Press Release

11/13/2019

Grand Rapids — “The Series: Creative Expressions of African American Culture Presented by Meijer” is back for 20192020, and DeVos Place has announced the first event! Enjoy An Evening with Bertony Faustin of Abbey Creek Vineyard and Graped Out Wine Artist George Walker III on Friday, November 22, 2019 at 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM in DeVos Place Grand Gallery Overlook Rooms A & B.

The wine dinner will be an evening of exceptional food, wine, music and conversation, featuring three courses with wine and live music by Karisa Sprite, as well as an amuse-bouche and bubbly upon arrival. The event will spotlight wines from Abbey Creek Vineyard and African American focused cuisine prepared by Chef Damon Covington of the Culinary Institute of Michigan.

Tickets are $90 per person which includes admission to the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival, a seat at the wine dinner, tax and gratuity. Tickets are on sale now at the DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. You must be 21 years of age or older to purchase tickets and attend this event. Tickets for this event are will call only. Pick up for these tickets will be available on the day of the show only beginning at 3:00 PM on Friday, November 22 at the DeVos Place box office.

Stay tuned! Additional “The Series: Creative Expressions of African American Culture presented by Meijer” events will be announced soon! About Bertony Faustin In 2008, Bertony Faustin became the first recorded African American winemaker in Oregon and the winemaker of Abbey Creek Vineyard in Portland, Oregon. The journey that lead him to this incredible accomplishment was not typical nor could it have been. In an industry of legacy and privilege, Bertony had neither. He was not the descendant of prominent wine lineage, and his motivation was never strictly about the wine. His destiny was sown deeply into the fabric of family and living up to the expectations of his father. With so many entering the industry, to become a renowned wine maker Bertony had bigger plans. He saw his opportunity to build a platform that would allow him to change the world. "I don't love the industry. I love what the industry allows me to do." Building the foundation to bring people together, break bread and develop community, his efforts allow for a deeper conversation into diversity, equity & inclusion.

About George Washington Carver Walker, III Seven years ago, George Washington Carver Walker, III didn't know the difference between a cabernet sauvignon and a sauvignon blanc. He encountered wine while he was a student at the Culinary Institute of Michigan. What brought him to CIM was food — a passion that started while attending a tech center high school near Chicago. Despite this love, it would be wine and its rich culture that captured his heart. The wine that started it all - a beautiful Châteauneuf-du-Pape. From the moment he tasted it, he was in awe of the nuanced flavors and the name piqued his interest. What did it mean, and where was this wine from?

After some research, he uncovered that the wine hailed from the Rhône wine region in the southeast of France and the name means castle of the Pope. Want to know the story behind the name? Ask him sometime (it involves blessed grapes!). From there, he moved on to other wines — despite being under the legal drinking age. He would go to restaurants and ask questions and talk about wines with servers, only to awkwardly decline a drink as he couldn’t provide a valid I.D.

About CIG The Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority’s Community Inclusion Group (CIG) is a task force comprised of local community leaders that strive to make DeVos Place, Van Andel Arena and DeVos Performance Hall West Michigan’s premier multicultural entertainment venues. Established in 2005, the Community Inclusion Group actively guides the venues in increasing community access and awareness, attracting top level events and talent, and fostering inclusive staff and supplier development and engagement. As a result of these ongoing efforts, the West Michigan community has enjoyed visits from a number of diverse artists, including Gerardo Ortiz, Pepe Aguilar, Kevin Hart, Shen Yun, Snoop Dogg and more, and several community events such as the annual Spectrum Health Jump Jam and Grand Rapids Community College Giants Awards. The support of the Community Inclusion Group continues to ensure that DeVos Place, Van Andel Arena and DeVos Performance Hall remain “Three Premier Venues: Welcoming All.”

About The Series: Creative Expressions of African American Culture presented by Meijer The Series: Creative Expressions of African American Culture is a program of the CAA and CIG that is designed to provide consistent, high-quality programming for members of the West Michigan region who have an interest in the various forms of arts and entertainment inspired by African American culture.

About ASM Global DeVos Place is managed by ASM Global. ASM Global is the world’s leading venue management and services company. The company was formed by the combination of AEG Facilities and SMG, global leaders in venue and event strategy and management. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 300 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. From Aberdeen to Anchorage, and Sydney to Stockholm, its venues connect people through the unique power of live experiences.

ASM Global’s diverse portfolio of clients benefit from the company’s depth of resources and unparalleled experience, expertise and creative problem-solving. Each day, the company’s 61,000 passionate employees around the world deliver locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to deliver maximum results for venue owners, and operations, and amazing experiences for guests. By consistently looking for new ways to envision, innovate and empower the spaces and places that bring people together, ASM Global elevates the human spirit while delivering the highest value for all stakeholders. For more information, please visit www.asmglobal.com.