The Naples Winter Wine Festival’s online auction surpassed $1 million this year, continuing a decade-long run of strong fundraising that supports programs for vulnerable children in Collier County.
The Naples Children Foundation, the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, announced that its 12th annual online auction generated more than $1 million, with $742,500 coming directly from auction lots and the balance directed to Fund a Need. The results bring total proceeds from the festival’s online auctions to nearly $6 million since the initiative launched in 2015.
Bidders from across the country competed for more than 100 offerings, ranging from rare collectible wines and private tastings to luxury travel, chef-led dining experiences and exclusive lifestyle packages.
The top-grossing online lot was “An Unforgettable Bahamas Escape at The Abaco Club – Golf, Dining & Island Adventures,” which sold for $31,000. The package includes a five-day, four-night stay for three couples in a private luxury residence at The Abaco Club, along with boating, culinary experiences, spa treatments, water sports and unlimited golf on the club’s championship seaside course, ranked first in The Bahamas. The experience also includes a private lesson with the resident golf professional and a meet-and-greet with Open champion Darren Clarke.
Several other marquee lots drew strong bidding. An Italian Sunday dinner for 10 at the Naples home of Naples Children Foundation trustees Valerie Boyd and Jeff Gargiulo, owners of Gargiulo Vineyards, sold for $30,000. A wine-and-food getaway to Highlands, North Carolina, featuring private air travel and VIP access to the Highlands Food & Wine Festival, brought $27,500.
Bottles of rare wine were among the most sought-after offerings in the Naples Winter Wine Festival’s online auction, which surpassed $1 million this year in support of programs serving vulnerable children in Collier County.
Two identical Blue Ridge Mountain escapes in Linville, North Carolina, sold for a combined $27,000, while a private fishing adventure in the Florida Keys fetched $23,500. An exclusive wine-paired dinner at the Butcher Private in Naples, paired with the use of a Bentley for two nights, sold for $22,500.
Additional highlights included a sunset cruise and private dinner in Port Royal at the home of trustees Kelley and Jim Bailey, proprietors of Knights Bridge Winery, and two Napa Valley experiences hosted by members of the Gargiulo and Morlet wine families.
Festival organizers said every dollar raised through the online auction supports the foundation’s mission to improve educational, emotional and health outcomes for children most in need. This year marked the 26th anniversary of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, which has funded services for an estimated 385,000 children through grants to nearly 90 nonprofit organizations.
Momentum continued during the festival’s live auction, where guests bid on 51 one-of-a-kind lots, raising more than $30 million. Combined with online and prior-year fundraising, the festival has generated more than $366 million since its inception in 2001.
Using proceeds from this year’s auctions, the Naples Children Foundation plans to award grants and fund strategic initiatives supporting Collier County children on March 16, 2026.
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