Community

Katy Sip N Stroll Set to Return April 15, Benefit The Ballard House

February 24 2023

Katy's premier culinary and wine experience, Sip N Stroll, is proud to have raised over $436,000 to date, with $71,000 raised in 2022 for The Ballard House. These funds have provided over 33,500 free room nights in a safe, homelike environment for patients and their caregivers undergoing treatment for life-threatening illnesses. Constance and Clifton McDerby founded Sip N Stroll to raise awareness and funds for The Ballard House's mission, inviting guests to enjoy great food, wine, and company while supporting a worthy cause.

(Photo Credit: Kelley Sweet Photography)

Sip N Stroll returns on Saturday, April 15th, for its 25th edition, presented by Keller Williams and Kroger, at The ARK by Norris Event Center in Katy, TX. The all-inclusive ticket offers access to 35 savory food tasting stations, 5 dessert stations, and over 300 beverage selections, making it Katy's biggest, best, beloved, and longest-running signature community event. The 2 Man Band with Byron & Shang and Katy's own award-winning singer/songwriter Kristen Hart will provide live music to keep attendees swaying to the beat. Free parking and a shuttle service will be available to transport attendees from their parked vehicles to the front entry.

(Photo Credit: Kelley Sweet Photography)

Devoted wine enthusiasts can upgrade to the VIP Experience, offering lounge seating, 40+ premium wine selections, an additional hour of enjoyment, elevated food offerings, a VIP Swag Bag, and the keepsake collectible "big" glass.

Sip N Stroll features an array of activities, including the Kroger Experience Alley, VIP Zone, All Things Bubbly, First Impressions with Bahamas Tourism live Junkanoo performers, Sweet Tooth Alley, The Spirits Patio, Le Chloe Fountain of Youth, all-new and first to the USA the Wine From Lebanon Sip History Experience, Wine pull benefiting The Ballard House, Party Wagon Raffle with 100% of proceeds benefiting The Ballard House, artisan vendors, and more.

(Photo Credit: Kelley Sweet Photography)

New this year is the Villa Maria Garden Party, a pre-Sip N Stroll gathering in the garden at Pearl & Vine Restaurant. The festivity includes elaborate photo stations to capture the experience, mixologist demonstrations, live cooking demos with Chef Ryan Hallsted, and door prizes presented by Villa Maria Earth Garden wines.

Sip N Stroll is thankful for the support of sponsors, including Keller Williams and Kroger as Co-Presenting Sponsors, Alexander Valley Vineyards, American Furniture Warehouse, Aruba Tourism, Bahamas Tourism, Blue Star Hospice, Delicato Family Vineyards, Freixenet-Mionetto USA, Frederick Wildman & Sons, Houston Community College, La Chloe Med Spa, MaxLiving – Arise Family Chiropractic, Renewal By Andersen, SpeedPro Imaging The Woodlands, The ARK by Norris, The Wine Group, and Wine From Lebanon. In-kind partners include ACME Party & Tent, All About Katy, Genesis Photographers, Infiniti Graphics, Katy Times, PetTalk Magazine, Photography by Steven David, Smile with Kelley Sweet-Deliciously Stylish Photography, and Swoon Magazine.

(Photo Credit: Kelley Sweet Photography)

Private Deluxe Hospitality Tents are available for groups wanting their own "home base" to enjoy all that Sip N Stroll has to offer. Tickets are available on the Sip N Stroll website, with general admission tickets at $75, VIP Lounge tickets at $125, and Villa Maria Garden Party tickets at $25. Attendance is limited, and a sellout is expected, so don't wait.

Stay tuned for a complete list of the participating restaurants, beverages, sponsors, and exhibitors. Sip N Stroll invites guests to raise a glass, meet new friends, share a laugh, and support The Ballard House's mission. It's a true party with a purpose.

About Sip N Stroll, Food & Vine Time Productions

Food & Vine Time Productions, producer of Katy Sip N Stroll, is proud to have raised over $2 million dollars through various channels since its inception in 2002 for local charities and deserving non-profits.

The first large scale event in the Metro founded by Food & Vine Time Productions, Wine & Food Week is the first multi-day, multi-faceted, comprehensive destination culinary and wine event in the Houston Metro and the first nationally to promote locally sourced and sustainable products. Sip N Stroll was launched in 2010 and this year brings the 25th and 26th editions Founder Constance McDerby with life and business partner, Clifton McDerby have been promoting and furthering the diverse culinary scene to avid followers since 2002. Diffusing the mystique of wines, FVTP events makes wines approachable by educating the novice to the aficionado. Food & Vine Time Productions created another first with the state’s first multi-day craft beer destination and educational event featuring over 300 craft beer selections. Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival celebrates a decade of craft beer experiences, being named #3 beer event in America by USA Today and #1 in Houston by Houstonia Magazine. Food & Vine Time Productions’ events include Houston Chronicle Culinary Stars, Katy Sip N Stroll, Wine Fair Cy-Fair, Zest in the West, Tomball’s Freight Train Food Truck Fest, and a myriad of public lifestyle events and private events for various clients.

Katy Sip N Stroll Benefits

A 501 (c)(3) organization, Cinco Charities® Inc. was founded in 2006 by a group of Keller Williams Premier Realty agents and has provided “a home away from home” for hundreds of patients and their caregivers since its inception. The organization has recently extended their commitment to those in need by building The Ballard House, a 24 guest-suite hospitality house to meet the growing needs of patients coming to the Katy/West Houston Medical Center for treatment for life-threatening illnesses. These families have travelled to Katy from 26 different states besides Texas, 45 Texas cities and rural communities and as far away as Poland and Canada for their treatments. Dr. Gregory Chronowski, Associate Professor of Radiology Oncology at MD Anderson’s Katy Cancer Center said that “if it were not for Ballard House, a number of my patients would not have been able financially to come for cancer treatment and probably would not have lived."

“The Ballard House is a symbol of the warm and welcoming spirit of Katy’s community,” said David Brown, Ballard House Manager. “The need for housing assistance has exploded the last couple of years. Now is a critical time to support Cinco Charities as we are daily answering the need from West Houston’s growing medical community by providing patients and their families free lodging and other services so they can concentrate on receiving their treatment."

The Katy Sip N Stroll is one of Cinco Charities major fundraising events to support the operating costs of The Ballard House. Your enthusiastic participation in the auction provides proceeds to directly benefit The Ballard House mission and is greatly appreciated. Support The Ballard House and get your tickets today at sipandstroll.com. For more information about The Ballard House and Cinco Charities, visit theballardhouse.org.

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