Sedona, AZ: What do you get when you mix together Oscar-nominated films, fun, food and vacations? These all add up to another incredible Sedona Film Festival fundraising event called “Packin’ on the Patio” - a party being held on the Patio del Norte in Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village on Saturday, June 27.
Put on your island wear and get ready for a tropical night where Caribbean cool meets Sedona splendor. Included in the price of a ticket will be a chance to win one of five great getaway vacation packages. These packages include a trip to wine country, Mexico getaway, Doral Golf package, St. Louis Rams getaway plus an escape to Chesapeake Bay! Many more surprises are in store as guests are treated to an evening of island fun, contests, and giveaways.
Pack your suitcases as if you were headed on a trip … but don’t expect to get your clothes back! Guests are asked to pack a suitcase full of clothing to donate to the area’s three thrift shops: Paw Prints Thrift Shop benefiting the Humane Society; Twice Nice Thrift Shop benefiting Verde Valley Sanctuary; and Silver Linings Boutique benefiting Verde Valley Caregivers Coalition. You can even donate the suitcase, if you wish.
Following a cocktail reception with a tropical theme on the lower patio, guests will be whisked to the upper patio for a “Taste of Tlaquepaque” dinner featuring sumptuous delights from Tlaquepaque’s four restaurants: El Rincon Restaurante Mexicano, Oak Creek Brewery & Grill, René at Tlaquepaque, and The Secret Garden Cafe.
“Tlaquepaque and its restaurants have all come together to make this evening extraordinarily special, all as a benefit to the film festival,” said the festival director Patrick Schweiss. “They are pulling out all the stops to make this a truly spectacular evening of delicious culinary creations in the magical ambiance of Tlaquepaque.”
The highlight of this benefit for the Sedona International Film Festival will be “cinema under the stars” with the exclusive Arizona premiere of the five 2009 Oscar-nominated live action short films. The film lineup includes: “On the Line,” “The Pig,” “Manon on the Asphalt,” “New Boy,” and “Toyland”.
Raffles, contests, and other surprises will take place between the films as Schweiss promises a few “tricks up our sleeves” from the festival which often specializes in the unexpected.
“We are turning Tlaquepaque into a Caribbean tropical paradise in celebration of summer,” said Schweiss. “Plus, we are transforming the patio into a gorgeous outdoor theater for our guests to see these extraordinary award winning films that few have had the privilege of viewing.
Plan to escape with us for the evening and perhaps win a vacation getaway plus much, much more! A Caribbean cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m., with dinner starting at 7 p.m., followed by the Oscar-nominated short films at dusk.
