinenh.com. A portion of the proceeds will benefit

 Share Our Strength, working to alleviate childhood hunger in America,

 and The Erikka A. Hayes Foundation, offering opportunities in the

 hospitality and foodservice industries to economically and socially

 disadvantaged individuals.