Food & Wine Fundraiser Set At Country's No. 2 Aquarium

TAMPA, FL -- Here's a chance to support the aquarium that was just rated No. 2 in North America.

The Florida Aquarium will host its annual Seagrapes Wine & Food event Saturday, May 18 from 8 to 11 p.m.

Tickets are still available for this signature fundraiser for The Florida Aquarium which usually sells out every year.

The event features more than 100 types of wine and foods from numerous local restaurants with all proceeds going to the aquarium's endangered species conservation programs.

Guests will enjoy quality wines and gourmet food while listening to live music from The Black Honkeys, Fretless Rock and Alan Darcy while strolling among the aquarium's exhibits featuring more than 8,000 animals and plants.

Additionally, there will be a silent auction. Guests can bid on an array of auction items that appeal to adventurers, arts and culture buffs, fashionistas, sports fans, travelers and gourmands. Packages include Roy’s sushi champagne dinner for eight, Noble Crust excursion for eight, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Centre Brayden Point autographed jersey and a Captain America Stan Lee-autographed comic book.

"We are committed to saving sea life, educating students, providing amazing guest experiences, and giving back to our community," said Florida Aquarium President and CEO Roger Germann. "That’s why our signature fundraiser is so important to advancing our mission. As a nonprofit, we rely on the generosity of donors, guests and this coming Saturday, party-goers, to join us in making a difference in Tampa Bay, across Florida, and around the globe by purchasing tickets, bidding on auction items, and providing meaningful donations."

Tickets are $125 and include unlimited wine and food tasting, access to all aquarium exhibits, live entertainment throughout the aquarium's galleries and complimentary valet parking at the main entrance.

VIP tickets cost $275 and include all the above in addition to a preview at 7 p.m. featuring a VIP tour and full access to a rooftop VIP area with exclusive food and wines along with a performance by Fretless Rock.

Click here for tickets.

The evening will also serve as a celebration for the aquarium, which was just named one of North America's best aquariums in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. The Florida Aquarium moved up from No. 3 last year to No. 2 this year.

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, received the top ranking.

A panel of experts selected 20 of the best aquariums in North America based on the quality of their exhibits, rescue efforts and ocean advocacy programs, entertaining and educational programs and visitor interactions.

Then voting was opened to the public to determine the top 10 aquariums.

Tampa's newly elected Mayor Jane Castor was among the first to congratulate the aquarium.

“The Florida Aquarium is a Tampa gem and a cultural and conservation leader in the region. They understand that their best chapter is yet to be written and this honor is proof that exciting things are in store for them and the city they call home,” said Castor.

More than 800,000 guests visit The Florida Aquarium every year, making it one of Tampa Bay’s most-attended cultural attractions. The aquarium also welcomes more than 100,000 students each year and saves sea life across the country, primarily focusing on endangered sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation and coral reef restoration.

Recently, the aquarium reopened its second-largest exhibit, the Heart of the Sea, and its Waves of Wonder gallery. The aquarium is also set to open a new jelly touch experience, Moon Bay, in early summer.

“To receive this prestigious recognition based on our community’s overwhelming support is both humbling and an honor,” said Germann. “On behalf of The Florida Aquarium, I would like to thank everyone in the Tampa Bay area and across the country for recognizing their favorite aquarium.”

Located in the Channel District, The Florida Aquarium opened in 1995.